Brisket Issues

[MileHighSmokerGirl]

I was talking with a friend of mine tonight about my brisket issues and it dawned on me that all of my brisket issues started when I began buying full size packer briskets from Costco. They've all been USDA Choice briskets.

My first brisket was a 6.5 lb flat from King Soopers and it was amazing. No brisket I have smoked since has ever come close to the bark, darkness of the bark, texture, flavor, color, smoke ring, juiciness or tenderness as this one.

Since then I've had nothing but issues with brisket. A few partial successes but I've never had an entire packer come out right. Always dry or dry and tough.

So this weekend I'm going to grab a flat from King Soopers and give it a whirl on Saturday evening and test my theory.

Sunday I'll be smoking ribs and jalapeño cheddar brats as I'm having some friends over for a Labor Day weekend bbq.

Have any of you ever had any issues with Costco briskets?

And where else should I pickup brisket from?

I love brisket but I'm about at the end of my rope with continual brisket failures.

With two really good bbq joints nearby it's almost better to just go get it from there and enjoy it when I can.

 

[Compulsive Smoker]

I don’t have a Costco near enough to me to shop there, but I do know that brisket quality can vary from place to place!
Have you tried varying your method at all, to see if you can get different results?

 

[MileHighSmokerGirl]

I don’t have a Costco near enough to me to shop there, but I do know that brisket quality can vary from place to place!
Have you tried varying your method at all, to see if you can get different results?

I have. I injected, didnt inject. Changed from beef broth to tallow and still got the same results.

 

[Compulsive Smoker]

Have you ever tried only going part way on the smoker and then panning and finishing in the oven?
I always do a 4 hour smoke at around 200*, then pan it with about a 1/4 inch of apple juice cover with foil and finish it in the oven at 325*. Then I wrap the whole pan in a towel and stick it in an ice chest to rest for an hour or so…

 

[MileHighSmokerGirl]

Have you ever tried only going part way on the smoker and then panning and finishing in the oven?
I always do a 4 hour smoke at around 200*, then pan it with about a 1/4 inch of apple juice cover with foil and finish it in the oven at 325*. Then I wrap the whole pan in a towel and stick it in an ice chest to rest for an hour or so…

Yep. Done that numerous times. The first flat was done that way.

 

[Compulsive Smoker]

Yep. Done that numerous times. The first flat was done that way.

Oddly enough, I’ve picked up a few briskets at Walmart that turned out very well, you could try that…

 

[Chasdev]

I used to have the same problem but I did two things that finally solved all my issues.
First, I raised the meat higher in the cook chamber by placing the meat on a cooling rack with legs extended which took care of the radiant heat that was overcooking the underside.
Next I bought a Vevor holding "oven" and started pulling the briskets at 180 wrapping, panning and holding for 24 hours at 150.
No matter how you cook them or where you buy them or what grade you buy, pulling early and holding for at least 12 hours at lowest food save temps will change your bbq life.

 

[indaswamp]

Hey MHSG, how long did you rest the full packer wrapped or in the oven on warm? Time held when internal temp is above 180*F determines tenderness in a brisket. Allows all that collegen to breakdown and get ooey gooey.

 

[indaswamp]

Chasdev beat me to it...

 

[sandyut]

I have bought all my briskets at Costco, both prime and choice. Never really had an issue. I cook them all at 275 start to finish on a Rec Teq.

 

[MileHighSmokerGirl]

Hey MHSG, how long did you rest the full packer wrapped or in the oven on warm? Time held when internal temp is above 180*F determines tenderness in a brisket. Allows all that collegen to breakdown and get ooey gooey.

About 4 hours on the last packer. The point was excellent. The damn flat was dry and got chopped up for sandwiches.

 

[Danblacksher]

Not a fan of Cosco's choice brisket. They seem more like a select brisket than choice. I have always had good sucess with Sam's prime briskets and usually only use those.

