need some help, not sure what im doing wrong "brisket"

lordl · Mar 2, 2015

i am current having a problem with any brisket i have done. each one ends up dry. the taste is there but they come out dry

i have always rubbed prior, cooked at 225, foiled at 165 til about 195. always rest for 1hr.

i do not inject, but am i missing something? do i brine? marinade?

i know my butcher had always removed the fat cap, should i ask him to leave it intact? would it be the difference?

below is the beast i work on

10171902_10152404200882792_610138709090588623_n.jp

lordl
May 30, 2014

forluvofsmoke · Mar 2, 2015

Now, that's a SMOKER!!! Great concept!!! Hot and cold smokes all in one cooker from a hard-wood fire...I envy you.

If you're brisket is trimmed pretty lean, it can't self-baste during cooking. Injection I stay away from, personally, just due to creating a compromised muscle which should be handled to a more stringent guideline for food safety...(see HERE). Marinates I haven't used much either, and brines really aren't a big thing for beef (more for poultry or pork).

Here's the thing about lean trimmed meat: with the fat-cap removed you have more surface area for smoke and BARK. I started experimenting with lean trimmed meats a few years back, wanting more smoke and bark, while maintaining a naturally moist finished product...and came up with this (long read...get comfy with your favorite beverage nearby):

Wet-to-Dry Smoke Chamber Method

Every kind of meat I've smoked using this method, from pork butt to pork picnic, pork spare and baby-back ribs, and brisket (among others), has yielded very good results. The principles of the method are described in detail, leading to what I've used it with, as well as some Q & A from other members at the bottom of the article.

Hope this gives you some insight on which direction you want to try next.

Give me a shout if you'd like some help figuring out how to implement this in your rig, or to determine if this is the route you should go...it may not be for everyone, but some don't like the taste of brisket fat, I've found...that's just one of many benefits to smoking lean-trimmed meats.

Eric

lordl · Mar 3, 2015

interesting read.

im not partial to leaner meats but does a fat cap add alot to the moisture?

daveomak · Mar 3, 2015

You could always try cooking one at 200 deg. F..... takes about 16 hours but cooking below the boiling point of water has some merits.... that's how I cook butts, briskets etc....

oldschoolbbq · Mar 3, 2015

Yes , IMHO , the fatcap does add to the moisture . I never trim...and the lower you cook the better , as Kevin says. I like 225*F for most all I Smokes .

bigbearsmoke · Mar 4, 2015

I noticed you said you get your brisket from a butcher. I'm assuming that it's not a packer brisket sealed in cryovac? There's something to be said about the wet aging process that takes place in a packer brisket. Also, are you doing full briskets? Point and flat in one piece? If you're only doing the flat, that could be your problem. Too lean and tend to dry out. Lastly, never remove the fat cap. Trim it down if you like but I would never remove it entirely. Good luck!!

kc5tpy · Mar 4, 2015

Hello. That smoker was BUILT! to smoke briskets. GREAT concept! Are you CERTAIN your temps are correct? If so MUST be one of 2 things. REALLY inferior meat or it is too lean. Falling in with the crowd here. I never trim mine before hand. Cook it and trim as you slice to serve. Keep smokin!

Danny

demosthenes9 · Mar 4, 2015

IF I had to hazard a guess, I'd say that you are pulling your briskets too soon and they are dry because they are undercooked and the connective tissues haven't rendered yet. Instead of pulling them when they hit a specific temp, pull them when they pass the poke/probe test. Take a probe and poke the brisket in various spots at the thickest part of the flat. When the probe goes in and out with no resistance, like a knife through room temp butter, the brisket is ready.

aceoky · Mar 4, 2015

Demosthenes9 said:
IF I had to hazard a guess, I'd say that you are pulling your briskets too soon and they are dry because they are undercooked and the connective tissues haven't rendered yet. Instead of pulling them when they hit a specific temp, pull them when they pass the poke/probe test. Take a probe and poke the brisket in various spots at the thickest part of the flat. When the probe goes in and out with no resistance, like a knife through room temp butter, the brisket is ready.

gary s · Mar 4, 2015

I had P-M'ed some info to you hope it was helpful

Gary

bigred77 · Mar 5, 2015

gary s said:
I had P-M'ed some info to you hope it was helpful

Gary

well now I am sad that I dont know what info it is you shared....

mdboatbum · Mar 6, 2015

bigred77 said:
well now I am sad that I dont know what info it is you shared....

