Brisket was "stringy"

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brandonh1987

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So I cooked a brisket last night, I bought a 5 pound whole brisket (yeah its small) from a local grocery store. I put tender quick on it for about 30 min and washed off prior to putting on my rub of celery salt, salt, pepper. I took it out a little early some parts were 185 and some were 190. But the brisket when you took a piece and kind of pulled at it, you could still see like strings of fat throughout it. I was wondering if this is because I took it out early and not all of the collagen broke down, or because I used tender quick for 30 min, or just because it was a bad brisket. I mean it still tasted good, just not real good, and that stringy pull to it had me dissapointed. Any thoughts?
 
Are you certain it was a whole brisket and not a flat? Never seen one that small before. I think you pulled it too early. It's ready when it passes the probe/poke test not really at a certain temp. I don't think the TQ had anything to do with the stringiness, it was probably because it was a lean undercooked brisket. I imagine with the TQ and celery salt you had a decent smoke ring...?
 
Yep it was a whole. It was tiny but had the point and flat. Yeah the ring was very nice. I do assume I probably pulled it too early then.
 
Tenderquik had nothing to do with it. It is all about rendering collagen, which you did not do. It was underdone, those little strings of collagen, not fat, are the key. That shows it was not cooked long enough.
 
You were close though!
 
Did you slice it with the grain or across the grain? Don't forget briskets have grain that goes in two directions. Flat one way point another. Just gonna throw that out.
 
It wasn't done meat temp don't mean nothing in true BBQ

BBQ RULES FOR SUCCESS


YOU CAN NOT COOK GREAT BBQ ON A CONSISTENT BASIS BY COOKING TO AN INTERNAL TEMPERATURE OR BY TIME ( XXX MIN PER LB) YOU MUST COOK BY FEEL! For Brisket it must pass the poke test(probe like soft butter) Ribs pass the Bend Test, Pork Butts when the bone wiggles loose. These are the only reliable methods to ensure that your cook will be a success.
 
Thanks all. I would post some pics but I don't know how :(
 
I am not sure exactly what your "stringy" brisket was like, but I cook flats for our favorite pulled beef and it is "stringy". :-D
I cook the brisket flat till probe tender done and then put it in a foil covered pan with juice and into the oven at 170 deg for hours, even overnight depending on the time I start.
The result is brisket that pulls apart in "strings" and is killer--moist, flavorful, and tender as can be.
If I were to try to slice it across the grain, it would crumble.
I do cut it across the grain at about 3" intervals to make the "strings" a great size for sandwiches and such.
Great Eats!

Don't know if that is what you had or not.

TIM
 
You pulled it early, 190 is when you start to probe for tenderness! Never had one honing before 202.
Stringy=undercooked
 
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