"Mealy" Brisket


 
J

Jay Rogers

TVWBB Super Fan
I did a full packer this past weekend. 12.5 lbs. Smoked for 19 hours using Royal Oak briquettes and 3 oak chunks - Brinkmann H2O pan 2 top offs. Temp never rose above 230. Avg. grate about 205.

Removed when probe went in like butter (185). Wrapped in foil and held for 2 hours in a cooler.

The brisket had a good smoke ring and great flavor. Texture on the first bite was really good, but it turned mealy or grainy after that.

Has anybody else encountered this? Any ideas what could have caused it?
 
Where did you probe it? Is your probe calibrated? Sounds like it was over-cooked.

Was the whole brisket like this? The point can be this way at times. I don't care for the point, but its part of the brisket. Buying just flats is too expensive around here.
 
I thought that was the problem too. I gave it the tug test, and the slice didn't fall apart.

My therms are correct - checked with two recently calibrated in boiling H2O. Both gave me the same 185 in the flat.

Calibrated oven therm gave me the grate temp. Dome temp taken through the top vent.

I've done dozens of packers and never had this mealy texture. I don't think it was the brisket - it was a choice+ Cattleman's Reserve - very good marbling.
Rub was simple salt, pepper and ancho chili powder.
 
Sometimes cuts of meat act really wierd and out of norm. Chalk it up to that and cook another.
 
Is it possible that the meat was sliced WITH the grain instead of AGAINST it?

I've been served brisket (flat) that was sliced WITH the grain and it tasted dry and mealy.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jon:
Sometimes cuts of meat act really wierd and out of norm. Chalk it up to that and cook another. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's what I'm going to do. Oh well, made good chili.

Jake - I cut against the grain (marked with a little slice before cooking). Also, It wasn't dry - that's what threw me. It was moist and mealy. I'm still at a loss.
 
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