Brisket from hell

Coz

Coz

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Picked up a brisket the other nite and put in the cooker last nite at about 8:30.I think it was about 12.5 or 13#At 11 am this morning it was still at 160 internal.I was running about 220-230 during the cook.I finally put it in a pan and covered it to get it to 200 at 2:30 and coolered it till 5 pm.It had good flavor perhaps a touch on the dry side for being injected.(Broth)I think I just picked a bad brisket.I didnt like the look of it when I took it out of the cryobag.
 

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It happens once in awhile. The packer I did last weekend actually dropped in temperature five or six degrees. I double checked the thermometer and it did.

I checked it at once point and the temp was 159 degrees. Came back out 30 minutes later and the temp was 155. Don't know how it happened. Temp in pit didn't change at all.
 
Exact same thing here on this one.I have done a dozen or so in the last couple months and havent seen that happen.:eek:
 
as some of the more experienced brethren say, its not done until its ready. But it still looks really good. How was the taste?:-D:cool:
 
Dee,the flavor was better than average for me.I have been playing around with the injection recipe and this turned out to be very good just a little dryer than normal.Fin if my wife leaves enough for me to do that I intend on trying it.I had a buddy over tonite that has spectated and sampled several comps and we are going to do a couple next year together .he had just came from his Bday dinner and sat down and ate about a pound of brisket.So I just have to work on the moistness.Clark if your feeling up to it and want to try some call me .I will be burning a chicken on one of the WSMs tomorrow.
 
When cooking brisket when the internal temperature reaches approximately 150 to 160° the cook will go into what's called the stall. During this period of the cook connective tissue is being broken down and when enough of it is breaking down at one time you can actually see a drop in internal temperature. As the connective tissue breaks down it releases its moisture and that's what causes the drop. This is a common occurrence when cooking brisket, especially select brisket. Cooking choice or a prime grade brisket it will be harder to detect the drop.

By taking the brisket to 200° internal and then wrapping and putting in a dry cooler you probably had the brisket go to 210 plus degrees before it started to cool. That probably explains the dry brisket. Try pulling the brisket off closer to 190° internal then wrapping and resting, I believe you'll find the moisture level to be much better.

Jim
 
jminion said:
When cooking brisket when the internal temperature reaches approximately 150 to 160° the cook will go into what's called the stall. During this period of the cook connective tissue is being broken down and when enough of it is breaking down at one time you can actually see a drop in internal temperature. As the connective tissue breaks down it releases its moisture and that's what causes the drop. This is a common occurrence when cooking brisket, especially select brisket. Cooking choice or a prime grade brisket it will be harder to detect the drop.

By taking the brisket to 200° internal and then wrapping and putting in a dry cooler you probably had the brisket go to 210 plus degrees before it started to cool. That probably explains the dry brisket. Try pulling the brisket off closer to 190° internal then wrapping and resting, I believe you'll find the moisture level to be much better.

Jim
Click to expand...

and that, folks, is a lesson in brisket...from one of the masters....

Send your check to:
Jim Minion
Federal Way WA

Mr. Kick, Treasurer :biggrin:
 
also your flat will most likely reach temp temp before the point so that by the time the point hits 200 your flat is past 200 and dry..where were you checking temp?
 
I had the probe at the area where the point and flat come together.I have experienced the stall and this one just seemed much worse.On the next one I will try pulling at 190 as suggested and see how that one turns out.I usually pull and wrap at 200 and havent had a dry one so I just figured that I picked a bad one.Thanks All.
 
Solidkick said:
and that, folks, is a lesson in brisket...from one of the masters....

Send your check to:
Jim Minion
Federal Way WA

Mr. Kick, Treasurer :biggrin:
Click to expand...



<Sidebar/Timeout.>

Just to elaborate further.

Years ago, Jminion mentored me for my very first contest, and he did it from 3000 miles away!! . Spent days on the phone with me calming my arse down and walking me thru techniques. What did I have to to show for it? My first contest(unsanctioned) teamed with parrothead, we got GC . And after that one, The first 5 contests I did, i never had a brisket finish out of the top 5 and never fisnished outside of top 4 overall. Thank you Jim Minion.!! :mrgreen::eusa_clap:eusa_clap

Prior to Jims teaching, 190-200 was my 'temperature', and my briskets were always inconsistant. Some were good, some were shoe leather, none were great. My advice... Burn that post Jim wrote into a scroll and keep it next to your pits. Listen to the master! :eusa_clap:eusa_clap

<ok, time in :tongue:>

If i had to come up with the most important lessons I learned over the yuears to achive the perfect brisket.
  • Depending on grade and cut...(Select/Choice/CAB/Awagu/kobe/etc.)A brisket can be COOKED/DONE/PERFECT/FINISHED/HEAVENLY as low as 180.
  • Temperature is a gauge as to when to start checking it, not when to pull it off.
  • Check with a probe, go by feel, not time, not temp. Temp is irrelevant above 180.
  • and finally, 191* is your enemy, the cooler is your friend. ***
That last one being said.. Even at 190, if it feels like its almost there, I pull it wrap tightly and let it rest in a cooler (with a probe in it)to finish. I dont think i ever left a brisket in the heat once it hit 191*. The heat load inside a full packer is enough to continue cooking it for hours in a cooler.
 
My cooking has been influenced by Ray lampe, Fast Eddie, John Willingham and Chris Lilly, their techniques and some food science study has lead me to where I'm now.
I didn't have as much to do with Phil's success as he said, he can cook but I was able to give some insite into competition cooking.

Don't forget to vote for KCBS Board, there are some folks on here that use your support.
 
Next time wrap it in foil, not only will it cook faster, you will keep it from drying out.
 
"Check with a probe, go by feel,"

What should it "feel" like? Brisket is definitely my weak point, any help is appreciated, thanks...

And is that THE jim minion, sometimes known as cyclops, that I met up in Star, Idaho this year? I thought it was...
 
Sampson
That was my good friend Jim Monihan from Boise, great guy.

Jim
 
there's a reason the saying goes..."stick a fork in it, it's done!"
 
jminion said:
Sampson
That was my good friend Jim Monihan from Boise, great guy.

Jim
Click to expand...

Sorry for the confusion, and you're right, he is a great guy. I guess if you're going to be confused with someone it might as well be a guy like him...
 
This particular brisket never had the feel when sliding a probe in with the grain.I was surprised that it wasnt tough and chewy.From the start it was just different from the others I have done.I really thought that it would be Shoe leather but it is tender.I guess we try another one in a couple weeks.Thanks every one for the input.
 
sampson said:
"Check with a probe, go by feel,"

What should it "feel" like? Brisket is definitely my weak point, any help is appreciated, thanks...
Click to expand...

it depends on how close it is to feeding time.
AS SOON AS a probe inserted into the center of the flat, with the grain feels like a warm knife thru cool butter (Meaning a small amount of resistance), thens its cooler time. Let it rest and relax and have short vacation before being devoured.

If your eating(or submitting) shortly, take it to even less resistance where there is very little pushback when inserting the probe.

the point is.. DO NOT JUST TAKE IT TO 190-195-200 becase itsa a target temperature. Start checking sooner, around 180. You could be pushing a done(at 185) brisket past tender and juicy straight to dry and overdone.
 
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