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The piece of Brisket I cut off from a few smokes ago.

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smokeymoake

smokeymoake

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Oct 21, 2014
174
32
Buffalo, NY
I had trimmed off a hunk of the last brisket I cooked.

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I trimmed it up, rubbed it out and wrapped it for the night.

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A rather chilly Buffalo morning, in the 30's almost filled the basket with Malis Lump, some hickory and lit a chimney.

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Brought it up to 225 and laid it on the grate.

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I'll foil it at 150.

This smoke has taken a little more tinkering. I can usually close the damper all the way and maintain 225. I sealed my firebox seams and it's tight. Being pretty cold outside I've opened the vent a little bit and have been steady here at low 230's

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Been on 2 hours temp coming up nice.

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Finished product will be posted when it's done.

Really looking forward to the US Grand Prix! From Austin Texas! 2:30 my time.
 
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It should be good. Keep the pics coming. Also keep the lid shut or 
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Happy smoken.

David
 
I did. Slid right in. Was real tender, just not as succulent as the first one. Now the first piece was both flat and point, were as this was just the end of the flat. Less marbled.
 
Good job, looks pretty tasty to me

Gary
 
Smokeymoake said:
I did. Slid right in. Was real tender, just not as succulent as the first one. Now the first piece was both flat and point, were as this was just the end of the flat. Less marbled.
Click to expand...
From the looks of the pic, I think it needed to cook a little bit longer as the connective tissues hadn't rendered yet. 
One eyed Jack said:
 
I've had the same thing happen.  This is a slice of flat from a brisket I did a while back.  Probe slid in effortlessly and the bend test looked good to me, flavor was great, but it was a little dry.

DSC02171_zps6da086ba.jpg

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Difference is that your's was overcooked just a bit.   You can see in your pic where the connective tissues had rendered leaving the little gaps between the muscle fibers. 
 
Demosthenes9 said:
 
From the looks of the pic, I think it needed to cook a little bit longer as the connective tissues hadn't rendered yet.

Difference is that your's was overcooked just a bit.   You can see in your pic where the connective tissues had rendered leaving the little gaps between the muscle fibers.
Click to expand...
That could be. So what is one to do? Temp is right. Pokes Good. Sure don't want it overdone. Everybody liked it.Like I said pleanty tender but not as juicy as the piece I did a few weeks ago.
 
Smokeymoake said:
 
That could be. So what is one to do? Temp is right. Pokes Good. Sure don't want it overdone. Everybody liked it.Like I said pleanty tender but not as juicy as the piece I did a few weeks ago.
Click to expand...
Good question, one that I'm afraid I don't have an answer for.   I don't go by temp as one brisket can be ready at 190 whereas another won't be ready til it's 210.   I poke mine in several places when doing the poke test to try and make sure that it's done everywhere.    Most if the time they come out pretty good, though now and then I miss the mark.

If pressed, I'd hazard a guess that it comes down to "calibration" or "interpretation" of the poke test.   People have different ways of saying it, "a knife through warm butter", a "knife through room temp butter", a "knife through butter", "with no resistance", "with little to no resistance", yada, yada, yada.    One you nail a brisket dead on, you'll know exactly the "feel" to look for. 
 
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Demosthenes9 said:
 
From the looks of the pic, I think it needed to cook a little bit longer as the connective tissues hadn't rendered yet. 

Difference is that your's was overcooked just a bit.   You can see in your pic where the connective tissues had rendered leaving the little gaps between the muscle fibers. 
Click to expand...
Could well be.  Guess I'll have to try again.
 
As far as being dry, there are several factors that contribute to that.  First of all, you were cooking the just the flat section as others have mentioned, this area will typically be more dry due to less internal fat marbling.  The flat is a lean cut even with a choice or prime grade piece of beef.  Most of us cooking competition will always take our turn in slices from high off the flat section, as close as we can get to the point as possible, due to the higher amount of fat content.  The second major factor to a dry flat section is as I mentioned above, the grade of beef that you bought.  The higher the grade, the better the chance of a moist flat section due to (once again), internal marbling and fat content.  I cook quite a few briskets during the year and have cooked every grade from selects all the way up to CAB Prime, if the brisket does not have the internal fat, it doesn't matter what you do, it's going to be dry.  I cook briskets to toothpick tender every time, no probes, no worrying about IT's, just 4 hours smoke, wrap them up in a pan with some beef broth or reserve au jus from a previous cook, then start checking them with toothpicks around the 3 1/2 hour mark after being wrapped.  My toothpick test, is with little to no resistance...slides in easily.
 
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Thanks Bruno, kind of what I thought. In an earlier post I cooked the other two thrids. Flat with the point and it was superior. It was choice angus. Very juicy and don't get me wrong, it's all gone. Was tender and flavorful. I was the only one second guessing it.
 
Yep, we are always going to be our biggest critic...I always tell the family when I'm changing up my recipes, please be honest and give me your opinion.
 
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