I have a pain, and it’s name is “brisket”

[myownidaho]

I mean seriously, I’ve done some serious cooking in the last forty-five year’s or so and damned if I can nail smoked brisket. I either dry them out or undercook them and they’re tough.

Take today for example. A nice six pound point, rubbed and put on the smoker this morning. I wrapped it when it stalled at 162 and it hit 202 right about when I thought it would. It seemed to probe tender, so wrapped in towels for a 90 minute rest.

Yep. Still chewy. It needed another 3-4 degrees. Grrr...

Okay. Rant off. The seasoning and smoke level were just right. Spot on flavor. Thinly sliced, it will make good sammich’s. That last checkbox just still eludes me.

 

[bdskelly]

I have to tell ya... IMHO brisket is the most difficult meat to beat into submission. Living in Texas it’s the meat I learned on. Pork ribs.... And brisket.
Looking at your post that beef looks awesome. All brisket are different but typically I take them to I T 203. Never wrap them with aluminum foil, butcher paper or whatever. I then put em on a cookie sheet with foil on top. It sits on the counter for an hour before slicing.
I don’t wrap with a towel and put it in a cooler because it would warm my beer.
In all honesty that slice you have looks excellent. Going to give you a like for it.
Briskets will always have a difference in texture than your other meats. What I see here is a successful brisket.

 

[myownidaho]

Thanks, bd. The NEXT one will be perfect. Lol!

I’m going to console myself by turning the flat into corned beef and pastrami.

 

[Traeger.Rage.BBQ]

I have to agree with B. I don’t see anything inherently wrong there.

For myself, what I have found to be true is the better quality meat can most often have more impact on the outcome of the chewiness than anything done in the cooking process. I don’t take my brisket that high in temp but I also use a lower temp for a longer period of time than most too. I try, but not always successfully, to only smoke Prime briskets I get from Costco. Once I finally smoked that Prime cut I complained about the chewy every single time I have smoked a Kroger’s Excel Choice or heaven forbid Select.

For what it’s worth, born and raised in Texas and brisket is all I have ever done until about a year ago I smoked my first pork butt, your cook looks great to me Brother! A Like here too!

Pat

EDIT: Honestly, I think you’re being too hard on yourself.

 

[hillbillyrkstr]

I agree with most of what’s been said in the reply’s. Brisket is the hardest meat to perfect. My best ones have been primes so I have no doubt the cut has a ton to do with it.

And I have no doubt im to hard on myself as far as what’s acceptable and/or good so I’ll assume most people are.

Your pics look good! I’d eat that for sure! Enjoy your Q and be ready for your next battle with brisket!


Scott

 

[myownidaho]

Thanks, Pat, hillbilly! I appreciate the comments. When I said 3-4 degrees, I really meant it. I was on the cusp of chewy versus pulls apart with a little resistance. I tend to be a perfectionist but there is also a bit of tongue in cheek here. I was SO close!!! Lol! :)

 

[73saint]

I agree your brisket looks fine, but I also can relate. I always sought brisket “perfection”. As already mentioned, quality of meat makes all the difference. Once I started smoking Primes from Costco, that was it. That extra marbling really helps with tenderness and moisture.

 

[fullsmoke]

Looks good ! Everyone is different some like 195 some like 205 sometimes you will pull out your hair lol

 

[Traeger.Rage.BBQ]

Looks good ! Everyone is different some like 195 some like 205 sometimes you will pull out your hair lol

I’m the low temp both ways which results in a much longer cook. But that’s what I enjoy most. I have smoked at 180 and a ramp to 200. I have hit all things in between so my cooks are much much longer and I never have wrapped. Though I have peach paper on its way as I may be forced to experiment. The allowable time I have on my next smoke is compressed. And I aim for an IT of 192-195. Depending on the behavior of the meat when I lift it determines if I pull it and start the rest.

Also my family likes a very strong smoke flavor. Don’t know if that’s conditioned or an actual preference. HAHAHA... So the longer naked smoke brings us to the place of happiness around our smoker!

It’s all preference. So experiments abound on my next smoke. 200 degrees starting, possibly a wrap and my Pecan is being sidelined for Hickory.

