Help - Brisket!


 
K

Kimble

New member
Hi,

I am currently smoking a 5lb brisket and 5lb pork butt. Both went on at 930am and temperature has been steady at 225-250.

I have only done brisket one other time. The current temp of the brisket is 158 and through the probe, it feels very tough and not tender. Is this typical of a brisket at 158 degrees? I am approx half way through my cook and plan on removing around 195. Thoughts please.

Thx
Dave
 
Now is the time to wrap them both in double aluminum foil till they get to the final temp your looking for. Plus they'll cook quicker in foil.
 
you will need a int temp of at least 195-198. after that start testing until the probe goes in easily. i would suggest bringing the temp up to 275-300 . don't forget that the meat will hit a plateau and it could take hours before it starts to rise again so have some patience.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Kimble:
...it feels very tough and not tender.
...I am approx half way through my cook </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hi Dave-

If the brisket was tender, you wouldn't be half way through your cook. You would be done!
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I'll re-emphasis George's tip of not removing the meat until it does feel tender, even if it means cooking a while longer after it hits your target temp. You're doing the right thing by checking it, so don't be afraid to let it smoke until it's tender enough for you.
 
Thanks for the pointers. Does the majority out there suggest I foil at this time? I find that the foiling ruins the bark....
 
I find that as well and I don't foil, not only for bark but just because I don't to this day see the benifit. I would foil though if its a flat. Im assuming its a flat being 5 lbs. I dont like to foil well/decent marbled packers is all. The smaller less fatty flat could use a quicker cook as to not dry out so bad im thinking and in that case foil is sounding pretty good. I agree w/ George to that 275 or more is sounding good to if its a flat.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Thanks for the pointers. Does the majority out there suggest I foil at this time? I find that the foiling ruins the bark.... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Since you asked, if your desire is to foil the brisket than you could foil it now, most typically wait until 165ish, I foil my briskets between 165 and 170. Most don't foil butts unless you're looking to speed your cook up. Personally, I see no benefit to foiling a butt outside of that and a major negative to foiling a butt, lack luster bark, which you already pointed out.

My .02, hope it helps.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LarryR:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Thanks for the pointers. Does the majority out there suggest I foil at this time? I find that the foiling ruins the bark.... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Since you asked, if your desire is to foil the brisket than you could foil it now, most typically wait until 165ish, I foil my briskets between 165 and 170. Most don't foil butts unless you're looking to speed your cook up. Personally, I see no benefit to foiling a butt outside of that and a major negative to foiling a butt, lack luster bark, which you already pointed out.

My .02, hope it helps. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ditto, to what another Larry said!
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> I find that the foiling ruins the bark.... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I wouldn't say that it ruins it. If it did, then you probably didn't have much of a bark to begin with. Foil will prevent further formation of bark, and soften it somewhat, but it can be revived after foiling with a dry heat finish.

I learned to do butts with foil. I tried a couple of times to do them with out foil and I didn't like the result.

foil helps transfer heat more efficiently into the roast and helps to even out the heat. Unless you are roasting a perfect sphere in a uniformly hot environment*, there is going to be uneven cooking. Foil, if used properly can compensate for this. Even with foil (and a whole packer), I find that the inner slices are moister than the outer once. I guess it all depends on your preferences, I just try to balance my need for bark for my need for moist meat.

*IMO the cooking environment inside the wsm is particularly uneven. hotter air on the outside, radiant heat from below. think of foiling as a way to beat all that without the need for flipping and rotating your roast every couple of hours.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by j biesinger:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> I find that the foiling ruins the bark.... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I wouldn't say that it ruins it. If it did, then you probably didn't have much of a bark to begin with. Foil will prevent further formation of bark, and soften it somewhat, but it can be revived after foiling with a dry heat finish. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree....



*IMO the cooking environment inside the wsm is particularly uneven. hotter air on the outside, radiant heat from below. think of foiling as a way to beat all that without the need for flipping and rotating your roast every couple of hours. [/QUOTE]

I disagree. Initially there will be varying temperatures in different areas of the WSM, however after about an hour of cooking the temps pretty much even out within a couple degrees. I have never needed to flip or foil, ribs, butts, brisket etc. on a WSM due to uneven temperatures. I do foil ribs and brisket, but only because I prefer to do so, I did the same on my offsets and Primos.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> *IMO the cooking environment inside the wsm is particularly uneven. hotter air on the outside, radiant heat from below. think of foiling as a way to beat all that without the need for flipping and rotating your roast every couple of hours.
I disagree. Initially there will be varying temperatures in different areas of the WSM, however after about an hour of cooking the temps pretty much even out within a couple degrees. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

well, what ever goes on inside the wsm certainly works. I'm not complaining because, as we all, know wsm's make great q.

about all I try to control for is the edges of the grates. I try to limit exposure to this "hot zone."

I foil butts mostly to speed it along, but I also prefer the texture of the meat and bark after foiling.

I foil briskets mostly to even out the cooking.

I don't foil ribs because I prefer them on the dry side.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I have never needed to flip or foil, ribs, butts, brisket etc. on a WSM due to uneven temperatures. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
When I first got my WSM I'd flip, rotate, spritz, baste etc. Now I just throw the meat on and let her go. Most of my cooks I don't even open her until I'm at the point of checking for "doneness" or it's time to foil (I foil my briskets and ribs). It's an amazing cooker.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">When I first got my WSM I'd flip, rotate, spritz, baste etc. Now I just throw the meat on and let her go. Most of my cooks I don't even open her until I'm at the point of checking for "doneness" or it's time to foil (I foil my briskets and ribs). It's an amazing cooker. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

amen.
 
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