Brisket cook...what happened?

Not sure....

If it was done in 7 hours, I'm guessing at least one of your rigs wasn't reading the correct temperature.

You'll have to invite me over next time, so that I can conduct some research.

Do you usually get Prime briskets? I know Prime steaks typically cooks quite a bit faster than choice, however, I do not have a reasonably priced prime brisket source so I don't know - just curious.

In my experience, Primes always cook faster than other grades. Sounds like it was over cooked. I start checking around 190*. You say it was 12 before trimming. How much did you trim off?

Also, when you took it off the smoker, did you let it rest to stop carry over cooking before you put it in the cooler? I usually set them out for 15 to 20 mins before I put it in the cooler.

I'm with terry on the wrapping too soon

I've noticed anything over around 205 tends to fall apart pretty easy. Cooked one to 210 the other weekend and the slices wouldn't hold together. Did one to 205 this weekend and the slices were holding together but just barely

207 in the flat? Yeah, that's high.... I go to about 205 in the thickest part of the point, and the flat is usually about 200 at that time. A big thing I learned is to let it "vent" for a few minutes after I pull it from the pit, before I wrap it and toss it in the cooler. Otherwise it will continue to cook in its juices, just like a pot roast does, and it gets that "pot roast" texture and taste.

I know on my first brisket , I didn't let it vent for some time and went striaght under the towels and over cocked it

207 in the flat isn't hot ..especially if its a thin flat. Its probably toast at that point, but doesn't mean the point was.

I've cooked several briskets where the point was perfect and the flat was toast (these go into beans)..or opted to save the flat .. separated the point and cooked as burnt ends.

my guess is - he had a thin flat (the prime briskets from costco - especially the IBP ones) under 16-17 pounds have flats you may as well pickle because they burn up... or separate previous to cooking and do what you will with the point (hamburger, hot dogs, etc).

SmoothBoarBBQ said:

207 in the flat? Yeah, that's high.... I go to about 205 in the thickest part of the point, and the flat is usually about 200 at that time. A big thing I learned is to let it "vent" for a few minutes after I pull it from the pit, before I wrap it and toss it in the cooler. Otherwise it will continue to cook in its juices, just like a pot roast does, and it gets that "pot roast" texture and taste.

Click to expand...

^ What he said.

Agree with the overcooked notion. For home eating, i almost never go over 203. At 207 im expecting to make chopped brisket sandwiches since that how im expecting it to come out after slicing. But if its let to cool enough before putting in the cooler to rest, there is a CHANCE for it.

rb

^^^wisdom!

when i think i have left one on the cooker too long i just uncover it and let it cool on the counter. seems to stiffen it back up a little instead of it being crumbles.

What is not very intuitive is how much difference a few degrees can make to the final outcome at the end of a cook. This just illustrates there are many ways to fail.

IMO I think this is where some of the autonomous temperature monitoring gadgetry pays for itself, when their preselected temperature warnings go off at your specified temps. But the cook must still calculate in their mind the overrun temp based on each cut of meat, and the ambient temperatures on that day. Technology assists, but never rules the day.

I also vote that it was "overcooked." However, I have a hard time thinking that the grade would make such a difference. Prime would mean that the marbling would be more evenly distributed and prevalent along the lean, right.

If that's the case, then I could see how more evenly distributed marbling, with its fat and collagen (and its breakdown) could cause the disintegration of the muscle fibers sooner than the typical length of a choice or lower grade of beef. But cutting the time down by 50% to 75% seems extreme, doesn't it? Am I off on this?

mikebrinda said:

What is not very intuitive is how much difference a few degrees can make to the final outcome at the end of a cook. This just illustrates there are many ways to fail.

IMO I think this is where some of the autonomous temperature monitoring gadgetry pays for itself, when their preselected temperature warnings go off at your specified temps. But the cook must still calculate in their mind the overrun temp based on each cut of meat, and the ambient temperatures on that day. Technology assists, but never rules the day.

Click to expand...

I haven't stuck a thermometer in a brisket in the last four or five cooks. I couldn't tell you what temp they have been. All I know is that the six briskets (one Prime and five CAB Choice) I did last weekend were done almost perfectly.

Cuelio said:

I also vote that it was "overcooked." However, I have a hard time thinking that the grade would make such a difference. Prime would mean that the marbling would be more evenly distributed and prevalent along the lean, right.

If that's the case, then I could see how more evenly distributed marbling, with its fat and collagen (and its breakdown) could cause the disintegration of the muscle fibers sooner than the typical length of a choice or lower grade of beef. But cutting the time down by 50% to 75% seems extreme, doesn't it? Am I off on this?

Click to expand...

The only details we have is that it started out as 12 pounds. We don't know if he trimmed 1 pound of fat, or 5 pounds of fat. We don't really know what percentage of time was cut off, just that it sounds like it was overcooked since it was falling apart.

I normally get 14 - 16 pound Primes. After trimming, they are usually between 10 to 12 pounds. I start out at 225* and then bump it up to 275* later in the cook. They are normally done in less than an hour per pound. Rest them on the counter for 20 mins, and then wrapped and into a cooler for a couple hours.

The cook I did last weekend had a 13.73 pound Prime in the bunch. I averaged 4+ pounds of fat trimmed off the six of them, but I know the Prime didn't need that much trimming, so it was probably close to 11 pounds. On at 7:30 pm while the smoker was still coming up to temp and off by 8 am. Similar sized CAB's in the same cook took 1 or 2 hours more.

BTW, not saying you are wrong, just I think more evidence is necessary. Meaning we should all go out and buy a Prime and a Choice and smoke them side by side... :becky:

My guess the is the combo of wrapping without resting and using foIL gave you the roast like texture. Was the bark soft? I stopped using foil with offset cookers because I spend 6-8 hours developing crust just to have the foil soften it up. Try resting and wrapping with butcher paper.

Prime is the way to go if you got the $

I love primes, until I get the guts to splurge on a wagyu it's all I cook.. In my opinion it sounded like your vent time was more of a factor than the finishing temp. I usually probe tender at temps that hover in between 203 and 209 cooking between 275 and 325ish. Im sure everyones vent time is different though, I let mine for 8 or so minutes before it goes night night.

I might be able to shed a little light here. I just invested in a YS640 and did my first brisket cook this past Sunday.

16ish# CAB Choice packer. Likely trimmed 4 or so pounds off of it.

Yoder set at 185 for the frist 3 hours, packer set fat side down on the upper rack, grate temps in the 160ish range. Ramped to 275 after. Foiled when it hit 160, still fat side down and let it roll at 275ish until toward the end when I put a meatloaf on and raised it to 325.

My dumb ass left the brisket in the foil fat side down and went right in the over set to warm to rest. Messed up my bark, got a little of the "pot roast" texture, etc.... It was/is still fantastic, but not what I want.

Next go round....
Fat side up
Larger water pan
Likely not going to wrap in foil at all until after it's rested on the counter a bit.

I just don't think they are going to come out right regarding