Question For Brisket Temp Probers

[Displaced Texan]

That looks fantastic!
Yeah as long as it is tender that is what matters. Always the tenderness!
I run all my naked and I don't like doing smaller than 15 pounders before trim.
So for me I crank up to 275F and do those suckers overnight in my sleep. So if I tell people "I can smoke a brisket in my sleep" it's because I am literally smoking brisket while I sleep hahahaha.

You are going to enjoy that sucker tomorrow for sure! Great work! :D

Thank you and thanks for all the tips. Been doing this stuff a while, about 15 years, on an old Char Broil. I just need to go back to the art of knowing when it is done. That has always served me well.

I prefer larger briskets as well. This one was purchased from Wild Fork Foods. I usually get them at Costco, but they only had flats. I need to call Wild Fork and see if I can specify a weight range to get bigger briskets from them.

Ribs and brisket?? I wouldn't know where to start, they both look great. Very nice...

Anytime I go to a barbecue restaurant, it is brisket and ribs for me. Thanks!

 

[noboundaries]

Been doing this stuff a while, about 15 years, on an old Char Broil. I just need to go back to the art of knowing when it is done.

And THAT'S the true art of the pitmaster. There's nothing wrong with technology, but it is a tool, not the answer to smoking meat to perfection.

Well done!

 

[Displaced Texan]

Well, I guess my art is not up to par theses days. Not sure what happened, but it's dried out for the most part and the bottom is crispy. Oh well. That's what I get for talking loud about making good barbecue lol.

What a freaking waste.

 

[Fueling Around]

It happens to all of us. I have done it so many times wife is not big a smoke fan.

I gave away my cheap offset after getting a (again) cheap pellet pooper. Still need to rotate and flip before foil panning to finish it off to tender. Hmm wife will eat foil finished

 

[Displaced Texan]

It happens to all of us. I have done it so many times wife is not big a smoke fan.

I gave away my cheap offset after getting a (again) cheap pellet pooper. Still need to rotate and flip before foil panning to finish it off to tender. Hmm wife will eat foil finished

Thanks. I'm sure when I get past the shock of this, I'll think about what may have gone wrong and try again.

 

[MJB05615]

This is an invaluable learning experience. We all have them. Years ago I thought I should cook a Brisket to 140 IT since it was beef like a Steak, LOL. After that I did a lot of research before trying again.

 

[Fueling Around]

This is an invaluable learning experience. We all have them. Years ago I thought I should cook a Brisket to 140 IT since it was beef like a Steak, LOL. After that I did a lot of research before trying again.

I always cook my brisket (or pork shoulder) into the 200's as finishing in a foil pan after the 160° stall means lots of released hard fats and collagen into the pan.

I've been smoking for years and after joining this form it took a couple years before I fessed up to finishing meat in a wrapped foil pan that usually went in the kitchen oven.

 

[MJB05615]

I always cook my brisket (or pork shoulder) into the 200's as finishing in a foil pan after the 160° stall means lots of released hard fats and collagen into the pan.

I've been smoking for years and after joining this form it took a couple years before I fessed up to finishing meat in a wrapped foil pan that usually went in the kitchen oven.

Fully agree. The thing I mentioned was my first Brisket maybe 17 years ago. I learned to cook to 200 + and probe tender, etc. Why is it a bad thing to finish in a foil pan in the oven? I've done similar things over the many Briskets done.

 

[tallbm]

Well, I guess my art is not up to par theses days. Not sure what happened, but it's dried out for the most part and the bottom is crispy. Oh well. That's what I get for talking loud about making good barbecue lol.

What a freaking waste.

View attachment 507564

View attachment 507565

I would imagine if you wanted to shred it and mix with BBQ sauce it would still be quite good to go. My favorite way to eat brisket is to chop it up and mix in some BBQ sauce and make sandwiches anyhow :)

 

[Displaced Texan]

I would imagine if you wanted to shred it and mix with BBQ sauce it would still be quite good to go. My favorite way to eat brisket is to chop it up and mix in some BBQ sauce and make sandwiches anyhow :)

Good idea.

I think I may have gotten a bit overzealous on trimming this time. That's all I can think of.

 

[tallbm]

Good idea.

I think I may have gotten a bit overzealous on trimming this time. That's all I can think of.

I've found that leaving more fat is way better than trimming too much. So if its not really over 3/4 of an inch of fat or so I just leave it be. It's just way to difficult to get the 1/4-1/2 thickness going all over so unless its just way thick I don't bother cutting it away :)

 

[Displaced Texan]

Tried again yesterday and ruined another one. I'm stumped. Didn't trim much this time. Temps were steady between 250-275. Wrapped at about 5 1/2 hours in. Pulled at 10 1/2 hours, rested at room temp an hour or so, and then in the warming drawer overnight.

Maybe that is a terrible idea, keeping it warm around 140-150 overnight. I don't know, I give up. The bottom of the brisket is very hard and difficult to slice through again.

Oh well, I have regressed somehow in this smoking thing. I give up.

A couple pics of the carnage. Click for larger if you have a strong stomach.

 

[TNJAKE]

I agree that your issue is likely the extremely long rest in the warming drawer. Next time foil and put in a cooler with towels for a couple hours then slice........most importantly don't give up.

 

[Displaced Texan]

I agree that your issue is likely the extremely long rest in the warming drawer. Next time foil and put in a cooler with towels for a couple hours then slice........most importantly don't give up.

I started to just throw it in the fridge overnight and then warm it this morning. I guess I'm as dumb as I look.

The point is still very juicy and good, of course, the point is hard too screw up.

 

[Displaced Texan]

Looking for brutal honesty here if anyone has ideas. I also wrapped in a towel when I placed it in the warming drawer. Not sure why I did that. Probably helped dry the bottom out, I don't know. I didn't towel wrap the one I screwed up a few days ago.

Just can't figure out the best way to finish a brisket and serve the next day.

 

[thirdeye]

Did you verify your pit temps? And how did it feel (probing wise) when you wrapped?

The face with the dark band that you call the 'bottom', is that the inside or the outside (fat side) of the brisket.

 

[Displaced Texan]

Did you verify your pit temps? And how did it feel (probing wise) when you wrapped?

The face with the dark band that you call the 'bottom', is that the inside or the outside (fat side) of the brisket.

Yes, temps were 250-275 across the pit the whole time.

That is the inside, non fat side. Never have had these issues with that getting hard and crumbly like this. I always do fat side up as well.

Guessing in my desire to be able to hold overnight and serve the following day is where it is drying out. It felt very tender when I pulled it, ITs were around 205-210 best I could tell.

 

[thirdeye]

That is the inside, non fat side. Never have had these issues with that getting hard and crumbly like this. I always do fat side up as well.

Fat is insulation from heat when cooking, so on an uptight smoker like a WSM or a drum, it's best to have the fat down most of the cook. On a reverse flow cooker heat is above the meat on the way to the stack, so many people cook fat side up.

Maybe you need to switch to fat side down.

 

[Displaced Texan]

Fat is insulation from heat when cooking, so on an uptight smoker like a WSM or a drum, it's best to have the fat down most of the cook. On a reverse flow cooker heat is above the meat on the way to the stack, so many people cook fat side up.

Maybe you need to switch to fat side down.

You could be right. I have a traditional offset. Never ran into this issue, but yes, I may try fat side down.

I think* it has to do with how I am resting it etc, but I am open to suggestions.

*Worth what you paid it for it lol.

 

[TNJAKE]

What kind of warming drawer are you using?