Help with Brisket


 
W

Wayne Thompson

New member
Hey all! I have been the happy owner of a WSM for about 18 months now. I have been able to nail every type of meat I have cooked with the exception of brisket. If any of you have ideas or suggestions I would love to hear from you. The biggest issue I have is that the meat turns out too dry. It has good flavor and it is tender but dry.

I will try to give you as much background information as I can. With all of my attempts cooking brisket I have cooked at a temp of 225 to 250. The first two times I cooked brisket I monitored the cooker temperatures with the thermometer on the lid. The last two times I cooked brisket I used a Maverick to monitor the temperatures. (Side note: I found that the lid thermometer and the Maverick can read quite different temperatures. The lid thermometer seems to be influenced by the weather, outside air temps, and direct sun. I love the Maverick as I live in Michigan and it is the middle of winter here. I love being able to stay indoors to read the cooker and meat temperatures!)

I have cooked the briskets to different internal temperatures as well. I have read several web sites, watched tons of videos on-line regarding BBQ and found many suggested internal, target temperatures. Basically I have cooked up to a temp of 203, as low as 195, and a few other points in between. I am beginning to think I need a way to physically check the meat. For example, when I smoke a pork butt one of my final ways of checking the "doneness" is to stick a standard kitchen fork in the meat. If the fork turns easily, the meat is ready.

I have tried foiling the briskets at different times such as when the meat hits 150. I have foiled at 170. I have even smoked a couple of the briskets without foiling. They have all come out slightly dry.

I have tried setting up the WSM with water and I have tried smoking brisket without water. I like to smoke most times without water. Like Harry Soo I prefer the easy clean up that you get when you don't use water. I have a large quantity of ceramic brikets that would be used in a gas grill in my water pan for some thermal mass and I completely foil the bowl.

I have injected low sodium beef broth and other liquids into the brisket on all but one of the cooks I have tried so far. In fact on one cook I used liquid in any way I could. I set up the WSM with water in the bowl, injected the meat ahead of time, and foiled with liquid at 150 degrees and still ended up with the same dry results.

The last variable I can think of is the meat itself. At this time I have gotten all my briskets at Costco. I have never been able to get a whole packer there. I have only been able to get a portion of the flat. I am not sure but they appear to be trimmed before they are packaged. I am going to check with my local small specialty grocery store in town about getting a whole packer. I have never asked at Costco about getting one there. I have seen them at my local chain grocery store but they only carry them around the Fourth of July and other big BBQ holidays.

Again, if any of you have ideas, I would love the hear them. I love Q'ing and I want to get my brisket coming out juicy and tender. Sometimes there is nothing better than a tender, juicy chunk of beef!!! Thanks.
 
Hi Wayne,

Briskets can be a funny meat to cook. It will go from dry and tough (undercooked) through perfect to dry and crumbly (overcooked) in no time flat. Suggest never cook to a temperature or time as they are only indicators for you to start looking or testing for other 'clues'.

I have always foiled my briskets. Why... cause that is the way I was taught. Also have never used water nor any other heat sink in the water pan. Have always foiled. I also keep my grill temperature sensing device away from the meats (so it isn't affected by the colder meat).

This is the way I've done it... same reason as above. Something about 'If it not broke.... ' ;) We always cook a packer and trim the fat cap to approx 1/4". Cook fat cap down. When the meat temperature show it's in the stall, approx. 160 -165, we start checking for proper bark formation. If you can scrape the bark off with your fingernail, it's not set. When it is set, we then foil and add a little bit of some brazing liquid in the foil package. btw... foil tightly !

Next check is when the temperature approaches approx.185 - 190. We then start checking for tenderness. Very similar to your method of checking for doneness. We use a Thermapen's probe to see if it will slide in to the meat with very little resistance. Kind of like going into soft butter. --> check in multiple locations <-- Also, even though the Thermapen reads temperature, we do not even look at that. Doesn't mean a thing. After all, we cook to tenderness, not temperature. If the probe does not slide in easily (think soft butter !), we continue cooking until it does, rechecking every 15-20minutes. Oh... we also do not unwrap when checking for tenderness. Just poke right through the foil.

When the brisket reaches tenderness, we remove it and let it sit on the kitchen counter partly open so as to let it cool to a temperature below the cooking temperature, about 170 degF. At this point, it's ok to wrap back up if you have a couple of hours to wait until the planned dinner time. If you're ready to eat when it comes off the smoker, there's no need to wait until it cools off.

I hope this helps. Best of luck on your next Brisket.

Bob
 
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What ^ he said but :

I rarely foil unless I need to speed up the cook. Like the other smarter Bob said when you add liquid and foil you are now brazing the meat not bbqing it. This is just my opinion so please don't get your knickers in a knot if you don't agree.

I always let the meat rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing or wrapping to hold it warm.

Tough and dry = underdone
Crumbly and dry = overdone
 
Hi Bob

This Bob's just more stubborn ( chuckle ) ;)

I have seen your briskets that look absolutely awesome, yet were cooked without foil and some with high heat.

