Ruined my first brisket

Being new to BBQing, if I were you I would:

1. Check once an hour so you get a feel for what's going on. Look at color, texture, and temperature.
2. Do not schedule your dinner around what you're cooking. That way you can't be late and if it goes south you're good to go.
3. Make a checklist you can throw away later. It will catch things like missing diffusers.
4. Keep notes! Write down the rubs, sauces, and techniques you used (time, temp, wood/charcoal used, etc.) so you can improve or stop doing what doesn't work.
5. Have fun! We all still turn out meat we wouldn't feed our dogs, sometimes. No worries, brother!

Arlin

These thread regarding briskets were posted some time ago ---maybe they will be of some help to you --they have been to me.

Official Brisket Please Help First Brisket What Went Wrong why does my Brisket Suck Thread
I took the time...

Here it is. Sometimes you learn more from people's questions (or boasts) than answers. There is a lot of wisdom shared in our forum. I think those that come in and ask about this cut of beef should read some threads listed below.

"Brisket Question" Threads

Brisket questions MushCreek
brisket questions capri man
Brisket Question Smoothsmoke
Brisket Question Smokin Mike
Brisket Question hmacmill
brisket question maxwell7
Brisket Questions Sammy_Shuford
Brisket question please BPDC
2 Hot & Fast Brisket Questions Cahusky
Fast Brisket Question....Need Quick Reply Please!! SLCMACK
Brisket Flat Question(Color oif the Meat) clone
Advice on Brisket 42BBQ
Questions regarding brisket?? nrok2118
Question about my Brisket Billy Ribs
Question fer brisket xperts bbq54321
questions on first brisket rlt


Rookie Brisket Questions and/or Requests for Intervention

1st brisket is in the smoker! Bigmista
1st brisket, 1st high heat attempt landshark530
1st brisket, flat from sams club, how long? mschrock
First brisket-advice needed Rowdycue
First Brisket...thanks Bigabyte Brew Crew
First Brisket AFSmokinDoc
First Brisket Pron... Groundhog66
First brisket, opinions on appearance WeekendsAreMine
First Brisket question kbraun228
First Brisket Question Seavs
First Brisket- Questions gsmith140
First Brisket, just a few questions HawkeyeQue
First Brisket on the WSM sportsnut
First Brisket with pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! donhd04
My first Brisket......Looking for some advice Bluesman
My first "quick" brisket Bigmista
My first brisket moda253
First Time Brisket bluenote07
First Time Brisket, Thanks to all PR0N Bluesman
1st time brisket help?????????????? BIGBrandon2785
Need Help with first brisket....6.5# flat Philly-QueMaster
Weekend Cook, 1st brisket. Sammy_Shuford
Smoker Newbie with Brisket questions ACES
Rookie brisket questions... daninnewjersey
Rookie with a brisket, need advice Smoke Show
Smoking my first brisket this weekend... Groundhog66
Dry Brisket MasterGator
Brisket getting tough after a long rest? The Frog
I'm tired and brisket is not done!! Dakaty
Failed Brisket (problem solving) Fishiest1
Broken Brisket (What did I do wrong)? twisterbret
Brisket, NOT! BRBBQ


Specific Brisket Questions


Brisket Aging Question Capn Kev
Brisket Cook Times wormdrink67
Brisket Cook Time? Pa_BBQ
brisket temp when done mjancel
What temp to cook the Brisket Flat to juggs
Brisket temps changing? Shotgun
Brisket cooking time 6lb 300-350F atvottawa
Brisket too fast? Neesd help NFLNative
Brisket Flat Cooking Help Greg60525
Brisket smoking advice for a hybrid recipe misterrachel
1st brisket injection help beertender55
Brisket injection? Bigmista
brisket injection royfraz
Brisket Injection royfraz
BRISKET... wrap in tin at 170 or not? BPDC
Brisket ... to sear or not to sear ??? BPDC
Brisket-separating point/flat uncooked boatnut
1st Brisket, burnt ends question SmokeNride
Seperating Brisket Before cooking? mrichard
Question on Brisket fat content vs stall time Big_T_BBQ
Texas Brisket Rub....what went wrong? jasonalan724

"Brisket Help" Threads

Brisket help woodwardbbq
Brisket HELP BPDC
Brisket help???? HOG WILD BBQ
Brisket Help drewcountry
Brisket Help Chris_R
Brisket cooking help! BlueHowler
help with my brisket conroe85
Help with brisket So Cal EGGhead
Help? Brisket bigred
Brisket Help dworl
Dry Brisket Question?? Need Help SLCMACK
Please Help: Brisket 42BBQ
First Brisket HELP!!!!!! nrok2118
A little help ona brisket please.......... pigdog
Quick HELP!!! First Brisket!!! gotwood
Quick Brisket help please Chef Jim