 

[ReelFaster]

Others have beat me to it but the warmer is a game changer. For darker bark nice and smoky the first hour or so, run it up to 185-190 to maximize your bark and then pull, rest, and into the warmer. I just did one this way and turned out pretty awesome. IMO I think a smaller flat might get a bit more color being it's a smaller piece of meat. Trim is also key.....

 

[MileHighSmokerGirl]

I'm going back to my roots and documenting this one with a smoke log.

No trim.
Inject with beef broth.
Salt and black pepper rub (no kosher salt this time).
Prep tomorrow at 10:00 am
Let it brine for 24 hours in the fridge covered.
On the smoker at 11:00 am Saturday.
Fat cap down.

Adding two aluminum bread trays of water to the second rack directly under the flat for moisture.

I'm going to let it ride till the bark is firm then I'll wrap in foil and put it back on the smoker.

It's 6.2 lbs. So I'll plan on 9 hrs minimum. Then rest it...but for how long?

King Soopers USDA Choice

 

[Compulsive Smoker]

I usually let mine rest at least an hour once it hits 200*.

I really hope this one turns out for you! Looking forward to the finish!

 

[912smoker]

The longer the rest the better.
I usually inject with Kosmos Q or Blues Hog beef injection. And you can mix with beef broth.

Keith

 

[Danblacksher]

usually pull mine at 190 and rest for 8-12 hours at 150 degrees.

 

[ifitsdeadsmokeit]

I have never had an issue with Costco briskets. I usually buy the prime because the choice typically dont have much marbling on them. For me, it makes a big difference in brisket cooking along with a good amount of rest time. I have also started partially separating the point from the flat. It allows the pieces to cook closer to the same amount of time and can easily take off the point for burnt ends with a quick slice of the knife. I also cook fat side down to protect the meat, just my preference though. Also, you dont mention it, but do you cook to temp or tenderness. I used to cook to temp and would sometimes dry them out but since started checking tenderness around 190 havent had an issue. One was so bad and dry I threw it out and it never even made it to 202. Many are done in a big temperature range and none have been the same.

 

[zwiller]

Here's my take on brisket. The issue is simply the large mass of the thing and most people do not cook it long enough to completely break down ALL of the collagen. Yes, cooler/warming oven/long hold is a great hack. However, a unique method I think is pure genius on SO many levels I learned from @chopsaw. Cut packer into 4 parts. Make corned beef from flat, pastrami from point, and smoke the center 2. Each cut is perfect for what it needs to be. The smoked parts are easily done under 8 hrs. In addition, full breakdown of the collagen is easy to achieve fast, no long hold needed. No flat trim either.

Eventually I think people will get sick of seeing it LOL but this is FIRST TIME I tried Rich's method. Easily the best I ever made OR had. Yes it tasted every bit as good as it looked and then some. Collagen oozing out as I cut etc.

 

[Quiganomics]

I've found that most brisket issues come from technique and nothing more. I've done plenty of Costco Choice grades, Costco Primes, and even a few Waygus from Wild Fork. All had similar enough results for me to decide it's not worth the extra money for the Prime are even Waygu, Choice is fine...and bbq is intended to be cheap, not gucci.

The method I've been using with great results:

I spray the brisket down with beef stock as a binder, then apply a very light dusting of Adolf's meat tenderizer (not for tenderizing, it really adds to the overall saltiness in the end), then a thick coating of my brisket rub. Into my pit at 275-285°. When bark is set, I wrap in butcher paper. Before wrapping I wet the paper by spraying more beef stock on it, then a little beef tallow, and wrap. It then goes back on until 190°, then off and into a long hold at 175° for 5 hours. Pull it from the hold, rest 30 mims, and slice.

This method gives a great result every time, it's the little details in technique moreso that grade that make a world of difference. In fact, I have a Select grade going on the smoker Sunday...local grocery store has them on sale for $2.79/lb. Did one a few weeks ago without realizing it was Select (never seen select grade at the store before) and it turned out just like any other brisket.