T
TxAxeMan
Guest
I've spent most of my life in Texas. I know what good brisket is supposed to look/taste/feel like. I'm not sure if I've eaten at one of the Meccas, but I've had brisket that would just fall apart with a fork and wasn't dried out.
My history is mostly with pork ribs, butts, shoulders, etc. I tried a brisket once, and it was unedible. After lurking on this site for a while, I decided to try again. I rubbed the snot out of it with Lawrey's, then with course Kosher salt, and finally with some kind of steak seasoning (mostly pepper). I left it unattended for a few while waiting for the fire to get settled and the meat to assume room temperature. I got back to it just in time to smack my dog who thought it was for him...
I put it in the smoker, fat side up. After a few hours at 275-325 I started probing it. The thick side got butta smooth, but the thin side was a little tougher. At this point, I spun the flat around to put the thin side closer to the heat. I cooked it until the internal temp was 190, but it never got any tenderer. After this, I wrapped it in butcher's paper and put it back in for an hour or so. The first pic is what it looked like after six or so hours.
It had a wonderful flavor, and was a little dry, but not too much. It was just too tough. Very much like stuff I've turned my nose up at in the past at various BBQ restaurants. My wife and friends loved it. My problem is that I know what brisket can be, and I desperately would like to get there myself. My mother-in-law can get the right tenderness by foil wrapping and putting it in the oven, but there's just something wrong with that.
Incidentally, I just chopped up what was left and had one of the best chop beef sandwiches I've ever eaten.
So, if any experts here can tell me what I can do to get the tenderness that I'm after, please feel free to critique. :-D
In the mean time, I'll try to find another excuse to post and get rid of that matchlight title :doh:
My history is mostly with pork ribs, butts, shoulders, etc. I tried a brisket once, and it was unedible. After lurking on this site for a while, I decided to try again. I rubbed the snot out of it with Lawrey's, then with course Kosher salt, and finally with some kind of steak seasoning (mostly pepper). I left it unattended for a few while waiting for the fire to get settled and the meat to assume room temperature. I got back to it just in time to smack my dog who thought it was for him...
I put it in the smoker, fat side up. After a few hours at 275-325 I started probing it. The thick side got butta smooth, but the thin side was a little tougher. At this point, I spun the flat around to put the thin side closer to the heat. I cooked it until the internal temp was 190, but it never got any tenderer. After this, I wrapped it in butcher's paper and put it back in for an hour or so. The first pic is what it looked like after six or so hours.
It had a wonderful flavor, and was a little dry, but not too much. It was just too tough. Very much like stuff I've turned my nose up at in the past at various BBQ restaurants. My wife and friends loved it. My problem is that I know what brisket can be, and I desperately would like to get there myself. My mother-in-law can get the right tenderness by foil wrapping and putting it in the oven, but there's just something wrong with that.
Incidentally, I just chopped up what was left and had one of the best chop beef sandwiches I've ever eaten.
So, if any experts here can tell me what I can do to get the tenderness that I'm after, please feel free to critique. :-D
In the mean time, I'll try to find another excuse to post and get rid of that matchlight title :doh: