Brisket

[Greendriver]

I turned in the best brisket by far I ever turned in at a contest Sat and got crap for it with the judges. That's ok cause I know how good or at least how much better it was and I'm heading in the right direction with it at least. I used a 17 lb Wagyu (thanks restaurant friend) and made no adjustments to time or temp and cooked just the same as any other with one exception. I made my mind up to cook the dam thing till it was tender without punching a million holes in it with the termopen trying to see if it was done or not, so I cooked it from 12:30 till just before time to turn it in (didn't even go in the cambro). It would have fell apart and not been able to slice it had it cooked much more. I liked it a lot - they didn't.

[NRA4Life]

What were your scores? What did they hammer you on?

[Greendriver]

Originally Posted by NRA4Life

What were your scores? What did they hammer you on?

777
889
999
888
888
988

a cook a few weeks ago yielded the most perfect "in your dreams" burnt ends and I felt they boosted my scores. I'm thinking I should have filled the box with slices this time and these BE's were not as good and may have had the opposite effect.

[mobow]

I think they liked it alot. Those are some pretty good scores. By your own assessment it was almost overcooked. All that seems to be seperating you from being at the top is for a couple of those judges to have given a 9 for tenderness. keith

[5am]

Originally Posted by Greendriver

I turned in the best brisket by far I ever turned in at a contest Sat and got crap for it with the judges. That's ok cause I know how good or at least how much better it was and I'm heading in the right direction with it at least. I used a 17 lb Wagyu (thanks restaurant friend) and made no adjustments to time or temp and cooked just the same as any other with one exception. I made my mind up to cook the dam thing till it was tender without punching a million holes in it with the termopen trying to see if it was done or not, so I cooked it from 12:30 till just before time to turn it in (didn't even go in the cambro). It would have fell apart and not been able to slice it had it cooked much more. I liked it a lot - they didn't.

I was thinking about this last night actually. If you probe too much are you risking drying out the brisket? Thats great you were happy with the turn in! Judge scores don't look too bad.

[Bourbon Barrel BBQ]

Originally Posted by Greendriver

777
889
999
888
888
988

You need a couple more 9s in taste to get to the top. Work on your rubs or injections.

[Greendriver]

Originally Posted by 5am

I was thinking about this last night actually. If you probe too much are you risking drying out the brisket? Thats great you were happy with the turn in! Judge scores don't look too bad.

I really don't know the answer there, but don't think it would as in my case the broth by that time is usually half way up on the meat and seems it would prevent that. I do plan to do a practice cook (there's that word again) before next year on any ole brisket where I plan to inject, rest overnight, jacaard it full of holes, season, and cook to see what effect Jacaard has.

[DawgPhan]

Originally Posted by mobow

I think they liked it alot. Those are some pretty good scores. By your own assessment it was almost overcooked. All that seems to be seperating you from being at the top is for a couple of those judges to have given a 9 for tenderness. keith

2 years ago his scores might have won a category, this year it is middle of the pack. 8's are the new 7.

[Bbq Bubba]

I dunno, those aren't bad scores here in Mi.

[Fat Freddy]

I would be jumping for joy with those brisket scores.

[Pig Headed]

Originally Posted by Fat Freddy

I would be jumping for joy with those brisket scores.

Ditto!

[DawgPhan]

Originally Posted by Bbq Bubba

I dunno, those aren't bad scores here in Mi.

165 and change was 48 out of 93 teams this past weekend in Georgia.

2 years ago in Georgia a 165 was getting called every weekend. no question.

[CBQ]

Originally Posted by DawgPhan

2 years ago his scores might have won a category, this year it is middle of the pack. 8's are the new 7.

Bring that brisket up to the northeast where we have the lowest average scores in the country, and let our cowboy judges have a go at it.

[CivilWarBBQ]

We finished ahead of you Chet with 167.9998. I thought our flavor was good as ever, could have been more tender.
41st out of 92 teams - Scores:
9 9 9
8 7 8
8 8 9
9 8 9
9 9 9
9 8 7
The eights in presentation were BS. Taste is always totally subjective, tenderness scores probably fair.

[Greendriver]

Originally Posted by CivilWarBBQ

We finished ahead of you Chet with 167.9998. I thought our flavor was good as ever, could have been more tender.
41st out of 92 teams - Scores:
9 9 9
8 7 8
8 8 9
9 8 9
9 9 9
9 8 7
The eights in presentation were BS. Taste is always totally subjective, tenderness scores probably fair.

I generally do a lot better with presentation scores but was just not use to such a large brisket and also it was just my second one to cook whole rather than separate from the start and I didn't get it trimmed narrow enough to make the slices go in the box like they usually do. I will get better if I cook anymore which is up in the air as I'm getting a lil worn out with this comp cooking as age creeps up on me.