Friday Brisket

smokinjoe52 · Jun 10, 2013

Agree that foiling allows you to save the Au Jus and add back to the sliced brisket.

I usually smoke to 165 degrees, wrap in foil, then take it to 205. If you think it needed more smoke, next time just turn down the temp a little so it takes a bit longer to get to 165. Then take it to 205 (or do the toothpick test), let it rest for an hour or 2, save the precious juices, de-fat the juice, slice the brisket, and mix the juice and the brisket back together.

After experimenting with several briskets, this has always turned out a tender and moist brisket. I pulled one at 190 once and it was not as tender OR juicy. By quite a wide margin I might add.

Smokinjoe

caleb · Jun 11, 2013

Thanks for the helpin SmokinJoe. All in all I rushed it and that was my main mistake. I know next time to take it SLOW.

qthor242 · Jun 11, 2013

smokinjoe52 said:
Agree that foiling allows you to save the Au Jus and add back to the sliced brisket.

I usually smoke to 165 degrees, wrap in foil, then take it to 205. If you think it needed more smoke, next time just turn down the temp a little so it takes a bit longer to get to 165. Then take it to 205 (or do the toothpick test), let it rest for an hour or 2, save the precious juices, de-fat the juice, slice the brisket, and mix the juice and the brisket back together.

After experimenting with several briskets, this has always turned out a tender and moist brisket. I pulled one at 190 once and it was not as tender OR juicy. By quite a wide margin I might add.

Smokinjoe

smokinjoe52, I couldn't agree more. You hit the nail on the head. I had the same experience and just wasn't as pleased at a 190 temp. I have to say that family and friends that have had my brisket, have become quite spoiled and dislike others. I've gotten requests to do birthday parties and wedding rehearsals. It's a real confidence booster and I have to say that I enjoy the flavor of a nice juicy brisket over a dry cut. Just to add...............left over brisket chopped up and added with eggs, green peppers, onions and cheese for breakfast is UNBELIEVABLE!!! My 3 year old twins tear up my brisket no matter what meal it is. Also, I've chopped it up and mixed in with rice, black beans, cream of mushroom soup and made burritos as well..........SLAMMIN!!!!

sparkypyro · Aug 19, 2013

Leftover, day later, chopped up and mixed with sloppy joe mix is insane.

cityofvoltz · Aug 19, 2013

Hi,

I started off cooking little brisket pieces (from the grocery store) I did not get things really moist untill I bought whole and cut it in half myself- Not sure what some grocery stores do to a brisket but they pretty well murder it sometimes. I never had one of those turn out great. If you have a walmart near by- buy a whole packer, perhaps try cooking the point end of a whole brisket (or as much as will fit on your smoker). I used to buy a whole packer, cut it in thirds and freeze the rest. I would concur with the others who have posted- take your brisket into the upper/mid 190's at a minimum. Crutching with foil can help keep moisture in- it doesn't hurt to experiment;)

in regards to the slightly dry leftovers- even my not so dry leftovers... i make some wicked brisket tacos/fajitas- taco seasoning, onions, peppers, sauteed with the brisket. You can always make ok brisket into amazing tacos;)

gary s · Aug 19, 2013

Do you use a water pan? I cook at 225 I wrap after about 6 hours, I started using butcher paper. Always buy mine with a heavy fat cap than I trim it down, salt and pepper, no injections, comes out moist and tender every time. Cook time varies depending on the brisket size.

john 4 21 ribs · Aug 19, 2013

Can you explain how you use the butcher paper?

