Salvaging somwehat over-done Brisket


 
Ron G.

Ron G.

TVWBB Wizard
On Sat evening / Sunday, I smoked a Brisket.

This was my 2nd attempt - first was only a flat.

Starting weight, before trimming thick parts of flat cap was 13.5 lbs - probably a little under 12 trimmed. Grade = unknown.

I bought it about 3 weeks ago, and had frozen and thawed it.

Cooked it low & slow (225-250) for about 17 hours - which was a bit too long (everything I've read indicated a normal minimum of 1-1/2 hours per pound).

Used a simple rub of Salt, Pepper, Penzey's Chili Powder, a little Turbinado Sugar, and a little Granulated Onion & Garlic. Heavy dose of Smoke Wood - (2) small logs of Cherry, (2) Large chunks of Pecan, and a layer of Pecan Hulls between the un-lit. (Grove Lump) Flavor & Bark were very good IMO.

Anyway - separated point & flat.
Point was nice and tender / moist - cubed it up & put it in a mix of Stubbs Beef Marinade (stuff is pretty hot/SPICY) & Bulls-Eye in equal parts. If you like a deep, "beefy" flavor with a little Kick - this seems to work pretty good.

Flat sliced mostly OK - GREAT flavor, but a little dry (some hard/stringy meat on side that was facing the heat).

LESSONS LEARNED:
L1. Next time, I'm getting a replacement probe for my remote-probe thermometer and putting it in the flat. When flat is done, separate and put point back on to put some bark on the exposed face and render a little mor fat.

L2. Next time, I'm starting it for the longer stretch fat cap down and/or put it on the lower rack nearer to the water pan. I suspect that this should shield the flat from direct heat and even-out the cooking between flat and point. (I started it fat cap up & flipped it after about 8 hours.)

DAMAGE CONTROL?:
Q1. Should I re-heat the sliced Flat in some beef broth or something else to put-back a little moisture?
 
If it's still whole (the flat) I would just braise it like you say until it is serving temp. I wouldn't take it back up to the high internals if you think it was already over cooked. Or else I would just cube it and make chili. That's normally what I do when the brisket doesn't come out right! If it's sliced I'm not real sure to be honest....

Clark
 
Next time cook it fat down the whole time. Upper rack is fine. Remove it when a probe goes into the center of the flat with little to no resistance.
 
Toss the leftovers in a crock pot with some liquid, veggies and whatever else you like and let is go for the day. You'll keep the taste but moisten the meat, amost like a smoked pot roast.

You'll also get to smell the smokiness all day long as it braises.
 
I had the same problem last week. My brisket was DRY, overcooked. I made some of the best chili ever with it! I left some of the fat on it for flavor and the chili was great! I am sticking with chuck roasts for a while. They are always on sale around here. My latest brisket was 30 dollars, not to mention a whole bag of charcoal!
 
Crock-pot, braising, or sliced for sammiches is usually what I do.

Brisket was the hardest for me to get 'right'.
 
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