Help!!! Overcooking Brisket!!!

[arclite]

Originally Posted by sjb67

PJ is correct. Briskets are like people no two are the same. Cook naked till you are happy with the color and bark then wrap. Start probing thick part of the flat around 195. I have had them finish anywhere between there and 215.

Also do not obsess with a pit temp. Every pit has a sweet spot where it will run clean and easy. Find where your pit settles in adjust your time lines to fit that and follow the other advice and you will be amazed with the result.

Originally Posted by Home Farm BBQ

U got a 203 reading with lots of 180 readings. That 203 reading could be a fat pocket that is rendering down and reading at a higher level.

The feel part of a brisket is key. Probe tender like others have said. Someone cooking a brisket at 225 and someone cooking hot/fast at 300 will have different finishing temps. Cookers, briskets, and outside weather conditions can all be different parts of the equation also. That is why the probe test works all the time. Going to one temp can work, but might not work another time based on other conditions.

Lots of great advice in this thread and here are two solid examples of common sense.

Good luck.

[Nuco59]

It sounds simplistic- but cook it until it's done. Some folk plan a brisket like it's an amphibious attack plan- maps,schedules, synchronized watches- the whole enchilada.

I stopped caring so much and I was happier and the food was better.

Wrap it when it hits the color you want (or hell- don't wrap it at all). 150, 160, 170, 180 - you need to stop worrying about internal temps- you will be happier.

You can temp it and wiggle it until the cows come home- doesn't matter.

It''s not done until it's probe tender- doesn't matter how much temp control you had over your pit - highs- lows- none of it really matters. How long you had it on, how many beers you drank while it was on- none of that matters. (OK-if you drink too much, pass out and turn your brisket into a dry husk- that's on you). There IS a correlation between temp/time and doneness - but this is not making a cake. Cakes are science- brisket is art...and art is feeling.

[K-Barbecue]

I will usually wrap at around 165 but having a good bark set is more important than the actual temperature at this point. After wrapping, I will begin to probe check for tenderness at 195. Every brisket is a little different but the probe test for tenderness is the final answer, not the temperature. They will usually be perfect between 197 and 203. Also, it's very important to let it rest no less than 2 hours. I actually prefer 4 hours. Enjoy !!

[CptKaos]

Most folks would be better off trading their thermometers for skewers and learn to cook by feel.

Cookin old skool in Tejas

Larry

[Big Andy]

Check out post #9 and #13.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...hp?t=213367%22

[Big N Hot]

I didn't read all the responses, but you remind me of myself a few years ago. I swore off brisket because I couldn't get it right. Then I accidentally got it right and figured out what I was doing wrong. Undercooking was my problem.

What size Lang? I cook on a 36 stretch. Fat up on the top rack. Let that convective heat hammer the point. Forget a spritz, you're just slowing down the cook. I wrap when coming out of the stall. Internal temp is usually around 210 when it's puuuuuurrrfect.

[Flinger]

All of you guys, rock... thanks for the additional advice. Love it. Love the post #9 on http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...hp?t=213367%22

That settles it for me... because that is exactly what happened to me.

Sooo - I'm hearing everyone say to stop over analyzing everything and just go by "probe feel". I get that...

But, there is this little reality... Usually - I'm cooking for people! At a certain time! So, how many hours ahead? If a min. of 2 hours rest - working backwards.... and, my earlier cook at 11 hrs for 2 11 lb'ers wasn't enough... how much more to get to "probe feel"?

Heck, there has to be some rule of thumb to make sure things are ready when the guests start to arrive...

[pjtexas1]

My rule of thumb is to leave 4 hours for the rest/hold. I've cooked 10 before and most were done in 6 hours and others took 9+. Those last 2 came out of the cooker as my friends arrived to pick them up. You just can't know for sure. If they are done early then set the oven to 170 and let them hold for however long you need wrapped in foil. That's why restaurants cook the day/ night before and hold for hours and hours. The longer the hold the better they get.

