Brisket bark - too much?

rdstoll · Aug 25, 2013

Hi - I just make my first brisket in like 10 years and just had a quick question. Turned out very well - flat is currently resting quietly in a cooler triple wrapped in foil and a towel!

I cut up the point to make some burnt ends but found some really thick "bark" on it and just want to see if I did something wrong.

I did the brisket fat cap down at about 250 for 10 hours. Meat probing very well but looks like I may have left too much fat on in certain places and now it turned into really tough "bark".

Is that what I did - picture attached. Just trying to learn for next time.

Bludawg · Aug 25, 2013

Since there is no pic. and I don't know what you cooking on..... I would have to say that it could be 1 or a combination of factors, charred fat or dried out surface, did the rub have sugar in it it could be burnt sugar( does it have a bitter taste). You had the point to close to the firebox side of if it was a RF pit to close to the nose end.

JS-TX · Aug 25, 2013

That pic is way too big! From here that fat looks like hash browns or something lol. Fat softens up and melts, shouldn't turn into a hard crust. "Sugar cookie" and bark are not exactly the same thing. If you have thick bark, you could have done a couple things - wrap in foil or butcher paper or mopped/spritz. Me personally I would have done the 1st, it's more effective IMO.

rdstoll · Aug 25, 2013

I adjusted the pic size.

This was done on a UDS, fat cap down. I only used salt, pepper and a bit of garlic powder as the rub.

TheWolfePit · Aug 25, 2013

Too much bark usually comes from too much rub. You want to liberally season your meat, but over seasoning it will give you a very thick dry bark......

grantw · Aug 25, 2013

im thinking you could have flipped it to limit that, im guessing that black is the fat cap down and it burnt.

Bludawg · Aug 25, 2013

You scorched it that is jerky burnt. to hot in one spot for to long I cook at 300 on mine and wrap in BP after the 4th hr. and I'm off & done in less than 6. When you go over the coals for that long undisturbed.... well now ya know. Also remember that your UDS is 50 deg hotter in the center than it is toward the outside. My work here is done:bow:

charrederhead · Aug 25, 2013

I didn't realize there can be "too much" bark.

SmittyJonz · Aug 25, 2013

charrederhead said:
I didn't realize there can be "too much" bark.

There can't be but Definately can be too much Char. How close is your grate to charcoal basket? Difusser or no diffuser? What temp u ran cooker. I have 3 grates the bottom one right over charcoal basket I use a large rectangle cake pan as a water pan/diffuser with it my temps are only 25* higher at center rather than 50* - checked with my ET732.

You may wanna put meat on higher grate, turn and/or flip Meat after 2 hrs, wrap earlier, run a diffuser of some sort (can be a pizza pan full of holes) or all of the above. :mrgreen:

landarc · Aug 25, 2013

Too much bark, of course there can be. But, that is burned, that is too much heat on one spot, as Bludawg said. The meat dried out too much, causing the meat to become hard and burned. It's not really bark.

rdstoll · Aug 25, 2013

Thanks for he replies! It's a learning process for sure.

Rest of the meat then out okay will post pics later.

Brisket bark - too much?

rdstoll

is one Smokin' Farker

Bludawg

somebody shut me the fark up.

JS-TX

is One Chatty Farker

rdstoll

is one Smokin' Farker

TheWolfePit

is one Smokin' Farker

grantw

is Blowin Smoke!

Bludawg

somebody shut me the fark up.

charrederhead

Babbling Farker

SmittyJonz

somebody shut me the fark up.

landarc

somebody shut me the fark up.

rdstoll

is one Smokin' Farker

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