You did get me to question why I continue to cook only that way. Yes, stubbornness plays a large part. Since March of last year, our (both my wife and I) bbq cooking efforts have vastly diminished or at least chanced. Partly due to increased involvement in judging and eating (others) comp bbq. We go weeks and even months without heating up the wsm. When we do light the coals, both grills are normally chock full of chicken or turkey rather than the ribs, pork or brisket we once did often. So our cooking style has changed, part of which is due to my doctor's influence / instructions (grin).

One of these days I'll climb out of this rut. I promise.

Take care, my friend.
 
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I keep my smoker temp as close to 210 as I can, use a whole packer, don't trim the fat, smoke with fat side up, pull it off when it reaches 185, wrap it in foil and let rest for at least 1/2 hour- more if you can resist eating. It will gain another 5-10 degrees when foiled and resting and then start to cool down. Don't slice it until just before eating, as when you slice it you'll lose moisture.
 
I want to reply to this message since I saw it since I saw a Michigan city that is near me.

First I'll say that my technique is NOT Texas style and tends to be on the sweet side. Everyone I have served enjoys it, even my family visiting from Texas. I've only done 3, but I've been lucky to have all 3 turn out great. I'll walk you through my plan and the next one I do (if spring ever arrives) I will start a new thread and post pictures if I can.

About a week before I plan on cooking I get the brisket. I try to time my purchase so that I can have it age a few days in the fridge and not early enough to have to freeze it. I have cooked frozen beef in the past and haven't noticed a difference, but I try to stay consistent with my first success. I have shopped around and most places, including sam's and costco will only sell a flat in this area for about 7.99/lb. I have found whole packers at Wallmart. I think my wife payed about 3.50/lb but I could be wrong. I do know she said it was much cheaper. She asked Wallmart and they said they usually only get in about 2 a month, so my next buy I will ask about ordering ahead to make sure I get one.

Two days before the cook, I unwrap and wash it. I fell all along the fatty areas and trim off any harder fat that doesn't have any give when I press it. I also look for the seperation of the point and flat and trim out all the fat from between them so the brisket lays a little flatter. Usually most of the fat I trim is off the point end and the flat usually have the softer fat that feels more like skin. I score the fat on the flat to help the rub penetrate. I then put two toothpicks in different spots to mark the direction of the grain in the flat.

My seasoning process starts with rub of olive oil, then I put a light coating of McCormicks Montreal Steak Seasoning, then a light coating of McCormicks Sweet and Smokey. I let it rest a few minutes, the another round of Montreal Steak Seasoning and Sweet and Smokey to make sure I have a complete even coating. While I'm waiting for that side to rest, I get some dark brown sugar and spread it out on a baking sheet to dry out. In the future, I'm going to do the brown sugar first or try to dry it out in the oven. Once I'm sure the rub is nice and sticky, I turn of the brisket and repeat the process finishing with a light layer of brown sugar and rub it in good. I get a two large pieces of plastic wrap layed out and then carefully flip the brisket over onto the wrap. I then put a final light layer of brown sugar on the brisket. I wrap it up in the the plastic and put on a baking sheet (preferably with high sides to protect for leaks) and put in the bottom of the fridge. I then get a package of au jus and prepare it in a sauce pan. Once its made and cooled off I put it in a glass or bowl with a lid and place in the fridge for the next day.

When it's time to start cooking, I get the brisket and au jus out and put it on the counter. I get the smoker going and after it's been stable for about 30 minutes, I throw in a wood chunk. I usually use apple, cherry, hickory and pecan. Whatever I have is what I use that day. I go back in the house and put some of the au jus in a small cup and inject the brisket with the au jus and pour the rest in a spray bottle. I put the brisket, fat side up in the cooker and usually don't touch it for about 4 to 5 hours.

After about 4 hours I check the temp in the flat near the point end and if it's over 140 and I'm happy with the color, I spray the brisket heavly with au jus and wrap the whole brisket in foil and put a temp probe in the thickest part of the flat. I then go back in the house and relax.

When the temp on the flat reaches 195, I pull it all out, drain the juices to a bowl and put it on a cutting board and then seperate the flat from the point. I double wrap the flat in foil and put it in a cooler or wrap in beach towels to rest for at least and hour.

I then pour about a cup of the juices to a foil pan (enough to fill the bottom), then cube up the point and put it in the pan. I sprinkle on some more sweet and smokey and a little brown sugar and drizzle some bbq sauce over the pieces. I put the pan back on the smoker for 45 minutes to an hour until the it starts carmalizing the tops.

After all that I take out the burnt ends, unwrap the flat, look for the toothpicks and slice the brisket right before serving. I brush the sliced flat pieces with juice from the burnt ends pan.
 
Hey Steve, thanks for the reply. I have two questions after reading your post. What temperature are using on your cook? Are you using water in the water pan?

I will check at Walmart the next time I am there about getting a whole packer. I also found a butcher shop not too far from me so I think I will be able to get my hands on a nice packer the next time I am ready to try brisket again.

I will definitely be putting your techniques to use.

THINK SPRING!!! I think we have had enough snow here in SE Michigan for the year!
 
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