Brisket failure equals success!

Vince B · 01-15-2011, 07:15 PM

I know that's kind of a messed up title ain't it! Here's my story. Last weekend I had a taste for brisket so went to the store and picked up a 9lb full packer. My plan was to low and slow it over night with single digit temps outside. I started up my wsm using a good amount pecan and cherry mixed into some KF. Packed the ring with as much as I could until it was almost falling out. Started a chimney with maybe 15 coals and went to get the brisket trimmed a bit. Then I rubbed it using a Wolfe Original Rub which is a family favorite. Here are a couple pic's.

My first mistake was I started this brisket way to early for an overnighter. My plan was to smoke the brisket to 195-200* and cooler until noonish for the football games last Sunday. I cooked this fat side up to see if it helped make the brisket more tender than others that I have done fat down. I know that normally it takes 1 hr to 1.5 hrs per lb. Well after trimming the fat down on this cut I think I had around 7.5 lbs. Put the brisket on at 8:30pm and monitored the wsm temps until sometime after midnight and went to sleep.

I set my alarm on my E73 for 225-250* grate temp and a meat temp of 180*. Sometime in the night I think either the meat temp or pit temp went over and I must have shut the alarm off and fell back asleep. I wake back up at 5:00am and look over at the mav to see where I was at. Oh no!

Pit temp at 270* and the brisket temp at 207*.

I get up and run outside with a pan to pull the brisket off. Pull the lid and man this thing has a bark like I have never before accomplished. Get back in the house and I'm thinking man should I foil and cooler or do I just slice it and toss it in the fridge to reheat later? Huum Well after about twenty minutes I decide to slice it and just put it in the fridge.

Separate the point and then started to slice the flat. As I start to slice mind you I'm half asleep and can't remember which way the gain was going in the flat. I start cutting and man this thing is shredding. I then remember that the grain kind of ran sideways-ish so I turn it and start slicing again. Better slices but for the most part you could take a slice pull it apart with no knife needed here! I took the point and just chopped it up. I figured what we did not eat I was going to use to make chili with later in the week. Which was great BTW!

Here are some pic's of the sliced brisket.

Well to my surprise I think this was one of the better briskets I have made. I think that maybe I have not been bringing the temps up high enough and well what I thought was ruined was pretty darn good. Anyone else have these results with taking your brisket to a higher finished temp? Sorry for the low quality cell pic's! Thanks fo viewing. Vince

gtr · 01-15-2011, 09:30 PM

I've only done a few briskets, and I'm not sure if I ever knew what temp they were. I followed Bigabyte's awesome tutorial and went by probe tenderness. Based on my limited experience I think cooking a brisket to proper doneness may be a counterintuitive process - you gotta cook it way past what most people would think is done in order to get it where it needs to be.

Glad it turned out well for you - one of those "Watson come here I need you" kind of moments!

mbshop · 01-15-2011, 10:14 PM

looks good no matter what. i usually cook mine to about 198 or so and wrap for an hour. the last one i did i used the probe test and then just let it rest for about 1/2 hour. that was a great success also. will try the probe test again next time and see.

R2Egg2Q · 01-16-2011, 12:29 AM

I had a similar experience recently where I overslept and my brisket was pulled off at an IT of 209. I stuck the flat in a cooler and took it to work as I had committed to bringing a brisket for a potluck. It turned out to be a little more tender than I wanted with some slices falling apart while I was cutting but I'd take this over dry tough slices anytime. My co-workers were amazed at how tender & juicy it was. It all worked out in the end but I'm now setting backup alarms.

Mister Bob · 01-16-2011, 08:03 AM

I cook my briskets at 275*, and sometimes 207* IT is what it takes for perfect tenderness (not often, but sometimes). Sounds like you got lucky, and maybe learned a thing or two about brisket in the process.

LMAJ · 01-16-2011, 08:14 AM

I usually shoot for the 200ish range but the real test is how it feels - if there is no resistance when I probe it, it's done no matter what the internal temp.
Glad things worked out for you!

chambersuac · 01-16-2011, 08:32 AM

Glad it worked out for ya. Sometimes we succeed despite ourselves :)

Garyclaw · 01-16-2011, 08:50 AM

The BBQ Gods were watching over you Vince. Looks good from here.

Johnny_Crunch · 01-16-2011, 09:09 AM

looks pretty good from here!

sitnfat · 01-16-2011, 09:10 AM

I cut the corner off so I know how to slice it when it comes out I have a hard time remembering the way the grain runs as well especially after a few cold ones

barbefunkoramaque · 01-16-2011, 09:30 AM

You merely accidentally cooked a brisket the proper way. Which inversely means. everyone not cooking a brisket this way, well, ...please refer to HMK5 of the now retitled "Personal Attack Database" (Now Canned Insult Database).

bigabyte · 01-16-2011, 10:21 AM

Looks like you did it just right to me.

Braddog · 01-16-2011, 10:54 AM

Nothing wrong with that! IMHO, good brisket usually looks like a meteorite when you take it off the cooker.

Cheers,
Braddog

barbefunkoramaque · 01-16-2011, 01:02 PM

what was ur rubb?

Vince B · 01-16-2011, 04:07 PM

Thanks for the replies guys. I honestly think I have been under cooking my briskets or this was just a big fluke. To be honest I have done the probe test and then foil for a couple few hours. Normally temps were at or under *200. Seems that after a rest the brisket was tougher when I went to slice. Don't know but after a quick reheat in the micro wave this was some of the best I have ever made. I can't wait to do the next one. Maybe it was a fat side up thing! LOL

Quote:

Originally Posted by barbefunkoramaque

You merely accidentally cooked a brisket the proper way. Which inversely means. everyone not cooking a brisket this way, well, ...please refer to HMK5 of the now retitled "Personal Attack Database" (Now Canned Insult Database).

"HMK5=No thanks. I got full from the relish table."

Kind of makes me laugh. I watched one of your funk video's where you just pulled the brisket apart in your hands and this was just like that! I actually had a "funk vision" of you while I did it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by barbefunkoramaque

what was ur rubb?

It was Wolfe Original Rub that I got from Larry Wolfe. Lots of turbinado sugar and smells really good IMO.

01-15-2011, 07:15 PM	#1
Vince B is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 11-15-09 Location: Bloomingdale Illinois	Brisket failure equals success! I know that's kind of a messed up title ain't it! Here's my story. Last weekend I had a taste for brisket so went to the store and picked up a 9lb full packer. My plan was to low and slow it over night with single digit temps outside. I started up my wsm using a good amount pecan and cherry mixed into some KF. Packed the ring with as much as I could until it was almost falling out. Started a chimney with maybe 15 coals and went to get the brisket trimmed a bit. Then I rubbed it using a Wolfe Original Rub which is a family favorite. Here are a couple pic's. My first mistake was I started this brisket way to early for an overnighter. My plan was to smoke the brisket to 195-200* and cooler until noonish for the football games last Sunday. I cooked this fat side up to see if it helped make the brisket more tender than others that I have done fat down. I know that normally it takes 1 hr to 1.5 hrs per lb. Well after trimming the fat down on this cut I think I had around 7.5 lbs. Put the brisket on at 8:30pm and monitored the wsm temps until sometime after midnight and went to sleep. I set my alarm on my E73 for 225-250* grate temp and a meat temp of 180. Sometime in the night I think either the meat temp or pit temp went over and I must have shut the alarm off and fell back asleep. I wake back up at 5:00am and look over at the mav to see where I was at. Oh no! Pit temp at 270 and the brisket temp at 207*. I get up and run outside with a pan to pull the brisket off. Pull the lid and man this thing has a bark like I have never before accomplished. Get back in the house and I'm thinking man should I foil and cooler or do I just slice it and toss it in the fridge to reheat later? Huum Well after about twenty minutes I decide to slice it and just put it in the fridge. Separate the point and then started to slice the flat. As I start to slice mind you I'm half asleep and can't remember which way the gain was going in the flat. I start cutting and man this thing is shredding. I then remember that the grain kind of ran sideways-ish so I turn it and start slicing again. Better slices but for the most part you could take a slice pull it apart with no knife needed here! I took the point and just chopped it up. I figured what we did not eat I was going to use to make chili with later in the week. Which was great BTW! Here are some pic's of the sliced brisket. Well to my surprise I think this was one of the better briskets I have made. I think that maybe I have not been bringing the temps up high enough and well what I thought was ruined was pretty darn good. Anyone else have these results with taking your brisket to a higher finished temp? Sorry for the low quality cell pic's! Thanks fo viewing. Vince __________________ 18"WSM/SMOKEY JOE/ VERY OLD 22.5" Weber /5 BURNER KENMORE GAS

01-15-2011, 09:30 PM	#2
gtr somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-16-10 Location: Culver City, CA	I've only done a few briskets, and I'm not sure if I ever knew what temp they were. I followed Bigabyte's awesome tutorial and went by probe tenderness. Based on my limited experience I think cooking a brisket to proper doneness may be a counterintuitive process - you gotta cook it way past what most people would think is done in order to get it where it needs to be. Glad it turned out well for you - one of those "Watson come here I need you" kind of moments! __________________ 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?

