My first brisket.

You pulled it early from the sound of it. Maybe cook some finger foods to keep the family happy till it gets probe tender. No set temp or time. :becky:

May also want to check that thermometer to make sure it's accurate.

When you desire to cook at the magic 225, there is little room for error if you are actually cooking under that #.... from you're timeline I'm suspecting either a slightly off therm or where meat was, the temp was less than a few inches off the sidewalls.

Chalk this up as a great learning experience and your baseline of what you need to exceed the next time out.

Sure, you may also get tips of not injecting, using foil, etc... but that's all subjective... you just need to keep iproving on controlling the variables you can improve... heat, time etc.

My advice crank up that UDS to at least 275 and don't pull it until it is probe tender

BBQ RULES for SUCCESS

"YOU CAN NOT COOK GREAT BBQ ON A CONSISTENT BASIS COOKING TO AN INTERNAL TEMP OR BY TIME(XXX MIN PER LB) YOU MUST COOK BY FEEL!"For a Brisket that is probe tender in the thickest area of the flat, Pork Butts when the Bone wiggles lose, Ribs pass the Bend Test. These are the only reliable methods to indicate the proper time to declare the cook completed with success.

Keep workin at it. Dont get discouraged. try different methods until you find wht works for you.

Wrap it in 2 big sheets of foil when it reaches 160 deg, and put some "foiling liquid" in it. 1/2 cup of no or low sodium beef broth, you can lace it with some garlic powder, onion powder, a little of the rub you used on the brisket. I would cook it at 275 deg also. Probe it with a thermometer in 45 mins, and then we usually do every 20-25 mins until it is probe tender.

I wouldn't worry so much about the internal temp as whether it probes tender. If it probes tender then the IT is most likely where you want it. Also, maybe trying wrapping in foil after your bark is set. Good luck & don't get discouraged.

Probe tender is when you stick something like a bamboo skewer or even a thermometer in the meat & it goes in like it's going thru warm butter

As was said go til probe tender, you'll know what it is when the meat gets there.
Also I've found that when I wrap I go fat cap up and the ones I've done that way are right on point.

Pun intended

Did we mention probe tender?
Probe tender.

I'm a noob so please don't take this as advice from me. But when it comes to brisket temperature is a tool, not a goal. I use it as a guideline for when I should start probing for tenderness IN THE THICKEST PART OF THE FLAT, 195 being the starting point. If I start probing before that point I'm probably just wasting my time. If I wait until after that point then I could miss my window, as the time between 195 and 205 or 210 even can be very quick.

I'll share with you what brother landarc shared with me after my first brisket fail: learn how to read your slices when the brisket is dry. Let's assume you let it rest properly and let it cool to about 160 or so before slicing. Are the slices holding together when sliced? Then it is undercooked. Pop it in the oven for a bit to tender it up. Are the slices falling apart and crumbling when sliced? Then your brisket is overcooked...enjoy your 15 pounds of chili meat. :wink:

I wasn't really sure what "probe tender" felt like either until I had my "aha" moment with a pork butt. I don't know if this helps to develop a feel but hold a temp probe parallel to the grate at the thickest part of the flat. Put the back of your pinkie finger behind the probe. You should be able to slide the probe in using the pressure it takes to extend your pinkie finger. Let me know if that doesn't work for you and I'll try my "Justin Bieber with Jenna Jameson" example...

castlepines said:

Let me know if that doesn't work for you and I'll try my "Justin Bieber with Jenna Jameson" example...

Click to expand...

, :becky:!

Blessings,
Omar

Greg.K said:

OK, lesson 1 - PROBE TENDER. Got it.

Click to expand...

...and lesson 2 - Don't be afraid to throw some heat at it. 225 is a long cook, and as you found out when you drop from 225 you end up at a REALLY low cooking temp.