Great Tutorials and Wisdom

Bigmista

The Brisket Chronicles - Part I Bigmista
The Brisket Chronicles - Part II Bigmista
The Brisket Chronicles - Part III Bigmista
The Brisket Chronicles - Part IV Bigmista

Bigabyte

Basic Brisket Tutorial (pron heavy) bigabyte
Your thoughts on bark bigabyte
Mad Science Experiment - Smoke Rings bigabyte

Barbefunkoramaque

Brisket - Night Train in a Dark Closet - for the Funky Only barbefunkoramaque
Brisket and your Rub (For the Funky Only) barbefunkoramaque
The Taboo of Simmering - Jetton and Legends of Texas BBQ barbefunkoramaque
Temp Probes and Brisket barbefunkoramaque
The Clock and the Temperature Probe barbefunkoramaque

Popdaddy
New Video: Brisket - Hot and Fast Q and the Dirty Dalmatian Post Rub Technique
popdaddysbbq
New Video: The Cut - Lowdown on What Popdaddy Does
popdaddysbbq
Video Classic - If You Smoked My Brisket
popdaddysbbq

Thirdeye

Hot-N-Fast Brisket + Smoke Ring Experiment thirdeye

Others

BRISKET,, why is it considered to be holygrail?? jaejw1
Plastice Wrap on Pork and Brisket Just Pulin' Pork
What's with the Hot and Fast Brisket Nonsense! (Thanks to the Brethren)
BBQ_MAFIA
How NOT to do brisket - Mega Failure!! WARNING - Not for Weak Stomachs!! KnucklHed BBQ
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57882

I think you're technically obligated to screw one up, it's a rite of passage... or something like that!

First things first, keep it simple, don't go overboard with rubs, sauces, etc... all you're trying to do is cook it right. Understanding the characteristics of your particular smoker is also a big asset.

On my UDS, I can go nearly 10 hours on a basket full of charcoal, but it takes longer for me to get it to the point where I get the clean blue smoke. On my off-set, I'll go through 4 times that amount of charcoal, but I can start cooking quicker, and I can open the lid more often (if I so desire) without impact the temperature that much. A UDS on the other hand, is more prone to wild temperature variations if you pull the lid off more frequently.

All that to say, trim & season the brisket, get the fire and temperatures situated, throw on the brisket and (depending on the size) walk away from it for several hours. Foil it with the fat cap up when you think you're a couple of hours away from it being done, probe it once or twice, and you should end up with an awesome piece of meat.

Keep it simple and easy to start with.

David

Sounds like you took "if your lookin', you ain't cookin'" to an extreme. I can't wait to see how good the one you are going to cook this weekend is. Get back on that horse!

I say break down and get a Maverick. It costs fifty bucks, but is well worth it. Stick the brisket on, insert probe, clamp on the bbq temp probe, and life is easy.

Get back on the bike as soon as possible!

Next time take a deep breath, calm down and think about what you are doing and don't panic. It was your first time. You learned alot so it's time to try again.

Screwing up your 1st brisket is part of the rite of passage to become a pit master. When I smoked my 1st one I couldn't see what everyone thought was so great about brisket. On number 3 the light went on.:doh:

discmen95 said:

I say break down and get a Maverick. It costs fifty bucks, but is well worth it. Stick the brisket on, insert probe, clamp on the bbq temp probe, and life is easy.

Click to expand...

^^this^^ It makes life so much easier.

I gave up on brisket yrs ago on my offset, Last yr when I got my WSM I tried again with a flat and was close but still blew it.
Don't give up, tons of info here. I seriously don't know how I could possibly ruin my next one with all the reading I've done here but time will tell

One last comment, bad brisket goes good in chili! :grin:

discmen95 said:

I say break down and get a Maverick. It costs fifty bucks, but is well worth it. Stick the brisket on, insert probe, clamp on the bbq temp probe, and life is easy.

Click to expand...

My thought as well. I like to keep my cooker closed during the cook. I also like to know what's going on inside. The only answer to that is having a meat thermometer I can read w/out opening the cooker. Add remote capability to that and I don't have to run outside to check, regardless of rain, snow or dark of night. I started with an ET-73 and upgraded to an ET-732 and they both do the job for smoking.

Depending On what I am smoking along with the 'main event' (fatties, brats) I may have to open the cooker during the cook, but I don't have to open it just to check.

I guess I'm in the minority here in that I've never made a brisket I was unhappy with. I did plenty of butts before my first brisket so I knew how my cookers performed and had an ET-73 so I could monitor progress. Finishing it on anything resembling a schedule is an entirely different thing. :laugh:

I like my IGrill .

But I agree there must have been a temp reading issue somewhere, because 8 hours at 250f grate level would not cook a brisket into embers.

Bill