I finally know what " Goes in Like Butter" means!!!

Q-Dat · 03-29-2011, 02:13 PM

I thought I new before but I was wrong. I will attempt to explain it from the way I'm looking at it.

I always thought that "like buttah" referred to how easily the probe goes in. It kinda does but mostly I think it means how smoothly it goes in. I use a cake tester made by Good Grips sold at Bed Bath and Beyond.

When the Brisket isn't done yet and you push the probe in you can feel small "ticks" as the end of the probe goes through the meat. I believe these "ticks" are strands of connective tissue breaking because the collagen that they are made of has not melted away. When I come back later to the same brisket to find that the end of the probe glides through the meat with no "ticking" I take this to mean that the collagen has broken down, and you should now if I am correct have a tender brisket. Although the last one I did was tender but could have gone just a bit longer.

I will also say that I learned this feel only recently for the first time through Brother Funk's Night Train Brisket experiment. In no way am I an expert, just trying to explain the best way that I can something I just learned myself.

JD McGee · 03-29-2011, 02:18 PM

Bingo!

Groundhog66 · 03-29-2011, 02:18 PM

I think you are correct

Hunterman95 · 03-29-2011, 02:20 PM

That is helpful, thanks. I've done 3 briskets so far and have yet to feel the "like butter" feel of the probe, each time ending up in an over-cooked brisket. I've done a couple of pork butts, and with those I could tell. On my briskets, I keep waiting for that same feel, and it never seems to come. Then when I descide to just go ahead and pull it off, it's way over-done. Your description will give me something to look for in the future.

Fishiest1 · 03-29-2011, 02:26 PM

Brisket..
I have vowed to do one every weekend till I get some kind of grasp on them..
Brisket..

rescue_ranger · 03-29-2011, 02:30 PM

By Jove I think he's got it!!

Hunterman95 · 03-29-2011, 02:34 PM

Quote:

I have vowed to do one every weekend till I get some kind of grasp on them..

LOL, I've done one every weekend for the last 3 weeks with the same goal in mind. But after spending almost $100 doing so (and about $60 of that ending up in the trash), I'm thinking hot dogs this weekend!

landarc · 03-29-2011, 02:35 PM

Yep, he does seem to have figured it out.

Hunterman, I gotta say, be aware of the fact that a brisket that is not quite done, feels an awful lot like one that is overdone. When you say overdone, is it falling apart into dry shreds overdone? Or tough and difficult to bite through overdone?

Hunterman95 · 03-29-2011, 02:40 PM

difficult to bite through....... so what is the difference in the two?

gtr · 03-29-2011, 02:40 PM

^^^Like landarc says, a lot of underdone briskets are mistaken for overdone ones. As far as flinging the unsuccessful ones, fling 'em into a pot of chili & you'll be glad you did

gtr · 03-29-2011, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunterman95

difficult to bite through....... so what is the difference in the two?

the collagens haven't broken down in the tough ones. once they do, the meat becomes tender and delicious.

Fishiest1 · 03-29-2011, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtr

^^^Like landarc says, a lot of underdone briskets are mistaken for overdone ones. As far as flinging the unsuccessful ones, fling 'em into a pot of chili & you'll be glad you did

Due to me being more stubborn than a my brisket in the last month thats about the only thing we havent tried with the leftovers!

So far brisket tacos, Brisket Stir fry, Brisket Quesadillas, Brisket Spaghetti, Brisket Nachos, Brisket Meat in ABTs and of course plain ole brisket!

I will figure this out! :)

Hunterman95 · 03-29-2011, 02:55 PM

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I really don't think this was underdone, do you? It was really dry, grey and chewy.

jason · 03-29-2011, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtr

As far as flinging the unsuccessful ones, fling 'em into a pot of chili & you'll be glad you did

^This

barbefunkoramaque · 03-29-2011, 03:08 PM

The night train experiement was designed so right off the bat a novice (or anyone) could experience the feel WITHOUT WASTING SEVERAL BRISKETS AND TONS OF COAL AND WOOD OR PELLETS. The Night Train is an OVEN experience where all other rudiments of BBQ are cast aside in one controlled experiement. No elaborate rubs, injections, in fact... no BBQ at all. Once you realize what the cut can do and what it feels like..... you can then go on your journey duplicating what you learned in the oven-- to the pit.

There are plenty of great Qers out there that also, in the quest for crispy bite through chicken skin, repeatedly dialed it in on the oven before they started smoking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunterman95

That is helpful, thanks. I've done 3 briskets so far and have yet to feel the "like butter" feel of the probe, each time ending up in an over-cooked brisket. I've done a couple of pork butts, and with those I could tell. On my briskets, I keep waiting for that same feel, and it never seems to come. Then when I descide to just go ahead and pull it off, it's way over-done. Your description will give me something to look for in the future.

