Brisket comes out tasting like pot-roast

[schlotz]

So, after having successful brisket smokes, the last one came out tasting like pot roast. ARGH!!! Has anybody experienced this and if so, what did you determine what the cause?

Matt

 

[noboundaries]

Need details.    Any changes or additions from your previous smokes?  Packer or point?  Wrap or no wrap?    

I've noticed when I smoke meat in a pan it can affect the flavor from smoke to smoke.  I often do so to avoid the mess though.  I've had some points taste pot-roasty when smoked in a pan.  I've also noticed wood that is too old can also lose some of its flavor characteristics.  I suspect the same thing can happen to pellets.         

 

[uzikaduzi]

over cooked and/or under smoked brisket tastes like pot roast to me... details of your process would help with suggestions like Noboundries mentioned.

 

[schlotz]

Pellet smoked at approx 240° verified grate temps. Pulled at 200° Stored in cooler for 2 hours. The usual smoke ring was almost missing. Meat was moist but not as tender as usual which makes me think I pulled it too early even though the probe test indicated it was done. 13# packer trimmed to 1/4" fat. Wrapped in butcher paper when IT hit 154° color at the time was a good mohogany.

 

[uzikaduzi]

i have only had brisket on a pellet smoker once so I'm not sure if that has anything at all to do with it, but everything else you mentioned sounds like it was perfectly cooked... just an fyi, smoke ring doesn't mean much.

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/mythbusting_the_smoke_ring.html

i'm at a loss on why it would be pot roast like... each time i've thought that, it's been obviously over cooked or obviously undersmoked and it neither seem possible here

 

[schlotz]

While the probe test was good the tenderness at the end was not where I expected. It's for this reason I'm suspecting it was actually undercooked which suggests my probe test was most likely in error.  Yeah know about the smoke ring but thought it was unusual not to see much of one given that past smokes had always produced one. BTW: same pellets used.  

 

[crankybuzzard]

Not enough smoke...

 

[uzikaduzi]

I just was reading a thread that the higher above 225 you go in a pellet smoker, the less smoke you get... I think it was from JJ.

I have zero experience with them just throwing it out there

 

[ammaturesmoker]

This was probably two things. one is there was not enough smoke staying in the chamber and not kissing the meat and you had just fire going to keep temp. Usually when this happens, you use an unusual amount of pellets. Also the meat might have had a coating on it protecting the meat from the smoke. Or the meat being extra fatty. Either one can cause this and both will let you eat that thing with a spoon.

 

[schlotz]

Since previous smokes yielded non-roast beef flavor that had good smoke flavor I'm not ready to subscribe to the not enough smoke scenario.  BTW I augment the MAK with a AMTS. Interesting comment on the 'extra fatty' possibility. Haven't heard of that, hmm....

 

[redheelerdog]

Heres another thread on the same subject:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/250582/what-makes-a-brisket-taste-pot-roasty

HTH!

 

[ammaturesmoker]

 
Since previous smokes yielded non-roast beef flavor that had good smoke flavor I'm not ready to subscribe to the not enough smoke scenario.  BTW I augment the MAK with a AMTS. Interesting comment on the 'extra fatty' possibility. Haven't heard of that, hmm....

I have seen some briskets and chuck roasts where you'd swear they were bacon. There is just so much fad the roast is a little bit of meat swimming in fat.

 

[uzikaduzi]

i know people generally like to trim down their briskets quite a bit... i love some mostly rendered smoked fat off a brisket. i could eat it on it's own without any meat which is likely why i have high cholesterol.