First smoked brisket

Lets talk about bark and probing.

Bark: the few briskets i have helped in on with my friend the bark wasnt dark. and we went 6hrs, whats the trick?

Probing, i see alot of people talking about the flat, i was probing the the points since its a thicker piece of meat. would make sense to judge the temps on the thinner piece so it doesnt over cook. thoughts?
 
Ignore the point, anyone can cook a tender point. Get the flat right and the point takes care of itself.
 
speers90 said:
Ignore the point, anyone can cook a tender point. Get the flat right and the point takes care of itself.
Click to expand...


thats what has just starting clicking in my head as of about 15 minutes ago, im so mad now, i want to retry this LOL!
 
Buy a whole packer. Trim off hard fat. Rub. Smoke at 250+. Start probing for tenderness around 195*. Take off when it probes like butter.
 
Forget about length of time....its done when it probes like butter. Estimate about 1.25 to 1.5 hours a pound at 250* to ball park your finish time. Less the hotter you go.
 
the one i did was a 12lb.

what are you saying is "packer"? are those the 14lb+?
 
Andrew said:
thanks, but i think if i would have left it in there any longer it would have been a board.
Click to expand...


WRONG!!!!!!!!!!! You are like many of us... a victim of the brisket PSYCHE or rope a dope. Here is my prescription...

[ame]http://youtu.be/J6Hey54O6Qs[/ame]

watch all that....



then all this

[ame]http://youtu.be/d0hk0zwCsz4[/ame]

[ame]http://youtu.be/uJeMNJocWnE[/ame]


same brisket


Since this is THE most common error for newbees to brisket ... and some who have thought brisket needed to be sliced thin for years because they didn't know.... and those who refuse to try the Night Train... I really need to make this an official brisket video












now bow to the genius of brisket

[ame]http://youtu.be/NvDok3kjB7c[/ame]
 
You get good bark from smoke particles collecting on the surface and mixing with the rendering fat & collagen, and the natural sugars in the meat caramelizing( the sugar cookie). the hotter you run the better the bark. Contrary to popular belief you don't need sugar in a rub or a mustard slather to get good bark.
Unless I'm cooking ribs I use Salt & Pepper and I never have a bark problem. Foiling to early or using foil will kill the bark. If your gonna wrap and you like your bark use butcher paper/ its porous it maintains a moist environment close to the surface but because it is porous it allow for evaporation unlike foil. You get the benefit of foil without all the drawbacks.

Brisket S&P Post oak Butcher paper cooked at 300
DSCF0044Modified-1.jpg
 
Bludawg said:
You get good bark from smoke particles collecting on the surface and mixing with the rendering fat & collagen, and the natural sugars in the meat caramelizing( the sugar cookie). the hotter you run the better the bark. Contrary to popular belief you don't need sugar in a rub or a mustard slather to get good bark.
Unless I'm cooking ribs I use Salt & Pepper and I never have a bark problem. Foiling to early or using foil will kill the bark. If your gonna wrap and you like your bark use butcher paper/ its porous it maintains a moist environment close to the surface but because it is porous it allow for evaporation unlike foil. You get the benefit of foil without all the drawbacks.

Brisket S&P Post oak Butcher paper cooked at 300
DSCF0044Modified-1.jpg
Click to expand...

so when you wrap how often do you check the temp of the flat to know when its fully done? or are you all for times not temps?
 
Andrew said:
so when you wrap how often do you check the temp of the flat to know when its fully done? or are you all for times not temps?
Click to expand...

Brisket is done when it probes tender, think hot knife through butter. It's not done when it reaches a certain internal temp or certain amount of time. You can start checking for tenderness in the 190s. I personally start checking around 195* and find most of my briskets are probe tender in the low 200's range - sometimes less, sometimes more. This is what makes brisket such a challenge to get right. When you nail it, the payoff is well worth the effort.

BTW a dark bark could also be result of bad fire management, you want nice clean smoke coming from your exhaust. That's a whole other thread.
 
Andrew said:
so when you wrap how often do you check the temp of the flat to know when its fully done? or are you all for times not temps?
Click to expand...
I never temp my meat I cook to feel once I wrap I check it for probe tender after 1.5 hrs or 5.5 hrs from the start of the cook. Now this only works if your cooking at 300 deg if you cooking at a lower temp then you would have to wait longer. At 300 I average 45 min lb if your cooking at 250 it's closer to 1.5 hrs a Lb. Start to Finish. So you can see why I am saying this is based on a pit grate temp of 300 deg.

BBQ RULES FOR SUCCESS


YOU CAN NOT COOK GREAT BBQ ON A CONSISTENT BASIS BY COOKING TO AN INTERNAL TEMPERATURE OR BY TIME ( XXX MIN PER LB) YOU MUST COOK BY FEEL! For Brisket it must pass the poke test(probe like soft butter) Ribs pass the Bend Test, Pork Butts when the bone wiggles loose. These are the only reliable methods to ensure that your cook will be a success. There is one exception to these rules and that is Poultry which must achieve and internal temp of 170 deg in the thickest part of the thigh and 160 in the breast.
 
I take it this us due to the different composure of every piece of meat... Correct?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2
 
thegizzard said:
I take it this us due to the different composure of every piece of meat... Correct?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2
Click to expand...



yes.... which is why u should totally ignore people who claim briskets are probe tender ANY OTHER TEMP RANGE than 170 to 210. That's a 40 degree range. yes thats right...when i did probe.... i had some babies done at 170.


it done when its done....period.... throw ur therms away.
 
Bludawg said:
I never temp my meat I cook to feel once I wrap I check it for probe tender after 1.5 hrs or 5.5 hrs from the start of the cook. Now this only works if your cooking at 300 deg if you cooking at a lower temp then you would have to wait longer. At 300 I average 45 min lb if your cooking at 250 it's closer to 1.5 hrs a Lb. Start to Finish. So you can see why I am saying this is based on a pit grate temp of 300 deg.

BBQ RULES FOR SUCCESS


YOU CAN NOT COOK GREAT BBQ ON A CONSISTENT BASIS BY COOKING TO AN INTERNAL TEMPERATURE OR BY TIME ( XXX MIN PER LB) YOU MUST COOK BY FEEL! For Brisket it must pass the poke test(probe like soft butter) Ribs pass the Bend Test, Pork Butts when the bone wiggles loose. These are the only reliable methods to ensure that your cook will be a success. There is one exception to these rules and that is Poultry which must achieve and internal temp of 170 deg in the thickest part of the thigh and 160 in the breast.
Click to expand...

Pitmaster T said:
yes.... which is why u should totally ignore people who claim briskets are probe tender ANY OTHER TEMP RANGE than 170 to 210. That's a 40 degree range. yes thats right...when i did probe.... i had some babies done at 170.


it done when its done....period.... throw ur therms away.
Click to expand...

'
thanks guys, this is a complete game changer!
 
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