Brisket managment

[Yakfishingfool]

So I put this flat on about 8:30pm, now at 12:30am, it;s 161. Do I foil at 165 and leave on or do I go au natural? Pit is running a bit hot at 250, first 12 degree's was at 200 though. Scott

 

[Yakfishingfool]

forgot to mention....it;s still tough as hell. Very resitant to a probe. S

 

[icemn62]

If it is tough, I would keep her as is. Brisket will cook as long as it takes to get done. But you don't want to let it overcook.

 

[BIG 12 BBQ]

The Foil Will Help The Brisket Tenderize. I Think That The Fat Starts Breaking Down At 160 So It Should Start To Loosen Up A Little. Depending On The Size, I Would Think You're Looking At 7 To 8 Hour Minimum Cook Time On The Flat

 

[Yakfishingfool]

yeah, I was hoping a longer cook, I know it;s the meats decision as to when it;s done....tick tock....

 

[ctbeerbq]

Any updates? Is it still on, or are you having brisket and eggs for breakfast?

 

[Yakfishingfool]

OK, have you ever played darts or shot a gun and kept adjusting too much...well this briket was...fall apart, I mean, like a pulled pork butt, just crumbled. good moisture in the middle, ends a bit dry, but just soft, not mushy, just overly tender. flavor good and everyone in the house loves it...but not smokey enough fo rme and way to loose. I got to find a way to do these things right. Scott

 

[BIG 12 BBQ]

How Long Did You Cook It In The Foil?

 

[Yakfishingfool]

180 to 205 about 2 hours?

 

[Yakfishingfool]

any suggestions as to how to make it better? Everyone liked it but I still feel totally lost on this piece of meat. Scott

 

[pigmaker23]

Take it to willie b's and put in his pit overnight ? lol :-D seriously, practice makes perfect, just try to cook the same size each time so that you can see a consistant pattern emerge.. good luck

 

[wasilvers]

Combining methods from this and 'other' websites - I found a method that works for me on my charcoal water smoker (kind of like a WSM)....

Smoke pretty good with mesquite and apple wood. Apple seems to give me a nice smoke ring and mesquite gives it an awesome smoked flavor (kind of strong for my wife though).

Smoke at 215 - 225 for a couple of hours, then up to 250 for the rest of smoke. Place brisket on top rack for 3 hours, flip over and 180 degrees and go for another 2 -3 hours. Till the bark is the way you want. Then pull a temp from the thickest part of the flat (not the fatty point!). At 170, or bark is too perfect to go longer, wrap in foil. 170 or so gets you past the start of the breakdown of the meat. Foil till 200 (205 will fall apart on you - but tastes delicious). You MUST let it rest - I like to take it from the grate right into an empty ice chest (no ice) and let it slowly go down in temp till it reaches 160 or so. Nice and juicy.

Took me 11.5 hours from meat on to slicing for a 11.5 lb brisket this weekend.

This method gives me lots of good slices and some 'pulled pork' type sections for nibbling on. We pigged out today on brisket!!

I just lucked into this method but it really works for me!

Good luck,

Will

 

[Yakfishingfool]

thanks. I will vouche for the 205 and fall apart. Delcious but a mess Guess I got to keep trying. Buyng a chest freezer today so hope to bulk up on some meats at lower costs. Scott

 

[itschris]

I was under the impression that 205 was for pullin... 190 or so was for slicing.

 

[Bigmista]

How did the probe slide in at 190?

 

[Chris Nickelson]

somewhere between 190 and 200 is the magical temp for me.

 

[Yakfishingfool]

It felt firm at 180, then dozed for a bit and it got to 205...will be more diligent next time. Scott

 

[Norcoredneck]

Did you cut it yet? I'm getting hungry.​