My dry brisket

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MIKEMAC

Knows what a fatty is.
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I smoked a brisket flat Wednesday, my second one. I put it on at 5 a.m.. I wrapped in foil at about 170 degrees and put it back on the smoker. It hit 200 and I started sliding my meat probe in and out of different areas and left it on until it all felt like butter. I took it off and wrapped it, still foiled, in a towel and left it on the counter for about 45 minutes. When I cut it, some parts turned out really good and some parts were very stringy and almost impossible to cut. They were tough too. My brisket seemed really dry too, but I have not ever tried mopping or adding juices when I foiled it. Where did I go wrong? By the way, it was on for a little over 13 hours.
 
Well, 13 hours seems like an awfully long time for just a flat. Was the flat trimmed or did it still have a fat cap and other fat on it? Were you careful to cut across the grain of the meat when slicing?
 
Buddy, I'll share the Trick Ron told me and I've never had a dry brisket since.

When you wrap, add beef broth. The brisket will soak it up like a sponge.

No more dry.
 
colonel00 said:
Well, 13 hours seems like an awfully long time for just a flat. Was the flat trimmed or did it still have a fat cap and other fat on it? Were you careful to cut across the grain of the meat when slicing?
Click to expand...
Yes, I did cut against or across the grain. I think the fat cap was trimmed off cause there were only patches of fat on the bottom. My first one was less than three pounds and it took almost as long. I did not foil that one and it turned out really good but a little on the dry side as well. I have been reading some of the posts talking about using a broth of some type when foiling. Maybe I should try that. It did stay above 190 degrees for the last few hours but I would just move my probe around testing different areas until it slid in and out very smoothly, like butter. Do you think that using the flat that has the fat cap removed may be part of the problem?
 
tortaboy said:
Buddy, I'll share the Trick Ron told me and I've never had a dry brisket since.

When you wrap, add beef broth. The brisket will soak it up like a sponge.

No more dry.
Click to expand...
I am kind of a newbie, well really a newbie at this. When you say beef broth, are you talking about just something store bought? Thank you for the help. It is frustrating to smoke all day and end up with a bad result. I am not giving up, just down about it.
 
If you do not have beef broth on hand use any liquid. But use something when foiling.
I have used broth, water, Apple juice, Root beer, Coke.
 
MIKEMAC said:
I am kind of a newbie, well really a newbie at this. When you say beef broth, are you talking about just something store bought? Thank you for the help. It is frustrating to smoke all day and end up with a bad result. I am not giving up, just down about it.
Click to expand...

I hear ya. Not only frustrating, but expensive.

I had never had good brisket before, and could not figure out what the big deal was about brisket. My guess is, anyone that thinks brisket is not good has never had great, cut with a fork tender and juicy brisket.

I just use swanson beef broth. Great prices around the holidays also.

I don't submerge it or anything...I just add about 1/2-1 inch in the bottom
to give it a little bath.
 
tortaboy said:
I hear ya. Not only frustrating, but expensive.

I had never had good brisket before, and could not figure out what the big deal was about brisket. My guess is, anyone that thinks brisket is not good has never had great, cut with a fork tender and juicy brisket.

I just use swanson beef broth. Great prices around the holidays also.

I don't submerge it or anything...I just add about 1/2-1 inch in the bottom
to give it a little bath.
Click to expand...
Man, that's awesome. I really appreciate the help.
 
I'm curios as to what temp you were cooking at? I am not trying to knock your cook or anything but 13 hours for a flat sounds like a long time, unless you held a lower cooking temp, or the flat was larger than I usually see in regards to a brisket flat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
What temp are you cooking at? I've had 2 4# briskets on for 2 hours, at 250* and they are already at 140* internal.
This is how I cook flats.
Start your coals.
While they are coming up to temp, (250*) wipe the brisket, slather it with Worcestershire sauce, then apply rub. When the cooker is up to temp, put the brisket on fat side down. (This lets the fat act as a heat shield, and keeps the meat from drying out.) Smoke for about 3 hrs. to an internal temp of 160* - 165*, then either wrap in foil, or put in a foil pan , fat side up , and add liquid, then seal with foil. (this can be beef broth, or any mixture that you like. I use three Tablespoons. of Steve Raichlins's honey balsamic glaze, (Here is the link)

mihttp://tvwbb.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1980069052/m/5330004152

mixed with 1/4 cup of strong coffee.
If you want you can now finish in a 250* oven, as there will be no more smoke getting into the meat. cook the meat to an internal temp of 190* - 195 *at the thickest part of the flat. When a probe goes into the meat with no resistance the meat is done. Remove from the oven, and let set for at least an hour, without opening the foil. Slice across the grain.
defat the juices and serve, on the side.
 
I have been cooking at 240 degrees. My smoker has a built in thermostat and stays within a 5-7 degree window either side of 240. It is a vertical smoker and I have noticed that my top rack seems to cook faster. That is where I smoked the brisket. Even my butts take around 10-12 hours for an eight pounder.
 
I would suggest putting a drip pan on the bottom rack with some water in it, you can even add some onions and garlic in there, let it catch the drippings off of the brisket. When you go to foil, filter and add the liquid in the pan to the foil, just a 1/2 cup or so. This aids in adding moisture to the cooker (very important) and moisture to the rest (also important).

You can take the rest of the liquid, add the liquid from the foil after resting and filter again, store and use the next time you make brisket, you keep doing this and soon you have a great injection base or soup base.
 
I tried a drip pan under it this time and also have a water pan in the bottom. I did not add any water to my drip pan, that sounds like a great idea as most of my drippings were dried and burnt up by the time I foiled it. I also noticed my water pan was dry at the end of the cook. I usually don't have that problem. Next time maybe I will check it and add some water as necessary. I will definitely put water in my drip pan though. Thank you
 
remember that the flat will always be more dry than the point. its a brisket flat. a key step for my briskets is letting them rest WITH BROTH. I give them at least an hour in a cooler with towels and often do a mix o broth and cider to give a hint of sweet. helps a lot in the dry game.
 
a lot of good advice in this thread for one of the most common brisket flat problems. i hope you know this next one out of the park
 
You might also try injecting the broth prior to the cook. Works every time.

Sent from my SCH-I905 using Tapatalk
 
If you didn't start probing until the internal temp was 200 it's very possible that you over cooked it. Some briskets are done at 190,, others not until 205. Also, have you calibrated your meat thermometer?
 
IMO you're cooking it too long. The stall is your brisket giving up it's mosture and you want to get through it as fast as possible.

Try the same procedure at 325f. Also right around the 205 mark your brisket will become too tender to cut and will need to be pulled. I'm a big believer in injecting.
 
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