That’s why I love this and all you fellas getting in and getting yourselves dirty and sharing your hits and your misses. But let’s be clear, this particular thread and cook isn’t a miss, it just didn’t hit YOUR BULLSEYE! Which I admire. With the amount of years you say you’ve been taming this beast you still want it better! KUDOS!

I will add, the smaller the brisket, the less forgiving the outcome. I recognize there are a sundry of reasons for the size choice, the level of trim, & fat cap up or down. Lots of ways to slice it, going at it. Truthfully, the smaller the brisket the less forgiving the variances become. Tack on the quality of meat and your bullseye becomes exponentially harder to hit.

Pat

EDIT: It’s worth adding that we freeze pack a lot of the brisket we smoke and the Bride uses a sous vide to bring it back to temp. So the majority of the brisket gets a second heating so keeping my ITs on the lower side have this in mind. But the brisket is still usually so loose I am unable to pick it up by hand or it will rip in half, it’s happened more than I care to admit in my haste. I sharpen my knife before every cut and the blade still crumbles the meat.

 

[mike5051]

I feel your pain! Brisket is my nemisis also! I smoked an 8 lb choice yesterday. I smoked it between 250 and 275 and wrapped in pink butcher paper at 170. Took it to 203 and rested wrapped in towels and rested for 90 minutes. The taste was great, but appearance was terrible. No smoke ring and soggy bark. I was too ashamed to take any pics. My first brisket was my best and I have been chasing those results for quite a few years now.

Mike

 

[gmc2003]

Coming to you from the BBQ capital of the world Georgia, VT.(said - tongue in cheek), That sir looks like one mighty fine brisket, and I'd be proud to serve it. I've smoked some that turn out crumbly, some tough, and some to perfection. All done basically the same way. One thing I have learned is to use the probe test. It's the method that get me closest to were I want to be. When I foil to rest I will let the brisket cool down to about 170 to 180* before wrapping and plopping it into a cooler. It helps to stop the cooking process.

Point for sure.

Chris.

 

[SmokinAl]

I think your brisket looks fantastic!
I do mine at 270-280 & no wrap. Most of the time they are probe tender between 200-205.
A 1/2 hour rest on the counter & then slice & eat!
Al

 

[schlotz]

Al, with those temps do you still experience a stall (albeit small) of some kind or does it power through? Using your hot & fast approach, roughly when do most of them reach the 200º mark? (Assuming a full packer ~ 13-15lbs)

 

[SmokinAl]

Al, with those temps do you still experience a stall (albeit small) of some kind or does it power through? Using your hot & fast approach, roughly when do most of them reach the 200º mark? (Assuming a full packer ~ 13-15lbs)

No you rarely get a stall, and you can figure about 10 hours cook time. I usually figure about 1 hour per pound, but they seem to get done quicker than that, sometimes as fast as 45 minutes per pound. And still just as juicy & tender as low & slow. Here is an example: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/hot-fast-no-wrap-brisket-on-the-lang.252808/
Al

 

[BKING!]

Your brisket looks good!

 

[noboundaries]

My only suggestion would be to probe the flat, not the point. The point is VERY forgiving. Not so the flat.

A point can probe tender at 180-185F IT due to all the fat.

 

[gary s]

Oh come on guys, I cut my teeth learning to smoke on Brisket.
The main problem is in your head, My BIL in the same way. He gets to thinking about it to much
and worries his self sick.
Go take a look at the several articles I did on Brisket, It should help. http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/184531/garys-smokes-and-information-all-in-one-place

Sometimes you just get a not so good brisket it happens

Gary

 

[myownidaho]

Lol! Thanks for all the input, guys. Cooking is a passion and that means at times we’re going to be disappointed. Which means another brisket on the smoker!

 

[noboundaries]

Shhhh, don't tell anyone, but take tri tip to 190F and tell folks it is a mini brisket. And if anyone asks, it was Mattyt7's idea (and a good one). Shhhh........:)

 

[Traeger.Rage.BBQ]

Shhhh, don't tell anyone, but take tri tip to 190F and tell folks it is a mini brisket. And if anyone asks, it was Mattyt7's idea (and a good one). Shhhh........:)

I like the way you think!

I am dying to run this technique for myself. Just haven’t been able to locate tri tip in North Texas this far.

Pat