I smoked my first brisket yesterday. I followed a recipe that seemed to get a lot of likes. I modified it slightly based on other searches, oooops!
I smoked at 180 for 5 hours with super smoke mode turned on (Traeger). I then smoked at 225 for an additional 5 hours. Then, I pulled off and wrapped in 2 sheets of butcher paper, and put back on the smoker at 225. I smoked for an additional 5 hours, and never got to 203F. When I pulled it off, it was about 195F. I wrapped in a towel and left in a cooler for about 4 hours. When I pulled it out, the cooler was all steamy inside. The bark and smoke ring looked ok (I think), see pics. However, the meat is a little saltier then I would like and a little drier than I would have liked. Its not bad, I just think I messed some things up. Honestly, it kind of has a corned beef flavor, which I don't want. Maybe this is from the beef broth injection or too much salt rubbed in.
What I did different was.
After trimming the fat, I separated the flat from the point as I read from some articles that this was a good idea. In the end, both cooked the same time and never got about 200F.
I injected it with a mix of traegar coffee rub, kosher salt, and beef broth. This followed the recipe. however, it seemed to squirt everywhere and I don't think much got injected into the meat in the end (maybe because I separated the brisket).
Instead of cooking at 225 until it hit 160 and then wrapping (recipe said about 5 hours), i cooked 180 for 5 hours and 225 for 5 hours. At this point, it was at 175 when I wrapped it. Maybe I dried it out by cooking it to 175? However, some recipes state it is fine to leave on the grates and not wrap at all.
I'm going to try again and follow the recipe to a tee next time!
Thanks if anyone has any ideas on what I may have messed up!
I smoked at 180 for 5 hours with super smoke mode turned on (Traeger). I then smoked at 225 for an additional 5 hours. Then, I pulled off and wrapped in 2 sheets of butcher paper, and put back on the smoker at 225. I smoked for an additional 5 hours, and never got to 203F. When I pulled it off, it was about 195F. I wrapped in a towel and left in a cooler for about 4 hours. When I pulled it out, the cooler was all steamy inside. The bark and smoke ring looked ok (I think), see pics. However, the meat is a little saltier then I would like and a little drier than I would have liked. Its not bad, I just think I messed some things up. Honestly, it kind of has a corned beef flavor, which I don't want. Maybe this is from the beef broth injection or too much salt rubbed in.
What I did different was.
After trimming the fat, I separated the flat from the point as I read from some articles that this was a good idea. In the end, both cooked the same time and never got about 200F.
I injected it with a mix of traegar coffee rub, kosher salt, and beef broth. This followed the recipe. however, it seemed to squirt everywhere and I don't think much got injected into the meat in the end (maybe because I separated the brisket).
Instead of cooking at 225 until it hit 160 and then wrapping (recipe said about 5 hours), i cooked 180 for 5 hours and 225 for 5 hours. At this point, it was at 175 when I wrapped it. Maybe I dried it out by cooking it to 175? However, some recipes state it is fine to leave on the grates and not wrap at all.
I'm going to try again and follow the recipe to a tee next time!
Thanks if anyone has any ideas on what I may have messed up!