First Brisket not so good.

[cooter79]

I started with a 15lb full packer from Costco. I trimmed the hard fat and thinned up the cap to about 1/4" all the way around. I seasoned with Killer Hogs BBQ rub and placed on the GMC DB at 195 and smoked till 165. I then wrapped in butcher paper and let it ride out. It seemed to stall out about 185-190 and didn't want to budge from there. I did check it several times with my themapen. The meat probed like softened butter but since I hadn't even hit 195-200 I thought I should keep going. I left it on for about another 45-60 min and it finally creeped up to 195. I decide to pull it finally and put in a cooler to rest. When I sliced it about 3 hours later there was a decent amount of juice in it but it was very dry when consuming. I am not sure if I cooked it too long or what else may have happened. It was on the smoker for 16 hours.
Side note: when I pulled it to place in cooler I lost 1-2 cups of liquid from the wrapped brisket.

 

[Johnny Ray]

When you pulled it from the cooker at 195* internal did it still probe like softened butter or did it tighten back up a bit?
When a brisket probes as you described it’s ready regardless of the internal temperature. Loosing the liquid from the wrap shouldn’t have a huge affect on it in my opinion.
When a brisket is smoked at a low temperature the entire cook it will probe tender at a lower internal temp versus one cooked at a higher temperature.
A brisket cooked at 195* the entire time may be done as early as 190 to 195* IT. A brisket cooked at a higher temp say 300* may require an IT of 210 to 215* IT to probe tender.

I find an instant read thermometer invaluable when cooking steaks, chicken, chops, etc. but when it comes to Butts and Briskets I use mine as a probe to see it the meat feels like softened butter regardless of what the internal temp is.

Just my thoughts,
Johnny

 

[cooter79]

When you pulled it from the cooker at 195* internal did it still probe like softened butter or did it tighten back up a bit?
When a brisket probes as you described it’s ready regardless of the internal temperature. Loosing the liquid from the wrap shouldn’t have a huge affect on it in my opinion.
When a brisket is smoked at a low temperature the entire cook it will probe tender at a lower internal temp versus one cooked at a higher temperature.
A brisket cooked at 195* the entire time may be done as early as 190 to 195* IT. A brisket cooked at a higher temp say 300* may require an IT of 210 to 215* IT to probe tender.

I find an instant read thermometer invaluable when cooking steaks, chicken, chops, etc. but when it comes to Butts and Briskets I use mine as a probe to see it the meat feels like softened butter regardless of what the internal temp is.

Just my thoughts,
Johnny

it did probe with more resistance at 195 then when I probed at the 180-185 range.

 

[Chasdev]

Probing is good but I find that if the brisket jiggles like a bowl of jello when lifted and shaken, it's done.
I've seen videos of pittmasters using the "shake" only when deciding to pull or not to pull.
In addition, placing a fully cooked brisket in a cooler will cause "carry over" cooking which will dry it out.
If it's fully cooked when you pull it, it should be rested uncovered on the counter to cool down as fast as possible.
I've only ruined a dozen or so briskets out of 100 (give or take), I expect by the time I've messed up a few dozen more, I'll get the hang of it.

 

[TuckersBarbeque]

Agree with everyone here. Sometimes they are done earlier, and it needs to be by feel.
I use a thermometer to tell me when I should start probing, and that's at 185. Every 20 minutes there after I go in and probe again. If it's not ready by the time I hit 200, I take it off, wrap in towels, and place in a cooler. I then check every 30ish minutes.
I've had some ready to pull at 190, and I've had some get to 200 and not be ready and then cook for another 2 hours in the cooler before it's ready. Some cows are tougher than others...

 

[cooter79]

I appreciate everyone's input. Sounds like I should have trusted my feel vs my eyes on this like I have with my Chuckie's which have all turned out wonderfully.

 

[bregent]

When a brisket is smoked at a low temperature the entire cook it will probe tender at a lower internal temp versus one cooked at a higher temperature.

Yup. I've cooked them at 180 for the first 6 hours and then bumped to 225 for the remainder and they finished at 190 or below. If I had left it at 180 it would have finished at less than 180. Hot and fast have always finished much higher - 205 or more. This is enough evidence that IT does not determine when it is done.

 

[SmokyMose]

Just curious here. Did I read right and your smoker temp was 195? If so, why so low?
It may have dried out from cooking too long....

 

[BB-que]

As others have said - likely overcooked due to carryover. Was a consistent mistake my first briskets. Let rest on counter for 20 minutes before cooler