Noob brisket question..

[SmokyMose]

Sorry, I just noticed your last post was 1/2 hour ago. I’m assuming you’ve made some sort of decision already...

 

[bregent]

> should I def wrap it now cause thats the only chance I have of it hitting 200 in time?

I would wrap and bump the heat a bit. Why do you think it needs to get to 200???

 

[GATOR240]

How did you make out?

 

[lemans]

So how did it turn out?

 

[husker3in4]

So I took Smokymose's advice and pulled it off the smoker after 10 hours, wrapped it and put it in the oven at 300. It took about an hour to hit 203. I pulled it off let it rest for about 30 mins, and sliced it at about 150 degrees. While it was hot, it was delicious. Great flavor, nice and tender. The problem is, once the slices cooled down, they were pretty tough.
I just had some brisket last week from a restaurant and it was still tender even when it got to room temp. I am assuming that is from injecting?

The other issue I was having, is once it was cooked and covered in delicous bark, I couldnt tell which way the grain went. I ended up cutting on a couple of different directions. How do you guys figure out the grain when you cant see it under the bark?

Some Q-view:

 

[browneyesvictim]

Husker,

Your flat looks pretty good. But to answer your questions...
After your brisket has finished cooking to your desired temp as you did, there is a great benefit of leaving it wrapped and also wrapped in a towel and resting in a cooler for several hours at least. 30 minutes wasnt long enough. Obviously time was not on your side for this one, but a longer rest period after the cook make a HUGE difference. The difference being is tenderness and juiciness. The muscle fibers tighten up from the cook, and take a while to relax afterward and as they do, they will also draw back more of the juices.

A good way to keep track of the grain of the meat is to cut a corner off or notch it before applying your rub or cooking it.

 

[bregent]

You can easily see the grain in the #1 and #2 image. Looks like you cut at a 45 degree angle. One trick is to cut a small piece off the end against the grain before you cook so you'll have a guide. By the look of the slices, it doesn't appear that it was cooked long enough even though it hit 203. There should be quite a bit of separation when the connective tissue degrades. That's why IMO, trying to hit some "major" temperature is ill advised. It's done when it's probe tender.

 

[SmokyMose]

Looks good to me, Husker!
The restaurant may have had it sitting around, wrapped in a warmer, for hours.
Cutting against the grain can make a difference, too. I make a cut at one corner before cooking so I can find it after cooking. I made the same mistake with my first one.
All in all, you done good and I’ll bet none went to waste ;-)
You’re already thinking about the next one, right?

 

[husker3in4]

Ok, got it. I will try the same way next time (except I will do a whole packer) but the difference is I will cut one end to make sure I can find which way to cut it, and I will REST it for 2 hrs. My question is, am I resting it still wrapped tightly in foil from the smoke, and wrapped up in towels in a cooler, right? So after that 2 hours, do I pull it right out of the towels and fil and slice it right away, or do I need to open the foil and let it come down to a certain temp?

Sorry for the questions, but after putting all that time and effort (and money) into a brisket, I dont want it getting stiff again..

 

[husker3in4]

You can easily see the grain in the #1 and #2 image. Looks like you cut at a 45 degree angle. One trick is to cut a small piece off the end against the grain before you cook so you'll have a guide. By the look of the slices, it doesn't appear that it was cooked long enough even though it hit 203. There should be quite a bit of separation when the connective tissue degrades. That's why IMO, trying to hit some "major" temperature is ill advised. It's done when it's probe tender.

What looks like the grain in those pics is actually the imprint of the grates. I thought the same thing too at first.

I realize there is the probe tender test, but every time I probe it, wont that be poking a hole in the meat that is just brimming with internal juices, and letting it ooze out instead of keeping it in the meat? If I probe once and its good that would be fine, but if Im probing several times before its finally tender, it seems like there would be alot of juice leaking out.

 

[troutman]

Don't want to belabor the issue here, but one final thought. Brisket and other dense meats will oxidize once the meat is exposed to the air. That's why you will never see anything but whole chunks of brisket in a good BBQ restaurant. You slice when you need some slices to serve. I even turn the left over chunk on end to present the next slice from being exposed. Again these are all tricks of the trade, sounds like you are well on your way my friend !

As far as probing, just use a toothpick like someone mentioned. You won't loose enough juice to put in your eye.