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robbq
04-13-2014, 08:32 AM
I've done brisket a couple of times before, and it has never come out great. You know, edible, and other people say it's good, but it's not tender and juicy like at a good BBQ place. I've been reading posts and advice for months trying to figure out what to do.

So today is the day. I can't find whole briskets anywhere, even at butchers around here. I got an 8 pound choice flat from BJs, pretty even thickness, nice amount of fat on it, seems bendy to me. Rubbed it last night, and it went into the smoker at 6:45 this morning.

I know every piece of meat is different and all that, but I figured it would take a good 7 hours and maybe more to get to 190-195. My plan was to foil it at 160ish, but it got there very fast. The smoker is running around 235-240, and after 2 1/2 hours it is up to 180. Also it hasn't really stalled, it's rising slowly but pretty steadily. So I haven't foiled it because right now I don't want to speed up the cook time.

If it doesn't hit a stall pretty soon, it looks like it will be done around 10-11am. This was supposed to sit in a cooler for a few hours and be dinner, not lunch :shocked:.

So what do you do if your cook is done way way too early???

insaneh
04-13-2014, 08:39 AM
Those are the only cuts I can find also.
Christmas eve, I put one on at 11PM. Smoked it till around 8 am. Probed tender at around 195. No foil. Wrapped it and let rest in a cooler for 3 hrs.
Literally the best brisket I've ever had.
Hope yours turns out the same. :thumb:

Bludawg
04-13-2014, 09:04 AM
First off the reason your briskets are DRY is they are under cooked because you are cooking to an internal temp;

BBQ RULES FOR SUCCESS

YOU CAN NOT COOK GREAT BBQ ON A CONSISTENT BASIS BY COOKING TO AN INTERNAL TEMPERATURE OR BY TIME ( XXX MIN PER LB) YOU MUST COOK BY FEEL! For Brisket it must pass the poke test(probe like soft butter in the thickest part of the Flat) Ribs pass the Bend Test, Pork Butts when the bone wiggles loose. These are the only reliable methods to ensure that your cook will be a success. There Are exceptions to these rules; Poultry which must achieve and internal temp of 170 deg in the thickest part of the thigh and 165 in the breast or
Roasts( Prime rib, Pork loin.....) that need to be cooked to less than well.

If it gets done early wrap it in foil after 30 min of resting and place it in to a 200 deg oven.

robbq
04-13-2014, 11:58 AM
Thanks for the replies, and yes I am only using temp as a guideline, and probing for tenderness.

I did a couple things and I think it's doing better. I am doing this in an electric smoker and I think it is too humid in there. After a few hours the meat looked wet, so no evaporation, so no stall. So I opened the door and let out all of the heat and humidity. It took a little bit to get back up to temp, and then what do you know, it stalled for a while. It has been climbing much more slowly since and is getting a decent looking bark.

Next question: when you all say "like butter", how much like butter? I started probing an hour ago, and it was not tender. Just a minute ago I tried and it feels much more tender to me, except in the dead middle. In the more tender parts a probe goes in easily and comes out easily but I wouldn't exactly say like butter. I'm giving it a while more in the smoker, just wondering exactly how tender you look for.

And thanks!

Bludawg
04-13-2014, 12:03 PM
Did ya ever cut room temp butter?? You know the part that is still tough well guess what that is the only place you need to be probing any brisket because it is the last spot to give it up.

robbq
04-13-2014, 12:11 PM
Ok, got it! Butter! Thanks.

smoke ninja
04-13-2014, 12:24 PM
Im i the only one who has ever heard "Honey, why are there holes in the butter?"

lumpy76
04-13-2014, 12:51 PM
Ha! No you are not Ninja.