Salvaging a Brisket

Salvaged 3 flats couple of weeks ago. I overcooked the chit outta them.

I panned them with about 2 cups of applejuice foiled tight and threw them in the oven for about 2 hrs. at I think at 225 degrees. Then ends were still burnt ends but sure the rest sure ate good..

Wouldnt work for comps. but I gave one to my son and his wife. They devoured it.

I'm glad you brought this up Jeff. I've been thinking the same thing since I read Rich's post. Looking forward to the responses.
Has anyone compensated for doneness with the thickness of their slices. I hear people talking about the "pull test" when judging a brisket and I figured that if you were a little overdone you could slice a little thicker or vice versa, if you're a little underdone would you slice thinner?
Aside from painting each slice with sauce while presenting, how would you go about trying to save a dry brisket?

This last weekend at Salisbury I think I kind of salvaged one. I put 2 on at 10:00PM on Friday and they were both finished by 3:45AM!! The temp never went past 300 to my knowledge and not for that long of time. I coolered them ands figured that there's no way they'll be edible by the 1:30 turn in time. I mentioned it to Tuffy of Cool Smoke (who won the event) and he told me to put them back on a low heat to make sure they are @140. One was too dry to turn in (9.5 packer cut)but the other one a 7 lb flat was not tooooo bad. Came in 30th. out of 60. At least it was not a total loss.

Kirk said:

...I hear people talking about the "pull test" when judging a brisket and I figured that if you were a little overdone you could slice a little thicker or vice versa, if you're a little underdone would you slice thinner?...

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In judge class they discussed this exact thing. They are saying a thinner slice could be an attempt to hide it being under cooked and the thicker slice could be an attempt to hide it being over cooked.

Hey Ron,

When you say you coolered the briskets did you mean a hot or cold cooler?

I've had pork done at 6am before, what I've done is (this would work for brisket too)...

let the meat cool and then into a heavy duty plastic bag and submerge in ice. An hour or so before turn-in slice the cold pork or brisket and lay on a 1/2 sheet pan. Glaze with some hot sauce cover with foil and gently heat up the slices in your cooker. Took 2nd in pork that day.

I think thats legal :icon_blush:

Pig Headed said:

This last weekend at Salisbury I think I kind of salvaged one. I put 2 on at 10:00PM on Friday and they were both finished by 3:45AM!! The temp never went past 300 to my knowledge and not for that long of time. I coolered them ands figured that there's no way they'll be edible by the 1:30 turn in time. I mentioned it to Tuffy of Cool Smoke (who won the event) and he told me to put them back on a low heat to make sure they are @140. One was too dry to turn in (9.5 packer cut)but the other one a 7 lb flat was not tooooo bad. Came in 30th. out of 60. At least it was not a total loss.

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Puppyboy said:

In judge class they discussed this exact thing. They are saying a thinner slice could be an attempt to hide it being under cooked and the thicker slice could be an attempt to hide it being over cooked.

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It surely would be an attempt to compensate, but I figured it'd still be better to give them the right feel and have some doubt as opposed to slicing it in a way that accentuates the fact that your stuff ain't quite right.

ique said:

I think thats legal :icon_blush:

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I assume it would be unless you run afoul of the time guidelines set for reheating.

Thanks Chris, that sound like an idea for the future. I put them in a hot cooler. Whn I took then out about 11:00AM I used the Thermapen and they were at 160*. I put them in the WSM and using the Guru set the temp to 175 which is the lowest setting. I like your idea though.
BTW, I liked the Harpoon Smoked Porter you gave me. Thanks.

I think Chris's answer above is right, Sometimes practice taking a brisket to 220* then try to chill and reheat. Sometimes you get amazing texture with a brisket cooked like this. With a dry one you can slice and arrange it (like it's going into the box) and wrap it in foil with some liquid of your choice. Just before turn in remove from the foil and right into the box, it should stay moist.

How to get your GURU to Work Below 175*

Pig Headed said:

Thanks Chris, that sound like an idea for the future. I put them in a hot cooler. Whn I took then out about 11:00AM I used the Thermapen and they were at 160*. I put them in the WSM and using the Guru set the temp to 175 which is the lowest setting. I like your idea though.
BTW, I liked the Harpoon Smoked Porter you gave me. Thanks.

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See the following for the Guru:

Cold Smoking To achieve a temperature lower than 175° for cold smoking, jerky making, or pepper drying you will need to wrap the meat and pit probes together and place inside of pit. (Aluminum foil is a good wrapper for your probes.) Set a temperature on the meat control between 110° and 210°, now power up the Competitor. You are now fooling the Competitor to work at a lower temperature because the meat control overrides the pit control. (Ramp Mode)

This past weekend at Terrell I overcooked my briskets. Started them at 8:15 pm, both were about 11.5 pounds. I figured about 15 hour cook, give 'em time to rest for a 3:00 pm turn in. Just for grins, I checked the temps at 8:30 Sat morning and both were at 205.

Pulled 'em off and let them rest in a hot cooler for a couple of hours. Then seperated the flat from the points, wrapped the flats in foil and stuck them in ice till 12:30. Sliced them up, laid the slices in a pan and poured the juice back over them and put 'em back on the smoker till turn in time. I didn't place, but overall I was pleased with how they turned out in the tray. Everyone that ate what wasn't trayed just raved about them.

Found out the thermometer in the pit was about 70 degrees lower than actual pit temp. Came out with a new name for the pit though-MICROWAVE.
Can't believe I cooked two 11.5 pound briskets in 12 hours. I'm learnin' with each comp though.

I'll have to dig out the KCBS rules, but I don't think you can ice down meat before turn-in. I think the meat has to be maintained at 140* or above after cooking.

PigBoy said:

I'll have to dig out the KCBS rules, but I don't think you can ice down meat before turn-in. I think the meat has to be maintained at 140* or above after cooking.

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Actually, it's legal if it meets the cooled down, and reheat guidelines. This is what the KCBS rule states;

G. After cooking, all meat:
(a) Must be held at 140 degrees or above, --or—
(b) Cooked potentially hazardous food shall be cooled:
(1) Within 2 hours from 140 degrees F to 70 degrees F and
(2) Within 4 hours from 70 degrees F to 41 degrees F or less
(3) Potentially hazardous food (meat) that is cooked, properly cooled, and later reheated for hot holding and serving shall be reheated so that all parts of the food reach a temperature of at least 165 degrees F for a minimum of 15 seconds.

Like they say, you learn something new everyday!

Jeff, We did the same thing at a comp last year. Way over done. I couldn't even get a 2 inch slice to stay together if I tried. Did the same thing. We turned in chopped brisket. It was damned tasty, but we scored the lowest we ever have on brisket.