How tender is tender when it comes to brisket?

[jritt74]

Smoked my first brisket on the fourth and when I sliced the flat...it fell apart. Is this overcooked or just about right? I've had it before where the slices stayed together with a little elasticity and assumed that was the way it was supposed to be.

What says the BBQ gods?

 

[foamheart]

No BBQ God but...... I first read about it here than people these days actually pull brisket!

When I cook brisket, I use IT and well as a toothpick. When its ready, I let it cool, redistribute those juices, and a 2hour cool down is not unusually. That way the meat re-gains a little strength. But the way I look at it, a brisket that falls apart is still good brisket. I could eat good brisket with a spoon!

 

[jritt74]

I read on another site about a fella who doesn't even use IT. His way to tell if it's done is to use a probe and if the probe goes in with no resistance, it's done. I did this very thing and have no idea what the IT was when I took it off.

I separated the flat and point and made burnt ends. The flat rested for the time it took the burnt ends to finish. I was extremely happy with the finished product, and so were my guests, just more curious than anything.

 

[james1nc]

I have always hear the brisket you can lay it across you finger like a wet noodle and it bends limp but wont break, But I'm with Foam if I need a spoon give me a spoon lets eat

 

[jritt74]

How is Jacksonville these days? I spent a few years with that address. One of my buddies went through there not too long ago and said it was really different.

 

[noboundaries]

I'm sure the BBQ gods will be along in a minute.  Until then you'll have to settle for jolly idol.  

 

For slicing the flat was overcooked if it fell to pieces when sliced. Great for chopped brisket.  You can put it in the refrigerator and it will slice better tomorrow but will fall apart when warmed again. 

The difference between good-for-slicing and best-chopped is only a few degrees of internal temp, as little as 3-5 degrees.  What was the internal temp when you pulled it off the smoker? 

 

[demosthenes9]

Unless that is how you planned to make it (like for pulled Brisket as Foamheart mentioned), then your brisket was overcooked.   Basically, there's a narrow little window.  Undercooked brisket is dry and tough with some pull/tug, overcooked brisket is dry and stringy (falls apart).  Brisket cooked correctly is moist with just a bit of elasticity.  A slice shouldn't fall apart, but if you pull both ends it should come apart pretty easily.

Here's a decent vid of it.

 

[jritt74]

Didn't check the IT, went completely by internal resistance. Didn't wrap or anything...just put it on and didn't check it for 9 hours. I cooked at roughly 250 the entire time. After the initial check, I cooked another hour before checking it again. Then another hour till the probe went in with no resistance on both the flat and point.

 

[james1nc]

How is Jacksonville these days? I spent a few years with that address. One of my buddies went through there not too long ago and said it was really different.

it's Jacksonville lol , it's changed a lot in the past few years , we now have bypasses around the city to avoid all the base traffic.

 

[jritt74]

I was there in the mid to late 90's...moved back to Illinois and 3 years later met my future wife. She grew up in Fayetteville and went to ECU. I joke with her that she wouldn't have given me the time of day back then. Small world.

 

[jritt74]

Thanks for the input gents. Basically, it wouldn't get a blue ribbon for presentation...I can accept that. I tried it this way because I've heard that brisket is a lot of guys nemesis and wanted to try the KISS method. I will try again using other methods and see what I come up with. Thanks again

 

[jritt74]

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Finished product

 

[jritt74]

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Prior to separating flat and point

 

[james1nc]

that's about the only thing I haven't smoked yet. It's a fine line between perfect brisket and roast beef

 

[paprika pal]

Brisket in a competition - the judges like to see the brisket stretch a bit then fall apart. (That is what I have been lead to believe)

190 degrees I pull the brisket off the smoker and wrap it in saran wrap and put it in an insulated cooler with no ice.  I then cut it after about a two hour rest. I have had much luck with this method.  I have let it only rest for as little as 30mins and it worked out just as well.  (Calculating the 2 hour rest lets me build in time for a long stall in the meat, if it happens that way.)

My friends and family eat it so fast they couldn't tell what it looked like before they ate it.

 

spoons fingers or forks its all good BBQ.