Can’t get my brisket tender-help?

[OPSteel]

Thanks...will try 275 next time. I’ll also try injecting. Appreciate your time!

 

[fivetricks]

Yes, higher temps ftw. Keep in mind that injecting will increase your cook times a bit.

To answer some of your earlier inquiries....

Do a little google-ing about how collagen converts to gelatin in the 190-195 degree range. This will explain much of your roughness from the brisket being under cooked.

 

[indaswamp]

Good tips so far...
I cook my briskets @ 265*. I don't wrap (while in the smokehouse) or use a water pan. I do wrap and hold above 180* for minimum of 2 hours, or until we are ready to serve. Like mentioned, it takes time above 180* to break down that collagen into ooey, gooey, melt-in-your-mouth gelatin.

And I cook brisket with oak. Usually red or white oak.

 

[fivetricks]

Beef + Oak = yum.

 

[OPSteel]

Thanks. I’ll try straight up oak...never have before

 

[HalfSmoked]

As you are seeing there are a lot of different opinions you will have to try and find what works for you I never wrap anything I do use a water pan as said that's my personal preference not that its right or wrong but it works for me.

Warren

 

[indaswamp]

With regards to a water pan...
If you live in an area that consistently has a low Relative Humidity, you might benefit from using a water pan. I live in the very humid state of Louisiana, plenty enough water already in the air.

 

[HalfSmoked]

Thanks for the like SecondhandSmoker it is greatly appreciated.

Warren

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Thanks for the like SecondhandSmoker it is greatly appreciated.

Warren

You're welcome Warren.
I am in the never wrap camp too.

 

[SmokyMose]

Oops I just noticed in my post I said my smoker runs at 160 to 170! That should be 260 to 270!
I'm sure you all figured that out.....

 

[zwiller]

Beef + Oak = yum.

Anything + Oak = yum

 

[HalfSmoked]

Thanks for the like jcam it is greatly appreciated.

Warren

 

[texomakid]

Also, it will NOT probe like butter but more like jello.

My brisket points have no probe resistance when their done.

 

[SmokinEdge]

With a pellet grill, use the upper shelf to cook brisket and butts. Don’t cook directly on the lower grate. You can start your grill off at around 180 for a couple hours to get more smoke if needed. The cook temp through the majority of the cook should be at least 250 you can run up to 275-280. I found it very difficult to get a decent brisket around 225 on a pellet cooker.
Most of the time now on my Yoder 640, I cook brisket at 250 for about 5 hours, then regardless of stall, I transfer the meat to a foil pan and cover with foil then cook to probe tender that’s about 3-5 hours more for a 15 plus pound packer. The bark is not the best this way, but the meat is mouth watering, moist and tender. The only caution about this method is you can turn the brisket into jello if cooked too long in the pan. Also you can finish the cook in the oven if you have other meat to grill or just want to save on pellets.

 

[Braz]

Try cooking at a higher temperature. I can't get temps below 145 or so in my offset and usually it runs at 160 to 170. I've never figured out where that 225 thing came from....

Do you really mean 145, 160 and 170? Or should that be 245, 260, and 270?

 

[SmokyMose]

Do you really mean 145, 160 and 170? Or should that be 245, 260, and 270?

Yeah that was an "Oops, dammit" . I mentioned that a few posts ago. My offset likes to run "around" 270...
Sorry. Senior typo...

 

[hb99]

I foil beef and pork just under 150F. In my experience, it gets past the stall faster. I pull the meat off at 207F. Then wrap them in several layers of old towels to rest. I've tried 1 hour...no good, then 2 better but no, but 3 hours has always worked so far. That's my standard now.

 

[Crazy88]

Thanks...this is very helpful. I am curious about what you refer to as the STALL (why does it do this?). Mine happened at 165 degrees and I wrapped it at that point. Anyway, the main question I have is if the temp gets to 205 and the probe still has resistance when going in, should I keep it going hoping it will become tender...even if the temp goes higher to maybe 210? All the books and videos say to remove once it hits 200-205, so why would mine need to go higher to get tender (assuming it will as others in this forum suggest)?

I almost go exclusively off of probe tenderness. Temperature is a good "general" guide but by no means can it tell you if your meat is tender or not. I have had a 14lb brisket take 18 hrs when I was smoking it at 225. Sometimes they can be stubborn. I have heard many different theories about what causes the dreaded "stall". The one that made the most sense to me was evaporative cooling. As the meat cooks the juice comes out and evaporates cooling the meat. Once the heat overcomes the evaporative effect, the meat pulls out of the stall . Good luck on your next brisket...

 

[Crazy88]

I almost go exclusively off of probe tenderness. Temperature is a good "general" guide but by no means can it tell you if your meat is tender or not. I have had a 14lb brisket take 18 hrs when I was smoking it at 225. Sometimes they can be stubborn. I have heard many different theories about what causes the dreaded "stall". The one that made the most sense to me was evaporative cooling. As the meat cooks the juice comes out and evaporates cooling the meat. Once the heat overcomes the evaporative effect, the meat pulls out of the stall . Good luck on your next brisket...

I forget to mention that I normally wrap my brisket after I have developed a really nice bark. Once I get it to probe tender, I allow it to rest for at least an hr.

 

[noboundaries]

I just skimmed the thread. Since you are wrapping, there's no need to stick to 225F. Bump the chamber temp to 250-275, or higher. There's nothing magical about 225F.

Go by probe tenderness not IT. IT is a guide, not a destination. The point will give a false probe tender due to all the fat WAAAAY before the flat, so probe the flat.

Your next brisket will be AWESOME!