First Brisket-Looking for Feedback

[bigdlu75]

So I finally decided to take the plunge after a local grocery store, with typically good meat, had a huge sale on Brisket. I brought it home, trimmed it up, then rubbed it with a mixture of half cup salt, half cup pepper, 1/4 cup onion powder and 1/4 cup garlic powder (didn't use it all but that was the ratio). After that I injected with a mixture of beef broth, apple juice and ACV. In retrospect I wish I would t have done this closer to the cook. Then it sat in the fridge overnight.

The next day I fired up my Kamado grill/smoker, got it dialed in to about 245*, and threw the brisket on.

IMG_2422.PNG

• bigdlu75
• Jun 24, 2017

The smoker didn't want to settle at the 240 I was going for. It cooked closer to 245-250. My first major question is this: when calculating the cook time, do you go with trimmed weight or storebought weight? I was thinking I'd have a 14-16 hour cook based on what I bought, but it got to 198 in 11. Anyways, I had probe in the middle of the meat. After Temp got to 198, I took temp on the front of the flat and the point, and both read around 208-210. I took the meat off, cut off the point to make burnt ends, and rested the flat for 4 hours.

IMG_2421.JPG

• bigdlu75
• Jun 24, 2017

The bark turned out great and I could have eaten that all night. While the the meat definitely passed the pull test for tenderness with ease, the meat still tasted a little dry to me? Is that possible? I also didn't do a good enough job trimming as there was still a thin layer of fat left over. Overall it was a fun experience and I will be looking forward to trying again soon.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Heck looks good to me. To keep the next one more moist, dont trim it. The fat will render down thru the meat making it moist. I take my brisket to an IT of between 200-205 (Point IT)

Good job, looks tasty

 

[kam59]

Your brisket looks great BigD. 

If the brisket was select or choice then yes it is common for the flat to appear dry in your mouth. A prime would give you a wetter sensation.

 

[ab canuck]

Brisket looked good, sounds like it went alright.

 

[SmokinAl]

The brisket sure looks good from here!

Al

 

[hardcookin]

I would say for a first brisket it looks pretty darn good. Thumbs Up

 

[bigdlu75]

Thanks everyone. Am I right to assume that next time I should base estimated cooking time off of the final weight and not off the the in-store purchase weight? I've done enough larger meats that I know the reality is that sometimes they have a mind of their own, and patience is the only real answer, but I've never seen something that went unwrapped get done 3-5 hours before expected.

 

[griz400]

Very nice from my house ..... points to you 

 

[remsr]

Looks good to me, but I never remove any fat. I score it to the meat so that rub and smoke gets to the meat. All that melted fat add lots of flavor and moisture to the brisket.

Randy,

 

[bigdlu75]

Looks good to me, but I never remove any fat. I score it to the meat so that rub and smoke gets to the meat. All that melted fat add lots of flavor and moisture to the brisket.

Randy,

Thanks for the suggestion, Randy. I'm assuming you are then in the fat side up Camp? Without trimming do you end up trimming a ton of fat away after the cook?

 

[remsr]

Not a lot it kind of melts into the meat.

Randy,

 

[remsr]

Yes fat cap up to 160 or 170 IT then I put it in a aluminum disposable pan with some beef stock and rub, prob it and cover it with foil until it hits 195 IT I like those pan juices that I pour over the sliced brisket adding more moisture and more flavor.

Randy,

 

[kam59]

Yes fat cap up to 160 or 170 IT then I put it in a aluminum disposable pan with some beef stock and rub, prob it and cover it with foil until it hits 195 IT I like those pan juices that I pour over the sliced brisket adding more moisture and more flavor.

Randy,

I go cap down but like Randy I love to pan when I can. I check for probe tender at 205°.

 

[remsr]

I have never gone to 205 with my briskets doesn't it fall apart at 205? I want it to hold together and be easy to slice. At 195 they have always been supper tender and juicy and it may be because I wrap them and put them in a cooler packed with towels for several hours that they are so tender and juicy? Like most all of us smokers I am always open to something that might be better even if what I'm doing works. Everything I'm doing now has come from the good people of the forms. I just need reassurance before I go to 205 with my briskets, ai don't want it fall apart tender that to me is over done bordering on dry.

Randy,

 

[bigdlu75]

I have never gone to 205 with my briskets doesn't it fall apart at 205? I want it to hold together and be easy to slice. At 195 they have always been supper tender and juicy and it may be because I wrap them and put them in a cooler packed with towels for several hours that they are so tender and juicy? Like most all of us smokers I am always open to something that might be better even if what I'm doing works. Everything I'm doing now has come from the good people of the forms. I just need reassurance before I go to 205 with my briskets, ai don't want it fall apart tender that to me is over done bordering on dry.

Randy,

When I started the cook 195-200 was my goal. I proved the middle and when that got to 198 I checked temp on the point and front section of the flat. The temps were 208 and 209. I pulled, wrapped and let rest for 4 hours. I didn't have any issues with it falling apart, but as it was my first Brisket I don't have anything to compare to on that front.

 

[kam59]

Bringing to 195 then holding in a cooler wrapped in towels the brisket continues to cook so your finished temps may very well have gone to 205 before it dropped. I rely on finished temps right off the cooker then let them rest down to 160/165 to slice. Both work well but to stay in tune with competitions I cannot rely on the towel method to finish off my brisket.

 

[remsr]

I prob the flat because it gets done first. Even so my brisket is tender and juicy from flat to point at 195 st the flat.

Randy,

 

[sauced]

Yes fat cap up to 160 or 170 IT then I put it in a aluminum disposable pan with some beef stock and rub, prob it and cover it with foil until it hits 195 IT I like those pan juices that I pour over the sliced brisket adding more moisture and more flavor.

Randy,

Same here, but I go fat cap down.