Me too.

gary s · Mar 6, 2015

Sorry Guys here is what I sent him

I don't brine, inject or marinade my briskets I keep it simple salt and pepper (heavier on the pepper) Smoke for about 6 hours the wrap in butcher paper for the remainder smoke at 225 º most of the time using pecan here are a few post I did that may help. This just works for me and my families taste

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...r-the-misconception-of-the-1-to-1-5-hour-rule

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...st-on-misconception-of-the-1-to-1-5-hour-rule

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/174019/east-texas-style-brisket-ribs

schlotz · Mar 6, 2015

While I prefer bark that's not so soft, the flavor profile and moisture from following Malcom's method was a hit at home. Wife went back for a third helping that night and that's never happened in 40 years.

lordl · Mar 9, 2015

Gary your info was awesome. Was just curious what others thought.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

gary s · Mar 9, 2015

lordL said:
Gary your info was awesome. Was just curious what others thought.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks, don't know about a lot of others bur there have been quite a few on this forum that I have helped or used my method and had great results. I don't ever say my way is the best way or right way, just works for me;

Gary

lordl · Mar 9, 2015

Yeah I was trying to compare a few methods. With the price of beef it's tough to just "test" out a method. Gotta have a good plan going in.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

gary s · Mar 9, 2015

Main thing get one WITH a fat cap trim it down to about a 1/4 in. And make sure your temp gauge is reading correctly

Gary

bigred77 · Mar 10, 2015

gary s said:
Main thing get one WITH a fat cap trim it down to about a 1/4 in. And make sure your temp gauge is reading correctly

Gary

thats what amazes me about those 'market trimmed' briskets they sell at HEB around here, they have zero fat left on them AND they charge about twice as much per pound.

granted, i get the concept that you arnt paying for the weight of fat your gunna trim off, but I have over trimmed briskets before and cant ever remember the end result being worth a darn with no fat

bruno994 · Mar 10, 2015

Several items that have already been mentioned in this thread about cooking briskets stand out to me...always use the probe test for doneness, not IT. Use IT only for a guideline as to when to start checking for doneness. Once the probe (toothpick, thermometer, etc.) slides in easily with little to no resistance, pull it, rest it, then slice and serve.

Fat cap helping with moisture or self basting...if you are cooking fat cap up, yes, it does self baste, but I really don't buy the fact that keeps a brisket any more moist than fat side down. Some times the way you cook one depends on the smoker you are using, where is the heat source, always place the fat cap between the heat source and the bare meat. The biggest factor in to whether a brisket comes out moist or not is internal marbling or fat within the muscles, not fat cap. This is why the higher the grade of meat, the better the chance of your brisket coming out nice and moist. If you have never cooked a Prime brisket, splurge one day, it'll be hard to go back to grocery store specials afterwards. If you don't believe me, just ask Franklin BBQ customers in Austin, Texas, that's what he cooks everyday. Killing us competition cooks with the amount of briskets he goes through in a week, both in availability and price.

Wet aging was also mentioned...great tool to use as well.

need some help, not sure what im doing wrong "brisket"

Fire Starter

Smoking Guru

Fire Starter

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

Legendary Pitmaster

Newbie

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Smoking Fanatic

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Meat Mopper

Master of the Pit

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Master of the Pit

Fire Starter

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Fire Starter

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Meat Mopper

Master of the Pit

Similar threads

Hot Threads

Featured A couple thick strips please!