Dry Brisket
 

I cooked up two 10lb briskets for a work event. They cooked for about 14 hours at 225-250. I rubbed, injected and cooked them fat cap up. At hour 13 I probed the meat and the internal temp was at about 183 and soft. I was able to pull a small piece from the point with ease. Since they felt done I pulled them off an hour later and wrapped in foil and let sit in a cooler for another hour. I then proceeded to slice the flat which still had a good layer of the fat cap. The slices were very tender but kind of dry. On one end of the slices the meat was hard to keep together. When I went to chop and pull the point it was tender but still kind of fatty. What can I do to keep the flat moist, breakdown the fat and still be able to get good solid slices out of the flat?

Did you add a beef broth in the foil?

My injection has a broth base. I was thinking of cooking the brisket in a large foil pan and cutting holes out of the side at about a half inch from the bottom to allow some seepage. This may help with the dryness but it does not answer the fat breakdown problem.

A lot of brisket threads lately all asking pretty much the same question.

Hmmm - this one is tough? Tender - I used to think we were making tender brisket until we tried a truly tender and flavorful brisket which opened our eyes. Did you probe in several places around the flat or just the point? The point will be tender well ahead of the flat and if you pulled it at 183 sounds like it was pulled to early. Temp aside, when the flat probes with little or no resistance "like butter" it is done. Hmmm again? How long after you injected did it get put fat side up on the smoker? Oh, the fat cap will render a lot but there will be substantial fat at the end of the cook no matter what temp you cook at.

That's a long time to cook briskets that small. 10 pounders are small, trust me.

Hot and fast is the way to go with those, and don't be afraid to foil if you're a novice. Foil is your friend.

(EDIT) Oh yeah, fat down, and cook till the probe slides in and out easily. And the biggest rook mistake..SLICE AGAINST THE GRAIN!

If you do these things you're golden.

Yup. Foil and broth. I also like to use 1 C red wine, 1/2 C olive oil and 1/4 C worchestershire when I foil. Great taste.

The flat was tender, close to fall apart tender but not quite. The texture of the flat was great, just dryer than I would like. The flip is that the point was still a little fatty. I'm thinking that may be any easier fix though. I believe i will toss the point back on after separating it from the flat. and the internal temp was about 183 and hour before i pulled it off. I never checked it after since it was starting to pull apart.

at what point would you do this. I like my brisket to have a nice bark.

Any other ideas? I think I have stumped the brethren.

I add the wine etc when I foil (160°) and put back on the pit (stick burner). I don't foil in the BGE or Stumps except before it goes in the cooler.

dry briskets
 

Hey MasterGator,

I am just a few briskets in but I found that you need to check the flat's marbling closely on each brisket as you buy them. I produced a few dry ones as well until I realized this important fact. The more fat marbling in the flat, I found, produced moister pieces. I also tried injecting but it didn't prevent dryness for me.

Just my early observations,

GPM

I have a good idea it may be partially due to the quality of beef. I am going to try higher temps and foil. Does anyone have any suggestions on max high temps and temps of foiling?

Quality of beef is a big deal, but it sounds to me like you simply pulled it off too soon. Whether 10 pounds, 15 pounds or even 4 pounds, it never hurts to probe in a couple of different places -- even if you are not checking temp but merely the ease with which the probe glides through the meat.

I thought he mentioned some of the flat falling apart, temp aside.

Definately overcooked, and that'll end up with a dry flat. Been there, done that.

Fourteen hours for a ten pound brisket is pretty long at those temps.