03-29-2011, 02:13 PM	#1
Q-Dat Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-03-08 Location: Pearl River LA	I finally know what " Goes in Like Butter" means!!! I thought I new before but I was wrong. I will attempt to explain it from the way I'm looking at it. I always thought that "like buttah" referred to how easily the probe goes in. It kinda does but mostly I think it means how smoothly it goes in. I use a cake tester made by Good Grips sold at Bed Bath and Beyond. When the Brisket isn't done yet and you push the probe in you can feel small "ticks" as the end of the probe goes through the meat. I believe these "ticks" are strands of connective tissue breaking because the collagen that they are made of has not melted away. When I come back later to the same brisket to find that the end of the probe glides through the meat with no "ticking" I take this to mean that the collagen has broken down, and you should now if I am correct have a tender brisket. Although the last one I did was tender but could have gone just a bit longer. I will also say that I learned this feel only recently for the first time through Brother Funk's Night Train Brisket experiment. In no way am I an expert, just trying to explain the best way that I can something I just learned myself.

03-29-2011, 02:18 PM	#3
Groundhog66 Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-20-10 Location: Livermore, CA Name/Nickname : Tim	I think you are correct __________________ Backwoods Party G2 MAK 1 Star XL BGE SM BGE Weber 26" & JJ Blackstone 36" & 22" Brick Santa Maria Pit

03-29-2011, 02:26 PM	#5
Fishiest1 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 11-28-10 Location: Fort Myers Fl	Brisket.. I have vowed to do one every weekend till I get some kind of grasp on them.. Brisket.. __________________ Med Spicewine, BWS Party, GMG Bowie, circa 1986 250 gallon stick burner, Weber Kettle 26

03-29-2011, 02:30 PM	#6
rescue_ranger Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-08-10 Location: New Baltimore, VA	By Jove I think he's got it!! __________________ [B][COLOR=black]Rigs:[/COLOR][/B] 1[B] - [COLOR=orange][I]The Good-One Rodeo Smoker[/I][/COLOR][/B] [I]2- [COLOR=blue][B]Char-Griller Outlaw[/B][/COLOR] with offset[/I] [I]2 - [COLOR=blue][B]Char-Griller [/B][/COLOR][I][COLOR=black][COLOR=blue][B]Professional[/B][/COLOR] [/COLOR][/I]With offset[/I] [I]2 -[B][COLOR=darkorange]Gold[/COLOR][/B] [/I][B]Weber 22 1/2" kettle, with therm- sear grate, ash can[/B] [I]1 - [B]200gal[/B] smoker[/I] [COLOR=green][B]Rescue_ranger[/B][/COLOR] also known by my fellow [COLOR=red][B]USMC[/B][/COLOR] clan as G-Bear :boxing:

03-29-2011, 02:35 PM	#8
landarc somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-26-09 Location: sAn leAnDRo, CA	Yep, he does seem to have figured it out. Hunterman, I gotta say, be aware of the fact that a brisket that is not quite done, feels an awful lot like one that is overdone. When you say overdone, is it falling apart into dry shreds overdone? Or tough and difficult to bite through overdone? __________________ [COLOR=DarkGreen][COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]me: I don't drink anymore Yelonutz: me either, but, then again, I don't drink any less [/SIZE][/COLOR][/COLOR][SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed] [COLOR=Pink]SSS[/COLOR] [/COLOR][/SIZE]

03-29-2011, 02:18 PM	#2
JD McGee somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-28-07 Location: Duvall, WA	Bingo!

03-29-2011, 02:20 PM	#4
Hunterman95 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 02-08-11 Location: Springfield, MO	That is helpful, thanks. I've done 3 briskets so far and have yet to feel the "like butter" feel of the probe, each time ending up in an over-cooked brisket. I've done a couple of pork butts, and with those I could tell. On my briskets, I keep waiting for that same feel, and it never seems to come. Then when I descide to just go ahead and pull it off, it's way over-done. Your description will give me something to look for in the future.

03-29-2011, 02:40 PM	#9
Hunterman95 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 02-08-11 Location: Springfield, MO	difficult to bite through....... so what is the difference in the two?

03-29-2011, 02:40 PM	#10
gtr somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-16-10 Location: Culver City, CA	^^^Like landarc says, a lot of underdone briskets are mistaken for overdone ones. As far as flinging the unsuccessful ones, fling 'em into a pot of chili & you'll be glad you did __________________ 50" Klose BYC, Spitjack XB85, 22.5 WSM, Backwoods Chubby, UDS, WRK, 26" & 22.5" Weber Kettles, Jumbo Joe, WGA, WSJ/MUDS, Kanka Grill, a piece of expanded metal I throw over the fire pit sometimes, Stealthy Black & Vol Orange Thermapens Displaced East Tennesseean Proud recipient of a Tick Former outlaw MOINK baller, now IMBAS Certified, but still lookin' over my shoulder. "Relax, it's only BBQ." - Bigmista, 2013 "Don't worry about playing a lot of notes. Just find one pretty one." - Miles Davis Avatar by my son! WTFWGALD?

03-29-2011, 02:55 PM	#13
Hunterman95 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 02-08-11 Location: Springfield, MO	I don't want to hijack this thread, but I really don't think this was underdone, do you? It was really dry, grey and chewy.

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