Brisket point today...questions

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bgaviator

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
May 9, 2010
418
426
So I did another brisket point today from Trader Joe’s. I used some Oakridge Black Ops rub that I’ve never tried before. Kamado Joe set at 275°. Oak and cherry wood.
1. So first issue was that I had the probes in the top flap of meat, and when they were 175° I decided to take a peek just to see how it was looking. I decided to take my Thermapen and probe some areas and the bottom half of the point was already butter probe tender and reading 205-212! The top section however was still not probe tender and was only in the 170s. I was afraid that the bottom section would get over done, so I asked on the Kamado Joe Facebook page for advice and someone said I should separate the top and bottom section, so that’s what I did. I wrapped the bottom section in two layers of foil and put in my small igloo cooler packed with towels. It took the top section about another 45 minutes to get into the 200s. For the most part it was probe tender but there were a few small areas that were a little more stiff. I decided to pull it though since a majority of the meat was probe tender.
2. I left the Thermoworks DOT probe in the top point section to monitor temps while it’s in the cooler, and it seems like the temps are dropping faster that I had anticipated. Is it normal to see a fairly rapid drop off in temp? Dinner is still an hour away at time if this post and I’m in the mid 160s now.
3. Bark formation. Still disaponted with how bark turns out on brisket on the Joe. It never does get solid. It’s not wet or goopy either....tacky is the best way I can describe it. If I were to do a scratch test there will be tacky sections of rub that will come off. So I’m still concerned I’m not doing something right. Any thoughts about my process?
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I just had to pop the foil wrapped pieces into a 170° oven. Dinner still an hour away and internal temps have already dropped into upper 140s. Why would they be dropping so fast?? Does my small roll top igloo cooler just suck maybe? I had it packed on bottom and top with towels.
 
I was sort of confused when you mentioned top and bottom, but when looking at the photo it almost looks like you have a roast with some point and flat? Points can be very irregular (look at the smaller points on the left), or maybe it's your camera angle.
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I wonder if your internal temps and probing were hitting pockets (or a seam) of fat, which will feel like tender meat, and can cause a false high reading with a thermometer?

If the point was in the 200° range when it went into the hot box, it should have stayed warm for hours.
 
Well I assumed it was all point meat. I’m still new to brisket. I get these from Trader Joe’s and they don’t label them as brisket point on the package. But they clearly sell flat pieces and this was a bulky rounder piece so I assumed all point meat. When I say top and bottom I’m not sure I’m using the right terminology. The meat is connected at the end and folded over. I did some additional trimming before the cook and there was some hard fat in between that I shaved away. I had my probes in the upper portion. The meat that was right at the grate got done way sooner. Overall it turned out pretty good. Pretty moist for the most part although some slices were dry as sawdust. I have no idea what grade of meat this is as the Trader Joe’s packages doesn’t say, but I’m going to guess Choice grade. I was using a small Igloo rolltop cooler. Someone advised me on another forum that the lack of insulation in the top of those rolltop coolers could have been the reason for my rapid heat loss and that it’s probably not the best cooler for holding the meat. I’ll have to find a different option.
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