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[JSholar]

Originally Posted by Rockinar

Try wrapping at butcher paper at around the start of the stall around 165-170. That should help a LOT. It will help preserve moisture and protect it from the heat. Dont run naked till you can do wrapped briskets. Wrapped is easier in my opinion.

Also any chance you're UNDER cooking it and you just think you're over cooking it? Almost sounds to me like you're UNDER cooking it.
1) Under cooking it will be dry and chewy. You will have to work your jaw to eat it like a Golden Corral steak.
2) Over cooked it will be dry and crumbly/brittle. It will fall apart in a bad way when you try to slice it. You wont really be able to get good slices.

Ignore the point 100%.

There is no "jiggle/wiggle test" that will tell you anything or be any help. All briskets have fat and will jiggle/wiggle. That does not mean its cooked.


Purchase Aaron Franklin's Masterclass and follow his advice. Its really good.

Also you have a reverse flow. Water pan does not go on firebox end, it goes on the opposite end.

I agree! I had this same problem and started wrapping around 165-170. I cook to 200 F and its GREAT! Also Franklin has several videos on YouTube and I also found several on Amazon Prime

[Shadowdog500]

Let us know how your brisket turns out this weekend! Stick to your plan and I’m sure it will be great! Chris

[Flinger]

Thanks, Chris... here we go...

I need to be eating around 6 pm tomorrow night. My plan is to get the fire started around 11 pm tonight. Brisket on at midnight. I'll try the fire at around 250.

Question - was thinking to smoke outside til wrapping and then move to 250 oven until probe done - probably somewhere around 165. Might as well save some wood.

What do you think about finishing in the oven?

Was thinking I should be targeting probe done between noon at 2 pm tomorrow.

Then, just let it rest wrapped until cutting time?

[smoke ninja]

Originally Posted by Flinger

All of you guys, rock... thanks for the additional advice. Love it. Love the post #9 on http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...hp?t=213367%22

That settles it for me... because that is exactly what happened to me.

Sooo - I'm hearing everyone say to stop over analyzing everything and just go by "probe feel". I get that...

But, there is this little reality... Usually - I'm cooking for people! At a certain time! So, how many hours ahead? If a min. of 2 hours rest - working backwards.... and, my earlier cook at 11 hrs for 2 11 lb'ers wasn't enough... how much more to get to "probe feel"?

Heck, there has to be some rule of thumb to make sure things are ready when the guests start to arrive...

I prefer long cook items like butts and brisket for parties. the food is done and holding hours before the guests arrive and I have time to clean up and get ready. makes hosting a breeze.

like pj said build a 4 hr cushion into the cook.

I dont subscribe to hrs per lbs for brisket. smaller one take 8-10 hrs, larger ones 10-12. once you get the hang of things you can adjust cook temps on the fly to aid in timing.

[Flinger]

Originally Posted by smoke ninja

I prefer long cook items like butts and brisket for parties. the food is done and holding hours before the guests arrive and I have time to clean up and get ready. makes hosting a breeze.

like pj said build a 4 hr cushion into the cook.

I dont subscribe to hrs per lbs for brisket. smaller one take 8-10 hrs, larger ones 10-12. once you get the hang of things you can adjust cook temps on the fly to aid in timing.

She's a little over a 15 lb'er before trimming. My guess will be around 13 or 14 on the fire.

I'm not so concerned about getting rolling... I'm concerned about when to know to stop cooking it. I'll use the probe in peanut butter test and hope for the best. Man, I hope I don't over cook the thing... I'm failed to mention that earlier this year - I definitely overcooked one.

[pjtexas1]

I like your plan. No problems with finishing in the oven. Id rather over cook any day than under cook.

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[Flinger]

Originally Posted by pjtexas1

I like your plan. No problems with finishing in the oven. Id rather over cook any day than under cook.

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Ok - so, when it's probe done... and, it's in peach butcher paper.... and, let's say it's noon... and, I'm we aren't eating until 6...

Do i just take it out of the oven and let it sit in the butcher paper? Transfer it to cleaner butcher paper? Put it in an ice chest? Leave it on the counter? Drop the oven temp to 170 and leave it there?

What do I do when it reaches probe done?