Thank you

cityofvoltz · Aug 19, 2013

I have seen butcher paper used to wrap just like one would use foil- works good for low and slow- a hot and fast cook might ignite it;)

gary s · Aug 19, 2013

I do cook low and slow, I first saw Aaron Franklin use butcher paper on his you-tube video on briskets. The difference as I see it is it keeps the brisket from getting too much smoke, holds in moisture, (not as much as foil) and lets the brisket develop a nice bark and smoke ring. I always used foil in the past with good results. The foil kept the bark real soft so with about an hour to go I would take it off the smoker, unwrap and put it back on the smoker for that last hour to get the bark like I wanted. With the paper you don't have to do that. Might not be for everyone, Give it a try see what you think

john 4 21 ribs · Aug 19, 2013

Gary,

Thanks for the reply. Texan's know their briskets so I'll give the paper a try instead of using the foil. I served an 11 lb. brisket yesterday & it was picture & taste perfect but it had a "damp" bark due to the foil.

gary s · Aug 19, 2013

I like to try to make every cook better than the last. I do like the results using paper. It seems to hold just the right amount of moisture for me. Go to You-Tube put in Franklin BBQ brisket and watch the video. He uses only Salt and Pepper for seasoning. This is all I use and have used. I like a coarse or butcher grind pepper. I coat it pretty heavy but that's the way we like it. The water pan definitely helps with moisture. If I am cooking other stuff with the brisket I usually spritz everything using just apple juice or apple juice and apple cider vinegar about 1/2 and 1/2.

fromausti · Aug 19, 2013

Has anyone ever tried finishing off a brisket in a slow cooker until it passes the toothpick test? ie smoke for several hours and then place it in the cooker on low instead of wrapping it in foil ... or is this sacrilege?

gary s · Aug 20, 2013

Sometimes you just have to go with what works. Never tried the slow cooker, but I have pulled the brisket off put it in a roasting pan and finished it up in the oven. Usually I was running behind and trying to get it finished, or the weather turned bad. Barring any of those, I try to do a complete cook in the smoker. A couple of cooks back I started early, everything was going good and we had an East Texas frog strangler for about 30 min. Just killed the temp on my smoker it took about an extra hour and a half longer than I had figured. That probably should have been one of the times I finished it inside. Usually when I cook I go ahead and fill up my smoker. A couple of briskets, ribs, boudin, sausage, chicken or pork shoulder, some of these. Last cook I did a brisket, 4 racks of spares and some boudin.

cindy lolz · Aug 21, 2013

bruno994 said:
I know I am arriving to this game a bit late, but the #1 reason your brisket ended up dry, it did not cook long enough. Pulling it at 183 did not allow the internal connective tissues enough time to break down properly. Properly cooked brisket is not an art, just a test of ones patience. NJfoses was right on with the toothpick test being the best way to tell if one is done, but from personal experience, I have never had a brisket that was cooked right finish less than 200 degrees IT. I take most of mine to 205 +. Brisket should easily be pulled apart with your fingers, you should need no silverware to eat a properly cooked brisket. Iread on here all the time to slice a brisket, you should pul it 185, to pull you should pull it at 205, plain and simple, cook it until you can push a toothpick into the flat section with the tip of your finger, when that happens, it's done. You can slice it or pull it, your choice once it's properly cooked. Jeff

I was just searching through this forum for tips for our first brisket smoke. Thank you so much for posting this!

fromausti · Aug 21, 2013

Thanks Gary for your comments. Likewise, we can have some big temperature/weather swings over a 10 - 16 hr period. I was just thinking that an oven/slow cooker is a more controlled environment if you are now sealing the meat in foil (ie not exposing it to smoke)..... especially if your day has changed from sunshine to rain with a 10 degree drop in temperature?

gary s · Aug 24, 2013

Some really good information coming in. If you are new to BBQing and even if your an old timer like myself a good meat thermometer is a must. I have cooked so many briskets, pork butt, ribs, chicken and so on that I can usually tell the doneness by looks and feel. But sometimes I have to use my thermometer to be sure. I always pull my briskets, place them in a plastic tub or cooler and wrap a couple of towels(I keep just for that) and let them rest for at least an hour if I am in a hurry or two hours if I have plenty of time. I have tried, especially when I was just starting out trying to hurry it along. My youngest son is kind of like that, can't wait. I keep telling him its ready when its ready. I have found over my many years that patients is the key and you will have a much better better piece of meat.

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