Look at the slices behind. He slices like a Texan... which is like I think maybe Jesus would slice a brisket if he we with me. You know... properly. Thick!

To answer the original question, think of it this way.

What cut of meat gets the most question for help. Having run a forum for 10 years, hands down I've seen 10 questions about brisket to any other cut.

On AVERAGE, it just appears to be a difficult cut because if you don't have good Q knowledge (or access to this forum) and you don't know heat control, Brisket is the cut that can really define how good you are at the basics.

2nd toughest might be Ribs.

PB is pretty damn easy

Chicken, if people didn't ask questions about chicken skin we probably wouldn't have any posts about chicken.

Brisket is the toughest because it exposes your weaknesses as a cook.

Russ

I think the time commitment, patience, and fire control skills are the things that make brisket seem difficult. I've found ribs and pork butts are more forgiving if the smoker runs a bit hot, but brisket can dry out very quickly if you don't keep a close eye on your temps. The long temp plateau that you get with brisket also throws a lot of people off. I know a few people who pulled their first briskets at 160 or so since the temp hadn't budged in hours. Needless to say those weren't good briskets.

I have had really good luck with brisket, but as others have said it may take 8 hours one time and 14 the next, and it can be hard to block out a chunk of time that big. It also makes it difficult to cook for a large event - "we'll be eating sometime between 5 and Midnight" doesn't usually go over well.

I'm not a golfer but I've talked to enough of them to say I think cooking a brisket and playing golf are a lot alike. One day you're great and everyone respects you and the next time out the same thing makes a fool out of you.

Oh Shane, would you care to comment on this?

"In the city, the city of Compton
We keep it rockin! We keep it rockin!" - 2-Pac

lol.. :-D

well here is a pic of my first brisket.. not sure why i didnt post it before..

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x...DSCF1538-1.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x...0/DSCF1557.jpg

At what temp do you usually pull your brisket?

I've been served a great deal of brisket that the cook thought was perfect and I thought it was crapola!

Just saying....

My first brisket was tasty shoe leather! :becky: I didn't start getting good briskets until I tossed the temp probe and started cooking them hot-n-fast...for some reason it's workin' for me...:cool:

I pull my brisket when the probe of my super fast Red Thermopen slides in like it's going into warm butter. What's the temp? Don't know, I don't look...

No it's not all about the internal. Yes it is done when it is done. There is no set temp to pull brisket as every cut is different. The range is typically 195 to 205 though.

Keep an eye on the internal until it gets into the 190+ range...after that forget it and go by feel checking for tenderness with a probe every 1/2 hour or so.

Do check for tenderness in a few spots. Some cuts will be for the most part tender, any stubborn spots usually equal out while resting in hotbox.

I would actually.

Many things have to happen when cooking good brisket, and it all starts with selecting good meat. Sure, you can buy a cheap piece of briskie and make it taste good. But, to do that consistently is the challenge. I buy the more expensive CAB briskets now. I have a much easier time being able to predict what and when that meat is gonna do it's thing.

Oh my God! I knew when he wrote that it was not what he meant and it would start this confusion about IT Pull temps all over again. Kick did that Intentionally. Grrrrrrr.

Just follow Kick's last sentence, not his first... it is not about IT temp at all. Its about when its done to "feel" There can be a 40 degree IT variance as to when the Brisket is done to its zenith... any less its underdone... any more its over or dried out.