injecting

[bngood]

can anyone tell me about how much broth to inject into a brisket i would like to try it that way because mine keep coming out dry .temp is 225 wrap at 170 out at 192 to rest,, maverick 732 is ok, temps in box are ok, they seem over cooked could it be because they are dry. smokin tex 1400. thaks for any info

 

[forluvofsmoke]

can anyone tell me about how much broth to inject into a brisket i would like to try it that way because mine keep coming out dry .temp is 225 wrap at 170 out at 192 to rest,, maverick 732 is ok, temps in box are ok, they seem over cooked could it be because they are dry. smokin tex 1400. thaks for any info

First things first...injecting won't make it moist after it's fully cooked. It may add some flavor, if the injection doesn't all leak out during cooking. I don't inject for two main reasons: 1) negligible difference in finished product; 2) I just turned an intact whole muscle meat into a compromised muscle...why would I want to do that? Now, I have more stringent cooking guidelines to follow (40-140*/4hrs).

Before we go further, are you smoking flats or full packer briskets? If you're buying trimmed flats (center cut), you're wasting your money...very difficult to fully cook to complete tenderness without turning them into dried-out leather. Fat cap on, cross-hatch scored and cap up in the smoker for self basting. The alternative is to smoke lean-trimmed with a dry smoke chamber (no water in pans) and well ventilated to remove natural moisture evaporation from the meat out of the smoke chamber so the meat's surface fibers will tighten-up and seal. This will aid in moisture retention at higher finished temps such as with brisket and pork shoulder cuts. It forms a wicked-good bark, btw.

Not sure about your pellet smoker/grill in regards to how well it vents, but the dry smoke chamber woks well in vertical gas or charcoal smokers. Also, 192* in the flat seems a bit high, unless it's fat-cap on and you want very tender slicing...175-180* is about the norm for sliced, though. Dry and tough go hand-in-hand...it may have been moist and reasonably tender at 15* lower temp, but pushing it to 190+ may have pushed it over the edge and dried it out...once dry, it's tough all over again.

Food for thought...

Eric

 

[bngood]

thanks eric lots of food for thought lol gives me something to think about. nelson

 

[smokinhusker]

Eric nailed it! I've followed his brisket smoking instructions for both the packers I did and they turned out awesome.

I also use Chef Jimmy's Smoked Au Jus: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...l-advice-is-requested-and-welcome#post_768826

I see you're from CS, so keep in mind the altitude when smoking it - could take a bit longer than the 1 1/2 - 2 hrs per pound - so injecting it and getting through the danger zone 40*-140* in 4 hrs could be a challenge.

 

[cabrego]

Have you tried foiling a little sooner?  I am thinking around 160 or so and start giving it the pokes around 180 IT.  One thing I have learned from experience is that I believe 190+ in the flat is going to dry it out (at least in my exp-going low and slow smoke).  My best flat so far has come out around 185 in the flat.  The point need much more time though, it was very chewy, ended up turning the point into some burnt ends.  

I haven't injected enough to know whether it helps with moisture, but I don't think it would hurt- it does give it a beefy flavor.  I think a good started point for beef broth injection is about 1 oz per lb.  I did 2 cups for a 12 lb brisket and the beef flavor was very pronounced, made the brisket seem underseasoned.