01-15-2011, 10:14 PM	#3
mbshop Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-24-07 Location: visalia, ca	looks good no matter what. i usually cook mine to about 198 or so and wrap for an hour. the last one i did i used the probe test and then just let it rest for about 1/2 hour. that was a great success also. will try the probe test again next time and see. __________________ george spam, can't live without it

01-16-2011, 12:29 AM	#4
R2Egg2Q is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 08-15-10 Location: Pleasanton, CA	I had a similar experience recently where I overslept and my brisket was pulled off at an IT of 209. I stuck the flat in a cooler and took it to work as I had committed to bringing a brisket for a potluck. It turned out to be a little more tender than I wanted with some slices falling apart while I was cutting but I'd take this over dry tough slices anytime. My co-workers were amazed at how tender & juicy it was. It all worked out in the end but I'm now setting backup alarms. __________________ -John BGEs: XL, Large, Small, Mini, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, MAK 1-Star General, Karubecue C-60, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA, Summit S-620 NG; custom BGE & Weber handles by brethren martyleach [U][URL="http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=86"]CLICK HERE to join us in a BBQ Brethren Throwdown![/URL][/U]

01-16-2011, 08:03 AM	#5
Mister Bob Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-15-09 Location: Scituate, RI	I cook my briskets at 275, and sometimes 207 IT is what it takes for perfect tenderness (not often, but sometimes). Sounds like you got lucky, and maybe learned a thing or two about brisket in the process. __________________ Mister Bob, Pitmaster - Smokestack Lightning, Bad Ass Barbecue. KCBS CBJ #31759 - IMBAS Certified MOINK Baller

01-16-2011, 08:14 AM	#6
LMAJ somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-01-07 Location: Southeastern Pa	I usually shoot for the 200ish range but the real test is how it feels - if there is no resistance when I probe it, it's done no matter what the internal temp. Glad things worked out for you! __________________ L-M Official Pennsylvania MOINK Ball maker 1 Large BGE - 7/5/08 1 Large BGE and table - 8/29/12 1300 Timberline 5/26/17 1 18.5 WSM Super Fast BLUE and REDThermopen 1 - Fantastic hubby - the original Big Al Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. - Robert Brault

01-16-2011, 08:32 AM	#7
chambersuac somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-02-09 Location: San Antonio, TX	Glad it worked out for ya. Sometimes we succeed despite ourselves :) __________________ Dan IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball maker and IMBAS Sgt. At Arms. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. [Acts 20:32 KJV]

01-16-2011, 08:50 AM	#8
Garyclaw Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-05-09 Location: NE OH-IO	The BBQ Gods were watching over you Vince. Looks good from here. __________________ Gary ____________________________________ Big BarBChef built in to the Outdoor Kitchen, 2 Weber kettles, 1 UDS, Little Chief Electric, 2 Propane Fish Cookers/Turkey Fryers, a swinging grate over my [COLOR=red]Fire pit,[/COLOR][COLOR=black] Big Pig Cooker, SJS, Big Easy Oil Less. Blackstone Pizza Oven[/COLOR] "Nice talkin' to ya" :yo:

01-16-2011, 09:09 AM	#9
Johnny_Crunch Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-03-10 Location: Cypress TX	looks pretty good from here! __________________ J Crunch

01-16-2011, 09:10 AM	#10
sitnfat is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-06-09 Location: Centerville TN	I cut the corner off so I know how to slice it when it comes out I have a hard time remembering the way the grain runs as well especially after a few cold ones __________________ Rub Won Out BBQ Team,Brisket 180 club

01-16-2011, 09:30 AM	#11
barbefunkoramaque Babbling Farker Join Date: 11-11-07 Location: Gone	You merely accidentally cooked a brisket the proper way. Which inversely means. everyone not cooking a brisket this way, well, ...please refer to HMK5 of the now retitled "Personal Attack Database" (Now Canned Insult Database). __________________ Popdaddy is Dead - 1933-2011 - Pitmaster T is a free agent

01-16-2011, 10:21 AM	#12
bigabyte somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-10-06 Location: Overland Fark, KS	Looks like you did it just right to me. __________________ Asshattatron Farkanaut, CGCFO Chief Galactic Crockpot Foil Officer *Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Are you MOINK Certified?* *Sole recipient of the Silverfinger and fingerlickin Awards!* Don't forget about the Throwdown Thingies! The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club Duh.

01-16-2011, 10:54 AM	#13
Braddog Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 10-19-08 Location: St. Louis, MO	Nothing wrong with that! IMHO, good brisket usually looks like a meteorite when you take it off the cooker. Cheers, Braddog __________________ [URL="http://www.grillandbarrel.com"]http://www.grillandbarrel.com[/URL] Backwoods Pro Jr. Backwoods Fatboy (sold) Large Big Green Egg Bubba Keg

01-16-2011, 01:02 PM	#14
barbefunkoramaque Babbling Farker Join Date: 11-11-07 Location: Gone	what was ur rubb? __________________ Popdaddy is Dead - 1933-2011 - Pitmaster T is a free agent

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