First Brisket Please don't let it dry out

R

RazBarlow

Guest
Ok guys,
I tried to do some searching before I asked this question but didn't find my answer.
My wife is worried that when I smoke this 10 pounder that it is going to be dried out when it is done. How do I keep it from drying out until it is done ?

I will be doing it on a UDS, if that will help you out any on your responses.

I have seen where some of you use foil and some of you don't, is this how you keep it from drying out ?

Then at a certain time do you remove the foil and let it finishing smoking ?

Thanks,
Raz
 
Once you get it to the probe-tender stage in the smoker, wrap it in foil and put it into a cooler wrapped in towels and fill the voids in the cooler with crumpled newspaper to rest. You can hold it there for several hours prior to serving.

Some wrap it in foil after the plateau is passed (after it gets to 165 or so and starts the temp starts climbing again.) Then they continue to cook it in the foil until it is probe-tender and then rest it in foil in the cooler.
 
I have both foiled and not and it seems that on a drum with a brisket that size you should be fine just remember low and slow, I would be careful not to heat it up to fast. As I understand it what seems to happen is the slow cooking of the meat breaks down the bonds that cause brisket to be such a tough piece of meat so your problem if it isn't tender could more be that the internal temp isn't high enough as opposed to you actually drying it out. Now that being said this didn't seem to be true for that four pound brisket I did that came out somewhat the consistency of trying to eat leather...
 
I am running a maverick ET remote thermo with a smoker probe and a meat probe . What temp should I try to keep the smoker around and what temp do I bring the brisket up to when it is done ?
Thanks,
Raz
 
I shoot for 230* when doing Brisket.
The margin of error for short periods of time is less critical.
It makes for a longer cook, but helps keep it moist w/o foiling.
Keep the lid on! Once the ET reads 160* lift the lid and feel it.
Should feel kinda like a chubby girls butt. :mrgreen:
If it isn't quite there, foil and put it in the cooler for a couple of hours
or, into a 180* oven.
Good luck Raz, the easiest way to screw one of these things up is trying to hurry the process.
Some take longer than others, feel is important.

Weiser


RazBarlow said:
I am running a maverick ET remote thermo with a smoker probe and a meat probe . What temp should I try to keep the smoker around and what temp do I bring the brisket up to when it is done ?
Thanks,
Raz
Click to expand...
 
Weiser said:
IOnce the ET reads 160* lift the lid and feel it.
Should feel kinda like a chubby girls butt. :mrgreen:
If it isn't quite there, foil and put it in the cooler for a couple of hours
or, into a 180* oven.
Click to expand...

Do you really mean 160* is ready to rest?

I believe it is going to be closer to 190 * before it gets probe tender. The temperature varies quite a bit brisket to brisket, but 160 * is short of the plateau.
 
So, you shoot for smoker internal temp to be around 230 and the food probe gets to 160 in the center of the brisket then you consider it done ?
Do you trim the fat off the fat/skin side ? Turn that side up or down ?
Thanks so Much,
raz
 
I am new to this whole "resting " process . Does this slow cooldown make the meat more tender ?
Raz
 
Typo alert!!!!!!

Dunno where in the hell 160* came from....
I do pull mine at 185*.
Sorry for the confusion. My bad.:redface:

Weiser



HeSmellsLikeSmoke said:
Do you really mean 160* is ready to rest?

I believe it is going to be closer to 190 * before it gets probe tender. The temperature varies quite a bit brisket to brisket, but 160 * is short of the plateau.
Click to expand...
 
RazBarlow said:
I am new to this whole "resting " process . Does this slow cooldown make the meat more tender ?
Raz
Click to expand...

If properly wrapped and put in the cooler, the internal temp continues to climb about 10 degrees -- which is more tender. It also lets the juices distribute within the meat making for a moister finished product.
 
A friend of ours that owns a famous TEXAS bbq joint sent me an email a few days ago. This is what it said:

I inject nothing, rub nothing, spice NOTHING, and certainly don't foil anything...

Put the brisket on the pit, don't do a thing to it (put it "nose" cap, deckle, side up -- people call it different things) try and keep your temp at 220 and let that thing rock for about 15/16 hours. The fat will be very loose and bubbly hot. Stick a fork in it (between the flat and cap) and twist it -- if it twists easily -- pull it off. NOW you can wrap it in foil! It'll be Like BUTTER!!!!
 
The most famous in the Texas Hill Country ones use primarily salt and pepper for a rub, and higher heat/shorter cooking time than that, but cook it basically the same way as your friend.
 
I agree with Rightstuff's friend in Texas. Except for the "no seasoning" part. I beleive everything needs a little salt.
 
Rightstuff said:
A friend of ours that owns a famous TEXAS bbq joint sent me an email a few days ago. This is what it said:

I inject nothing, rub nothing, spice NOTHING, and certainly don't foil anything...

Put the brisket on the pit, don't do a thing to it (put it "nose" cap, deckle, side up -- people call it different things) try and keep your temp at 220 and let that thing rock for about 15/16 hours. The fat will be very loose and bubbly hot. Stick a fork in it (between the flat and cap) and twist it -- if it twists easily -- pull it off. NOW you can wrap it in foil! It'll be Like BUTTER!!!!
Click to expand...

This BBQ doesn't happen to be in Cleburne does it ?
Raz
 
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