Brisket - the holy grail of BBQ

[bobsbq]

I am admittedly novice at brisket. I've only cooked 2 and one of those was a flat only. Last night I smoked a 13 lb packer cut at around 250. This thing hit an internal of 145 way faster then it should have. That is when I decided to pull it off and wrap it and finish it in the oven at 225. My thought was lower temp = longer cook. It still cooked faster than should have and hit an internal of 207 just 6 hours from start time. To top it off, it tasted less like BBQ and more like roast. The "burnt" ends portion had some smoke, but nothing close to the 1/4 inch smoke ring I usually like and the flat portion was over and a 1/4 slice broke under its own weight. Where did I mess up or is this what it supposed to be???

 

[noboundaries]

Sounds like it was the just that piece of meat, but man oh man that was one fast cook!  Less than 30 minutes/lb at 250 and 225.  Did it look at all like it had been run through a commercial Jaccard (needle type) meat tenderizer before it was packaged?  With my little Jaccard meat cooks quite a bit faster on the grill but I don't think I've ever used it on meat in the smoker.   Below is a link to a video on the commercial Jaccard.  They use it on brisket in the video. 

 

[bobsbq]

No, the meat looked like it should have. It didn't have a whole lot of marbling but it did have a thick fat cap. I trimmed that down to about 1/4 inch thick. I also trimmed the deckel. All together I think I trimmed maybe a pound of fat. The only thing I did that I always do with beef is I let come up to room temp with the rub on it for 2 hours before smoking.

P.S. Is your avatar naval flight wings?

 

[noboundaries]

Hmmmm, guess it was just that cut.  Could have been injected with phosphates and tenderizer somewhere along the line.  Oh well. 

One point.  Please discard the "bring meat up to room temp before you put it on the smoker" advise.  It is potentially dangerous.  Once you take the meat out of the fridge and let it come up to "room temp," at some unknown time on the counter the meat crossed the 40F mark.  That's the start of the 40-140F four hour danger zone where harmful pathogens multiply rapidly.  Chances are if you check that meat after 2 hours on the counter it might be at 50-55F.  If you had put in on the smoker right out of the fridge at two hours you would probably be in the 120F range.  Don't give the pathogens a 2 hour head start.  Season it, then keep it in the fridge until your smoker is ready then just stick it on the smoker.     

Yep on the wings.  77-87 flew T-28s/T-2Cs/TA-4Js (training command student then flight instructor in T-2Cs), A-7Es (Kitty Hawk and Enterprise), then T-34Bs as a recruiting officer before I resigned.  I was looking at back to back sea tours if I stayed in.  It was career or spending time with my kids.  I chose the kids. 

 

[bobsbq]

I appreciate the advice. I've always let my steaks warm up to ro om before grilling I figured I do the same for the brisket. I would never do it chicken or pork. (I am a fisheries biologist by trade and I've seen the things chicken and pork can do) All in all I liked the cook, just wished it tasted more like BBQ and less like pot roast.

On another note. My middle son is on the Oak Hill out of Norfolk right now. He just got married and has 2 years left on his enlistment.

 

[gary s]

See if some of this info might help

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

Gary

 

[bobsbq]

Thanks for the link Gary. It does make a lot more sense. I guess the hour/pound rule is a resid from the folks that are used to cooking thick, marbled, 16lb+ chunky of cow to help them plan. That may be why I had such a roast flavor. I planned on eating around 5pm so I figured conservatively at 1.5 hours/lb with a1 hour rest. When it got done 8 hours early I had to put it in the oven to reheat.

 

[smokesontuesday]

I appreciate the advice. I've always let my steaks warm up to ro om before grilling I figured I do the same for the brisket. I would never do it chicken or pork. (I am a fisheries biologist by trade and I've seen the things chicken and pork can do) All in all I liked the cook, just wished it tasted more like BBQ and less like pot roast.

On another note. My middle son is on the Oak Hill out of Norfolk right now. He just got married and has 2 years left on his enlistment.

Steaks are fine to do that with because you're searing them over high heat and getting them out of the danger zone very quickly.

 

[wolfswood]

To add to the "bring the meat up to room temp" comment.... it's best to take meat straight from the refrigerator and put it into the cooker. Their theory is that the smoke ring, that pinkish/purple color that forms beneath the surface of the brisket, is formed only while the meat is below 140°F. By starting with a colder piece of meat, it spends more time below 140°F in the cooker, resulting in a stronger smoke ring.
 

 

[hank2000]

Good

Hmmmm, guess it was just that cut.  Could have been injected with phosphates and tenderizer somewhere along the line.  Oh well. 

One point.  Please discard the "bring meat up to room temp before you put it on the smoker" advise.  It is potentially dangerous.  Once you take the meat out of the fridge and let it come up to "room temp," at some unknown time on the counter the meat crossed the 40F mark.  That's the start of the 40-140F four hour danger zone where harmful pathogens multiply rapidly.  Chances are if you check that meat after 2 hours on the counter it might be at 50-55F.  If you had put in on the smoker right out of the fridge at two hours you would probably be in the 120F range.  Don't give the pathogens a 2 hour head start.  Season it, then keep it in the fridge until your smoker is ready then just stick it on the smoker.     

Yep on the wings.  77-87 flew T-28s/T-2Cs/TA-4Js (training command student then flight instructor in T-2Cs), A-7Es (Kitty Hawk and Enterprise), then T-34Bs as a recruiting officer before I resigned.  I was looking at back to back sea tours if I stayed in.  It was career or spending time with my kids.  I chose the kids. 

good advice. And thank for your service a true hero

 

[bdskelly]

Follow Gary S advice and you won't mess up.  

When you say it hit 145 way faster than it should have... How long was it?  You say you're smoking at 225. What thermometer are you using and has it been checked for accuracy? 

Hang in there. I made countless brisket flops before I got it just right. 

GaryS links above give you excellent Texas style brisket basics. 

b

 

[gary s]

 
Follow Gary S advice and you won't mess up.  

When you say it hit 145 way faster than it should have... How long was it?  You say you're smoking at 225. What thermometer are you using and has it been checked for accuracy? 

Hang in there. I made countless brisket flops before I got it just right. 

GaryS links above give you excellent Texas style brisket basics. 

b

Thanks Brian,    I cooked a brisket yesterday and will try to post it today With pics and comments 

Gary