Not very Juicy Brisket

[Scooter B]

Call me crazy but I can't for the life of me see any way that liquid would in any way penetrate into cooked meat. I can see that adding a flavoured liquid might add a more flavour, but not moisture. Again this goes back to the idea of boiling meat. Boiled meat would never get tough if this was the case.

Now having said this, perhaps adding liquid might help to cool the exterior of the meat faster and thus allow the meat to rest faster. This could help prevent the post cook rise that could in theory cause your meat to overcook. Even this seems like a stretch but I'm just throwing out idead.

 

[Dave Russell]

Originally posted by glenn fleming:
dave:

i really like your straight ahead approach too the Brisket. i am doing one on smoke day and have been racking mmy brain over the past year bout 2 basic topics. turning the brisket and mopping it. i read Stubbs book he never turned it but cooked fatside up, he also mopped the meat a lot, then i read Kirk and he talked bout turning the meat at one half intervals. i really think fatside down and no turning makes perfect sense in the WSM, and i dont see the need for continual mopping.. maybe u could give a little feedback as too why u think this is the way too go.. thanks alot and cya on smoke day!!!!


Glenn in SC

Glenn, I believe the brisket mopping/flipping tradition came from the open pit style of bbq where flipping, and to a lesser degree, mopping, was critical for the meat to cook evenly. In a cooker though, neither is helpful or really worth the trouble in my opinion, although you might try cooking the brisket in a pan using a beer based mop. That's a pretty good technique, especially if you want to cook dry at HH.

As to cooking fat cap down, I've done it both ways in various cookers, and for some reason or another, the fat doesn't really baste the meat any better if left fat up. Now lots of folks have good success cooking briskets fat side up, but they're usually using offset smokers. Personally, I wouldn't even consider it in a wsm or other cooker with the fire directly below. I even save some chunks of fat after trimming and lay those under the end of the flat as well to help protect it from overcooking there.

Hope that helps.

 

[Glenn Fleming]

dave:

thanx much. getting ready for my 3rd Smoke Day Brisket and hope this will be my best.. i hope too secure the hunk of cow next week and your tips make a lotta sense..

Glenn in SC