1st Brisket

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

jennyk

Newbie
Original poster
Jun 26, 2011
8
10
Tulsa
Getting ready to do our first brisket in a new MasterBuilt electric smoker.  Probably bought too small a brisket - it's only 2 1/2 or 3 pounds.  Wondering how long I need to cook it.  Do I use smoke the whole time?  Any help appreciated.
 
Do a search for Brisket and you will  find lots of info. Smoke the meat until the internal temp tells you the meat is done. If you are slicing the meat usually around 195 internal temp and if you are pulling the meat usually around 205 internal temp. A lot of people will  foil the brisket once it reaches around 165 degrees but some don't. Its  a personal preference.
 
I bought a little (2.85 lbs.) brisket at Cosco today to get my feet wet with smoking one in my MES 30".

Good luck with yours. Come back and post your results. Not sure when mine will get smoked. I bought two lovely pork butts today too since I need a pulled pork fix.
 
Can't say I did so well my first time out.  Flavor was good, but it was tough as all get out!  I cooked it at 200 degrees until the internal temp was 160, and then foiled it and put it back in.  I took it out when it was about 185. because it was taking longer than I had planned - it was 8:30 pm and my husband was starving.  Only let it rest for about 20 min and then sliced.  My husband is convinced I overcooked it and made it tough.  I kind of wondered if I undercooked it.  A lot of posts I had found talked about wrapping it and letting it rest in a cooler for a few hours.  Any advice?  At least the flavor was good, so it wasn't a total waste.  Ready to try again next weekend!  I can tell from reading a lot of the posts here that practice definitely makes perfect-
439.gif
 
Can't say I did so well my first time out.  Flavor was good, but it was tough as all get out!  I cooked it at 200 degrees until the internal temp was 160, and then foiled it and put it back in.  I took it out when it was about 185. because it was taking longer than I had planned - it was 8:30 pm and my husband was starving.  Only let it rest for about 20 min and then sliced.  My husband is convinced I overcooked it and made it tough.  I kind of wondered if I undercooked it.  A lot of posts I had found talked about wrapping it and letting it rest in a cooler for a few hours.  Any advice?  At least the flavor was good, so it wasn't a total waste.  Ready to try again next weekend!  I can tell from reading a lot of the posts here that practice definitely makes perfect-
439.gif
I kind of wondered if I undercooked it.     Ross had it correct. 195 for slicing/205 for pulling. If you followed the temps, the meat "temperature rise" probably "stalled". The stall is due to internal muscular tissue starting to break down which will make the meat tender. That process takes time and BTU's to be succesful.

Next time, send hubby to Mickey D's and tell him, "GOOD Q TAKES TIME, KEEP YOUR PANTS ON !!"  I know what I'm doin', the folks at SMF taught me well !!!

Well, you might find a different approach than that, but it sounds to me that you know what you are doing. 

Not a marriage counselor, Dave
 
 
Dave, maybe you should be!  (a marriage counselor).  I got good advice from you guys - should have stuck to it.  Lesson learned
biggrin.gif
  Today I try baby back ribs!  Appreciate all the good advice, guys.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky