Just cant get brisket right...

[fmradio516]

New to the forum but have been smoking on and off for a couple of years. Most of the stuff I do comes out great, but no matter how much I read or watch on Youtube, I cant get a brisket right.

I normally pull at around 204F but it usually comes out dry. I feel like one of the better briskets, I've done was when I pulled it at 215F. I dont think its my thermometers because one is a nicer Maverick and I use a Thermopop to probe it and their numbers match.

I am using a cheap offset smoker with some modifications (plus a good dual probe).Ive experimented with things like cooking around 225F and cooking as high as 280F.

I have always wrapped the brisket when it hits ~155-160. Used to use foil, now I use butcher paper.

I religiously keep the lid closed and only peak a few times so I can spray it with apple juice

I wrap it in two towels and stick in a 150F oven to rest for 1-2 hours. I slice the flat and point correctly and serve immediately before it dries out even more.

What can I do to fix my spell? At this rate, I will never be confident enough to make a brisket for company.

Side question: Until the other day, my fuel would always be a chimney full of briquettes plus 1 small chunk of hickory which I would put away from the coals so it wouldnt catch fire, just turn black and smoke.. The other day, I tried using only wood to fuel the fire. Which way is right?

Thanks everyone!

 

[73saint]

What kind of brisket do you usually start with? A whole packer?

Another thing, what grade meat is it? I used to buy select at Walmart and no matter what I did my brisket was good only as leftovers in chili. I started cooking with a higher quality of meat and my results improved as well.

Also, temps are important but look, feel, and probe tenderness are more important to me than what a thermo says.

 

[fmradio516]

What kind of brisket do you usually start with? A whole packer?

Another thing, what grade meat is it? I used to buy select at Walmart and no matter what I did my brisket was good only as leftovers in chili. I started cooking with a higher quality of meat and my results improved as well.

Also, temps are important but look, feel, and probe tenderness are more important to me than what a thermo says.

Yup always a whole packer. And I've never gotten select. Usually Choice, but this weekend, I did a "Natural Angus". It was extremely lean so im not doing that again.

Could size have to do anything with it? I usually go for ones that come to a bout 11-13lbs before I trim.

I am thinking I need to just let my next brisket just ride until it hits over 215F. I must not be cooking it enough... or over cooking. Not sure.

Do you use only wood as fuel or do you use coals and a wood chunk smoking on the side?

 

[73saint]

I only burn wood. I usually cook between 250-275 and it takes roughly an hour per lb. I don’t wrap and my finishing temp is always right around 203.

 

[TomKnollRFV]

I suspect the culprit is entirely going by IT. The IT is just an 'alert' as it were for when to probe for tenderness.

 

[mike243]

I wouldn't turn the oven on just wrapped and put into the cooler,no need to try to drive out moisture with more heat imo. my flat seemed a little dry this weekend or it might have needed another 30 min or so,will start probing a little earlier next time ymmv

 

[gmc2003]

I agree with Tom, don't rely solely on IT. When you hit the stall then wrap it. The stall can occur at anytime during the cook(usually in the 150 to 160 range). Once you hit 195* then start probing for tenderness. Some briskets will cook quicker then others. They may be done at 200 or 225+ It's up to the meat to tell you when it's cooked. Also when you finally do determine it's done and want to wrap it to let it rest. Let it cool down to about 170 before wrapping and storage to stop the carryover cooking. Good luck on your next one, and let us know how it turns out.

Chris

 

[SmokinAl]

Brisket is hard to get right, and takes practice. You may want to try injecting the brisket with as much beef broth as it will hold. And I have had them done at 195 & some had to go to 210 until they were tender. I would keep very detailed notes each time you smoke one & when you finally get it right, you will be able to repeat it.
Al

 

[sauced]

I usually inject my briskets and only smoke over wood. Just use some charcoal to get started. When it hits the stall, I put the brisket into a disposable pan, add some beef broth, sliced onion, minced garlic, then cover it and cook till tender. When tender, remove brisket from pan, wrap and hold for about 1 hour. Strain and defat the juices from the pan and use that to spoon over the sliced brisket.

 

[fmradio516]

Thanks guys. I thought with this last brisket I did, I probed it and it felt like hot butter, but it was still dry. Im guessing i over cooked it and it dried out while i rested it.

One other question I had was, if/when you wrap the brisket to get past the stall, is there an acceptable temperature to unwrap it at to let it finish cooking?

Im only asking because two briskets ago, I wrapped it and cooked it slow in the oven and had it wrapped for a good amount of time and there was tons of juices in it when I unwrapped it. That brisket cam out pretty good but it had a texture like corned beef. Not sure how else to explain it.

 

[gmc2003]

I unwrap when I see the temps starting to rise again. Right after the stall.

Chris

 

[banderson7474]

Thanks guys. I thought with this last brisket I did, I probed it and it felt like hot butter, but it was still dry. Im guessing i over cooked it and it dried out while i rested it.

One other question I had was, if/when you wrap the brisket to get past the stall, is there an acceptable temperature to unwrap it at to let it finish cooking?

Im only asking because two briskets ago, I wrapped it and cooked it slow in the oven and had it wrapped for a good amount of time and there was tons of juices in it when I unwrapped it. That brisket cam out pretty good but it had a texture like corned beef. Not sure how else to explain it.

Have you learned about the "thin blue smoke" method yet? I was smoking wrong with my offset for a few years until recently.

 

[fmradio516]

Yes I have. And I have always done what I read when I first started getting into smoking and that was that the firebox should be filled with coals and then a single chunk of wood far from the fire so it smokes but doesnt ignite. I guess I have been doing this right which would explain why my briskets never turn black, but dark red.

 

[HalfSmoked]

I do not wrap anything and have never had a problem with them being dry I have used Walmart brisket with success as well. Experience with your smoker and practice takes time. As Al said take notes each time by the way I also do use a water pan a lot of the guys don't again personal preference as is a lot of things in this game.

Warren

 

[tallbm]

Hi there and welcome!

You are getting some great advice.

I agree that cooking to IT only is likely your problem. Tenderness is the key, though it seems you have done some of that.
Another thing to keep in mind is that getting the probe placed correctly in a brisket is something that is WAY tricky.
I always recommend people try and go for the thickest yet center most portion of the Flat.

I always use 3 meat probes when I do a brisket and it seems that I get 1 of the 3 correct. I know this because by the time I pull the brisket based on tenderness the most accurately placed probe is the lowest one reading around 202-204F the others are read anywhere higher and as high as 212F for me before. I believe this is a MAJOR contributing reason as to why the numbers are all over the place when people report the IT they pull their briskets at.

I've done the same thing with Pork Butts/Shoulders though they are more forgiving so you can just overshoot some without suffering on a pork butt lol.

I hope this info helps.

 

[fmradio516]

Thanks! I have always probed into the flat but it has actually been the center of the whole brisket, not the center of the flat. So the probe would be going into the part of the flat that is closer to the point. Maybe that is my problem!

 

[noboundaries]

IT is merely a guide, not an indicator. Learn to probe, but don't probe the point for doneness, probe the flat. The point will probe "done" way before it is ready due to all the fat. The flat will be a better indicator of doneness.

 

[tallbm]

Thanks! I have always probed into the flat but it has actually been the center of the whole brisket, not the center of the flat. So the probe would be going into the part of the flat that is closer to the point. Maybe that is my problem!

That should hopefully get you better results. One of these days I'll do a 3 probe brisket smoke and I'll post the HeaterMeter graph recording of the entire cook. You will see from that graph how the 3 meat probes go all over the place and how they end up with different temps at the end. It's wild lol.