Speaking of Brisket...

Choice, thick, well-marbled, sufficient fat cap brisket from a Piedmontese steer. Heavenly!!!

Cheers, peace and bacon grease,
~Martin



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I don't know anyone personally down that way....maybe check with the Piedmontese associations.

http://pauscattle.org/
http://www.classicpiedmonteseinternationalassociation.com/
http://www.nepaonline.org/
http://www.piedmontese.org/

Cheers, peace and bacon grease,
~Martin



[COLOR=#black]Click here to check out the Universal Cure Calculator!!!!![/COLOR]

JJ, morning...  That is an interesting question .... Do you think he had the brisket under a fan for a few hours to form a pellicle ??  Maybe it was Kobe Beef...  larding needle ??   Enhanced with a 7% solution of consomme ??  

Just chiming in so I can follow this thread.  I've been putting a brisket project on the back burner until I got the cooking temp issue figured out on my smoker.  I nailed that down a few weeks ago, so a brisket is going to be my next project.

I've had the same problem as JJ.  My flavor has been pretty good, but just because boot leather tastes good doesn't mean it's fun to eat.  

I talked to a guy that runs a local smoke pit (5 Star BBQ, if anyone reading this happens to be in the Utah Valley area.  Go there immediately.  That is some amazing Q).  He said the biggest factor is getting a packer with good marbling.  That's about the only insight I've got, and I'll gladly listen to anything anyone else has to say.

I buy my briskets at Sam`s Club and they never come out dry. My brisket smokes always take 20+ hrs. I foil them at 165 with a liquid then take them to 185 to200 and let sit for a couple of hours and they are always very jucie. Never really thought about one being dry...

ThsMormonSmokes said:

....the biggest factor is getting a packer with good marbling.

Click to expand...

Yep, I couldn't agree more!!!!




Cheers, peace and bacon grease,
~Martin



[COLOR=#black]Click here to check out the Universal Cure Calculator!!!!![/COLOR]

Might want to try the handy dandy search tool and look for Raptors award winning recipe.

He does awesome briskys.....I believe he injects with broth or some recipe he has concocted.

I have done briskets from walmart and sysco with little to no trimming 16-18 hours no foil, rest on its own on the counter or a cool oven for 30mins and they spew juice when I cut them even if I separate the point and flat for burnt ends. The only time I had a semi dry brisket was when it was done the day before but a little broth helped pep it up. I cook on a WSM if that even makes a difference.

Are you trimming your briskets? If so are you leaving enough fat?

Edit: I should also note, I don't cook to an IT. I use a toothpick. If it slides in like soft butter its ready, if not it keeps going (stopped using temp cause I noticed the texture would be different even at the same IT, some perfect at 185, some 195, etc.)

I have always cooked USDA select or choice cause they are readily available and cheap.  My brisket is good, great flavor, not terribly dry, but just not what I have had at some really good BBQ establishments.  I always cook mine to the toothpick test, the only reason I probe anymore is to keep an eye on when I need to wrap.  I am also sold on the fact that the interior fat (marbling throughout the grains of meat) are way more important than the exterior fat.  I do very little trimming on my briskets, only the big chunks of fat and any really heavy areas.  I have another comp coming up this next weekend and my plans are to secure at the very least a CAB (certified angus beef) brisket and just see how much the quality of the meat makes in my product.  I am willing to bet that it is a big difference. 

Not sure if this helps or not but I have also noticed if I put rub and all on it the night before, wrap it and throw it in the fridge then take it out and let it get close to room temp before throwing it on the smoker it seems to come out with some juices. I also let it rest in the cooler for a few hours. If I put the rub on it as I wait for the smoker to get to temp the same day it is not as juicy. Either way they seem to come out tasting great. I don't think it matters if it is dry or moist, as long as it tastes good and the people who are eating it like it, who cares if it is dry or not. Plus most people have some kind of sauce they put on it anyway. 

BIG TWIG said:

I have done briskets from walmart and sysco with little to no trimming 16-18 hours no foil, rest on its own on the counter or a cool oven for 30mins and they spew juice when I cut them even if I separate the point and flat for burnt ends. The only time I had a semi dry brisket was when it was done the day before but a little broth helped pep it up. I cook on a WSM if that even makes a difference.

Are you trimming your briskets? If so are you leaving enough fat?

Edit: I should also note, I don't cook to an IT. I use a toothpick. If it slides in like soft butter its ready, if not it keeps going (stopped using temp cause I noticed the texture would be different even at the same IT, some perfect at 185, some 195, etc.)

Click to expand...

I'm no expert, but I have been thrown off by IT also.  It's done when it's tender!  Can it be both tender AND dry?  I'm not sure, but not in my limited experience.

The only time I like brisket is when it is fresh. I trim to a 1/4" fat cap at work and trim most off at home, they are different methods. Usually season the night before then reseason just as it is going on the grate. Now the one and only one I have done in the smoker at home turned out great, but I could not eat it that night due to being too late. I did sneak a piece and it was amazing. I cut it in half to help the cooling process and it just gushed juices. I saved them for the reheat to keep moist. It was ok for the reheat. Not as good as the night before. I was a bit let down. But I do not like well done steaks, so I figured maybe that was it. I few days of pouting later I decided I had better do something with it so I made my brisket chili, it was great. I added the brisket at the end so it stayed diced and did not shread. I had actually forgotten about the little end piece I still had and was reading about burnt ends and what part they came from. I was needing an idea for dinner and came across this small pieces and made the burnt end salad. Again I was surprised at how tender and moist they were. I noticed ther was a lot of marbling in the ends. So I figure the time I ailed the reheat I let it sit out too long and it got cold and dried out.

At work we char the %#ap out of it and finish in the oven covered on a bed of mirepoix , beer, apple cider vinegar and beef stock. We rub it first with a simple mixture of kosher salt, course ground black pepper, granulated onion, granulated garlic, chili powder and a touch of sugar ( not much ). They come out great, but don't have that smoky flavor.

I want to try a hybrid of both. Smoke at a bit higher heat to get the smoke and bark/crust. Then finish with the oven method. Will be less bark, but should be more moisture and less cook time. Easier to push through any stall with the oven and then I can do some birds to have at the same time.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/127357/burnt-ends-salad-w-q-view

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/127110/quick-brisket-chili-w-q-view

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/126546/first-smoked-brisket

I smoke mostly packers. I trim the fat cap down to 1/4" and cut the 2 canoe shaped fat layers between the flat & point out. Coat with mustard and liberally with my favorite rub, smoke @ 250-degrees for 3 hours. Then foil (get the smoke off) and back in until 180-degrees then they come out of the pans and back on the grate. (to create bark, OR leave covered for lighter coloration) Either way, smoke to  200-degrees internal temperature. Remove from heat and allow to rest 30 minutes or so. They are never dry. By the by, no 2 cuts of meat are the same, so it is impossible to correctly time them consistently. Must be cooked by internal temperature and not time. A good thermometer with a good temp probe will improve the outcome of all smokes. 

Of course, this is my humble opinion. For what it's worth.