When is brisket done?

[mstewart39]

I have done brisket on my kamado, I don't wrap, I'm happy with it, and I feel that I make a decent brisket. I cook the brisket until it's probe tender all over the place. But I usually cook for 14-18 hours.

So I decided that I want to get good at making it on my Bandera around 275-300 degrees, and I keep making "pretty good" brisket, never "really good" brisket. My issue is knowing when it's done.

I typically cook it for a few hours to around 160 degrees, get the color the way I like it, wrap it in butcher paper with a probe in the flat and the point. But they're always so different in temperature and I can't see the wrapped brisket, so I struggle knowing when to take it off. Last brisket I was convinced it was ready by the temperatures, I unwrapped it, and didn't feel that it was probe-tender enough. So I wrapped it back up, lost a decent amount of the liquid, and cooked for another 45 minutes or so. I made such a mess the first time I checked that I just decided to rest it without checking again. It was decent, tasted great, but it just wasn't quite done. The point didn't pull apart as easily as it should.

I'd love to hear some people describe how they determine that the wrapped brisket is finished.

Thanks!

[sudsandswine]

I go by probe texture only. Sounds like you know what to look for when probing, maybe the problem is your hold? I've had them cool off too fast and tighten back up.

[Deebo]

It's done when it probes like butter....even when you're probing thru butcher paper or foil. That may be 202 degrees or 212 degrees. Temp is not a set-in-stone rule to go by. You gotta let the brisket tell you when it's done.

[SmittyJonz]

Probe the thick part of the flat from the side. Ignore the point. If wrapped Open it up for 3-4 minutes when you pull it then wrap back up for hold.

[kevinstaggs]

Probe the thick part of the flat from the side. Ignore the point. If wrapped Open it up for 3-4 minutes when you pull it then wrap back up for hold.



+1



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[jermoQ]

+1



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

+2

Unless you get used to the feel of picking it up to tell when it's done

[Stlsportster]

The only correct answer is:

When it’s done!

[Mike in Roseville]

I’ve had a lot of good ones finish between 200-210. I used to just pull it at a temperature (like 203). Now I go strictly by feel. Last one probed like butter at 209 and it was excellent. Probe it with a thermapen.

[Rockinar]

You don't monitor the point, ignore it. When the flat is done, its automatic the point will be done. Only monitor the thickest part of the flat.

[smoke ninja]

+2

Unless you get used to the feel of picking it up to tell when it's done

this works well once you get the hang of it. it's best described as being loose and will have some bend to it.

you can also tell it done when the flat moves around on top of the point like a bad wig

[Nuco59]

If you are going by temp, you are doing it wrong.

It's done when it probes tender- it's a "feel thing" - if it was a "temp thing", all thermos would have a mark or beep saying "Brisket's ready"

They don't sell those because there is no such thing as a "done temp" for brisket.

[4ever3]

What Nuco said!

I was having this very discussion today ay work. He said “brisket is done at 172° but it’s a little tough to chew! Buuuuut that’s when I pull it off...”

A little tough? A LITTLE???

[Rockinar]

What Nuco said!

I was having this very discussion today ay work. He said “brisket is done at 172° but it’s a little tough to chew! Buuuuut that’s when I pull it off...”

A little tough? A LITTLE???


He must have a jaw like a pit bull.

[Nuco59]

The other part of my advice is "cook it until it's done"

which leads back to "how do I know it's done?"

and the circle is complete.

[4ever3]

He must have a jaw like a pit bull.

He must!

I can’t imagine!

I told him how I built my probe and to totally forget this cook to a temp thang on the big meats! I swear he looked at me like I’d fallen out of cellar!

I drew him a diagram and showed him where to prove a brisket and he just rolled his eyes. A couple hours later he was making a probe :becky:

[pjtexas1]

If probing thru paper cut a small slit over the thickest part of the flat to probe thru. Sometimes the paper will add some extra resistance.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Bob in St. Louis]

Smoke til 160 at the thickest part....
This is the last time you'll ever look at the meat temp. Because "officially", beef is edible at 125. But if you eat it now, it'll be the last time you ever smoke a brisket.

Wrap.
Pour entire thick/dark beer in the paper/foil.
Allow to continue to cook until the probe has no resistance. When I say "no resistance", I mean ZERO. RESISTANCE. Yes, despite what your brain says, this is actually possible.

Once it's this tender, (DO NOT UNWRAP) place the wrapped meat into a cambrio/cooler, and allow to rest. Like for a few hours. Three? Four? Yea. It's like that.

(Of course, if your "resting cooler" is outside and you live in Pennsylvania, and it's January and ten degrees, then (duh) you need to bring it in and rest at room temp).

Enjoy!

[Bob in St. Louis]

Oh.... The worst thing you can do is probe deep enough that you stab through the paper and drain the liquid gold.

[ebijack]

For me, probing is to inconsistent. Never checked a temp yet on brisket.
Similar to above posts. When I pick up a brisket, wrapped, unwrapped. It should be as flexible as when you first put it on. If the flat won't curve easily, it is not done. Easy to check while on the smoker.
The most important IMHO is the hold time. That is where the magic happens.

[sleebus.jones]

Probe the thick part of the flat from the side. Ignore the point. If wrapped Open it up for 3-4 minutes when you pull it then wrap back up for hold.

+1


+2



Well crap. There's my problem. Now to see if there's a brisket in the freezer for this weekend.

[Taylormade]

Reminds me of the video posted here a while back where they asked the old pitmaster how long he cooks his ribs for. He said "hell, I don't know, they're done when they're done!"

[mstewart39]

This is my problem. I don't want to unwrap the brisket to probe it.
I unwrapped the last one and lost most of the "liquid gold". I typically like to probe a few areas, so I don't feel great about probing through the paper. And I don't feel great about unwrapping to probe.

From doing the unwrapped kamado briskets I know that it can / should get to probe with no resistance. I know what I'm looking for, I just can't get the logistics to work with a wrapped brisket!

So do people typically probe through the paper, or unwrap to probe?

[sudsandswine]

wrap the brisket and place it in a foil pan if you're that concerned about it..."liquid gold" doesn't matter a whole lot if you undercook your brisket anyway. One sheet of butcher paper doesn't measurably change the probing texture, especially once it's soaked in fat.

[pjtexas1]

You guys probing from the side...
What if the thickest part of the flat is too far in for your probe to reach? Not that I have ever had that issue. :heh:

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Bob in St. Louis]

Probe through the paper.

[THoey1963]

Um, if your brisket comes out great on your kamado without wrapping, why are you wrapping it on the stick burner? Go nekkid young man, go nekkid...

If you want to collect the "liquid gold", put a pan below it...

[smoke ninja]

Um, if your brisket comes out great on your kamado without wrapping, why are you wrapping it on the stick burner? Go nekkid young man, go nekkid...

If you want to collect the "liquid gold", put a pan below it...

kamodo style cookers have less airflow or convection. this makes bark form more slowly. sometimes it takes almost the whole cook to get the bark right.

[BuffettFan]

“brisket is done at 172° but it’s a little tough to chew!

A little tough? A LITTLE???

Opening myself up to some ridicule here, but I didn't have a clue what I was doing at the time.
20 some years ago, I pulled my first brisket out of my brand new electric smoker at 140*.
It was the tastiest shoe I've ever eaten!

[THoey1963]

kamodo style cookers have less airflow or convection. this makes bark form more slowly. sometimes it takes almost the whole cook to get the bark right.

I can understand that, but not like you get too much bark on a stick burner. Why add an extra step when you are already trying a different cooker? I try to limit the number of complexities when trying something new. Small changes, figure out what works, what doesn't.

[mstewart39]

Um, if your brisket comes out great on your kamado without wrapping, why are you wrapping it on the stick burner? Go nekkid young man, go nekkid...

If you want to collect the "liquid gold", put a pan below it...

The reason I tell myself for wrapping in the stick burner is that the air does not stay as moist as it does in the kamado.

The real reason is that I watched Aaron Franklin wrap brisket in his Youtube video. The problem is he just grabs it and wiggles it up & down in the video to determine when it is done, and I'm afraid I don't have that skill.

I guess I could try unwrapped in the stick burner, but so many people here seem to wrap. I just wish I had a good way to probe while it's wrapped. Maybe this weekend I'll try another brisket and either probe through the paper or try without.

Thanks for the input everyone!

[SmittyJonz]

I tear a little hole is the side of the paper to probe if I wrapped but I usually go Nekid.

[BigThicket]

I probe through the paper, normally. Just poke it high enough not to let all of your juices drain out.

[Home Farm BBQ]

Probe till tender through wrap on top. Once it feels butter tender I'll unwrap and probe a few more places to make sure I don't have any spots that are tough. Usually above 200 temp. As others have said the temp doesn't matter. Depends on your cut of meat and your temp you are cooking at. Hot and fast usually takes a higher temp to get butter probe feeling and vice versa for lower cooking temps.

I usually seperate point and pull earlier. Not needed, but how I do it. Usually wrap with butcher paper or foil.

[Demosthenes9]

As others have said, probe through the paper or put a small slit in, then probe. Just an FYI, bus tubs are 2 for $11 at Samsclub and they really come in handy. You could pull the brisket out of the smoker, put it in the bus tub then probe or unwrap. Bus tub will contain the mess / liquid gold. That or a full size disposable aluminum pan. I use a bus tub. Also use it in the beginning when seasoning the meats (brisket, ribs, etc). Keeps the mess down to a minimum.

[sleebus.jones]

Once you make the initial poke through the paper, it's not going to provide any resistance worth noting. Poke a piece of paper in your kitchen, after that, can you feel anything? Y'all are overthinkin' this. :)

[SmittyJonz]

Usually 6-6.5 hrs after I put it in me smoker........

[ebijack]

The real reason is that I watched Aaron Franklin wrap brisket in his Youtube video. The problem is he just grabs it and wiggles it up & down in the video to determine when it is done, and I'm afraid I don't have that skill. Thanks for the input everyone!
Just grab ahold of the flat and see if it is flexable/bendable while on your grate. Check it a few times. Even wrapped. It will bend like close to raw when it is ready.
Easier to tell than probing IMHO.

[BriGreentea]

18 hours smoking?!

I've done 12 hours and thought it came out tender but dry. It generally only takes me about 6 hours to smoke at 250-275, manually check it with a instant probe and if it's 160-170 hopefully I wrap it in butcher paper and about 2 hours it should feel wobbly. I used to poke a hole through the paper to see if it's over 200 but no longer. Then I rest it in my oven (off) for 2 hours and is still very warm and turns out great for me.

[mstewart39]

18 hours smoking?!

I've done 12 hours and thought it came out tender but dry. It generally only takes me about 6 hours to smoke at 250-275, manually check it with a instant probe and if it's 160-170 hopefully I wrap it in butcher paper and about 2 hours it should feel wobbly. I used to poke a hole through the paper to see if it's over 200 but no longer. Then I rest it in my oven (off) for 2 hours and is still very warm and turns out great for me.

Sure. On my kamado I've done 15 pound briskets at 225 for 18 hours. But it's easy because I barely need to look at it for the 18 hours.
I want to be able to do the 250-275 brisket on my stick burner because I don't want to tend a fire for 18 hours!!
I'm going to see if I can convince the wife that we need to have another brisket this weekend...