Emergency Mid-Cook Brisket assitance hah!

[WigglesOhTree]

So I am in the middle of a brisket smoke right now and have some concerns. I started a thread a few weeks ago (linked below) and was advised to use my temp probes in the flat instead of the point of the brisket. I was told that the point will always cook faster than the flat because of the fat content that it has. I am running into the issue now that the flat is way hotter than my point in this cook. Right now the flat is ~20 degrees ahead of the point. Will the point eventually surpass the flat or did I just horribly misplace my probes? Thanks for any help!

Edit: I would just replace my probes to make sure but I am using a Weber 22" with the snake method and I don't want to lose my heat as it takes forever for the grill to come back up to temp.

My first thread requesting advice : https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/looking-for-feedback-on-my-atk-brisket.310090/

 

[WigglesOhTree]

Okay it appears that the point is closing in on the flat. Disregard. I will take this as a lesson not to panic in the future haha

 

[PelletFan]

I don't think it really matters what the temp reads. I have been advised to cook until the flat probes tender- this can occur at a range of internal temperatures. A well-respected member of the Big Green Egg forum says " The cow drives the cook"

 

[WigglesOhTree]

I am doing the snake method so I cannot open the grill frequently to probe because of heatloss.

 

[smokerjim]

Most people will start probing around 203 internal, somethings just can't be rushed

 

[schlotz]

Yup, you don't need to open the weber until very late in the game. Your choice on when to start. It all depends on the meat. I do find prime finishes a tad bit earlier and sometime at a slightly lower IT than choice but that isn't always the case. I start probing just before it hits 200º. If not tender then wait for the IT to increase 3-4º, repeat until tender.

 

[WigglesOhTree]

Yup, you don't need to open the weber until very late in the game. Your choice on when to start. It all depends on the meat. I do find prime finishes a tad bit earlier and sometime at a slightly lower IT than choice but that isn't always the case. I start probing just before it hits 200º. If not tender then wait for the IT to increase 3-4º, repeat until tender.

This is my first prime I have ever done and what you just said is coming true hah. It finished probably an hour earlier than I anticipated. Now I have no idea how to keep this thing warm for 4 hours as a result. I poured boiling water into my cooler to warm it up, dumped it out, and now have it resting in there hoping it makes it 4 hours. Any tips?

 

[millerbuilds]

This is the reason I separate the point from the flat. I typically make burnt ends from the point.

Smoke ON!

- Jason

 

[schlotz]

Keeping it warm is pretty simple. Line the cooler with some bath towels. Place the wrapped brisket in, then place some towels on top and shut the lid. Good idea to keep a reporting therm in the brisket so you can monitor the temp as it rests. Note: if its wrapped in butcher paper I suggest first laying in a over sized piece of aluminum foil on top of the bottom towels, then the brisket and another piece of aluminum foil on top then the top towles. It should easily keep for a number of hours. Another option, wrapped & placed in a pan, into the oven at 170º but after two hours you can cut the power to the oven.

How did it turn out? Any pics?

 

[tallbm]

This is my first prime I have ever done and what you just said is coming true hah. It finished probably an hour earlier than I anticipated. Now I have no idea how to keep this thing warm for 4 hours as a result. I poured boiling water into my cooler to warm it up, dumped it out, and now have it resting in there hoping it makes it 4 hours. Any tips?

I hope it all turned out well lol. I'm a little late to the party on this one.

Finishing 4 hours early is ideal. I just tightly double wrap in foil and then tightly wrap in 3 bath towels and set on the counter. It is steaming hot and ready to slice and serve 4-5 hours later.

As for the probe temps. They can be all over the place for most of the cook but will even out more towards the end and well before time to check. It's crazy to see how may lead changes the probes will make on one another. Hence, tenderness is the key. Only use temp to tell u to check for tenderness :)

 

[WigglesOhTree]

Sorry guys I forgot to take pictures but this brisket turned out significantly moister in the flat than my previous temperatures. I ran the temps off of the flat area as you suggested tallbm and it worked well. This was my first prime brisket so I am not sure how much of that is just the meat. I made a few small errors which can be worked out. Had all new thermometer locations, temps, rest times so there was more variables that changed than I wanted but all in all very happy with the result.

 

[tallbm]

Sorry guys I forgot to take pictures but this brisket turned out significantly moister in the flat than my previous temperatures. I ran the temps off of the flat area as you suggested tallbm and it worked well. This was my first prime brisket so I am not sure how much of that is just the meat. I made a few small errors which can be worked out. Had all new thermometer locations, temps, rest times so there was more variables that changed than I wanted but all in all very happy with the result.

Man I'm glad to hear it all worked out!!

Yeah temping the flat, giving it time to do it's thing, and probing for tenderness are major foundational pieces of nailing a brisket.
I don't often do prime briskets since we get very good Choice and Angus cut on sale here all the time but when I do a prime it is the only time I may check for tenderness starting at 198F in the flat. They have more fat content and can get tender quicker.
All other lower grade briskets I start checking for tenderness at 200F in the Flat.

You seemed to have done enough prep to handle the small errors. Next time you reduce errors and refine things. Soon you will be improving only 1 or 2 things at a time and improving your brisket each go round.

For me the final improvements were to always pick bigger briskets so I could trim the thin flat meat away leaving the rest of the flat and such to be a good uniform thickness.
Smoking unwrapped the entire time in my MES40 with that final trim improvement made my brisket top of the line!!! The only thing to improve it now is to buy Prime and better cuts but I'm not trying to make perfection, I'm trying to eat greatness :D