Review my techique

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

windlaker

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jul 21, 2012
39
23
Wind Lake, WI
Been smoking for 5-6 years or so. Having trouble getting my Brisket done the way I want. The last one (yesterday) was the 1st time I used Butcher Paper instead of foil to wrap. Akorn Kettle Smoker. I use a pizza pan under the grate as a diffuser.

I always separate the flat from the point prior to smoking. USUALLY make burnt ends, but this time I sliced it, due to the number of people at the Packer tailgate.

Trimmed & rubbed Friday night, wrapped in plastic wrap, refrigerated overnight. Took it out 1 hour before smoking. It was 14.5 pounds before trimming.

Here's what i did yesterday...

Fire was stabilized around 240˚.
Flat on main grill, point on top "Warming Rack".
Removed the point after 3 hours, wrapped in paper, placed in oven at 200˚. Did not check internal temperature.
Removed the flat after 6 1/2 hours (internal temperature was 190˚), wrapped in paper, placed in oven @ 200˚.
Turned off oven after 6 hours.
Wrapped in towel, placed in cooler overnight. Sliced after a 12 hour rest.

The point was PERFECT. Tender, juicy, crispy bark, delicious.
The flat was just OK. A little pull to the sliced meat, nice crispy bark, but no juice at all.

I know it'll probably never be a juicy as the point, but I'm looking for some advice.

IMG_1298.JPG
 
Morning... Try wrapping the flat prior to it going through the stall... The stall is moisture evaporating from the meat... place in a 200-210F oven for 10 ish hours....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Burner76
Hard to tell, but the flat may have tightened back up after sitting in the cooler for 12hrs.

Chris
 
Chris, are you saying to time it so I go from the smoker to the oven, then serve?

I thought letting it sit in the cooler was supposed to let everything "rest", and keep the juices in?

Dave, same question...smoke, wrap, oven then serve? Eliminate the "Cooler" step?
 
The cooler set up is so you can let the meat rest... Juice reabsorb... and keep warm for several hours... It also helps some with tenderizing.. Letting tissues break down further while it is warm....
Once the meat cools down, don't know the exact temperature, I'm guessing about 120F, stuff starts to coagulate... fats, collagens or what ever solidifies.. and that "toughens" the meat from it's fall-apart consistency.... I find it's best to keep it warm... One more thing can be done to keep it warm... Preheat the cooler with warm/hot (170ish) water... so the meat is not trying to heat the cooler... towels above and below the meat for insulation...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Burner76
I'm not sure 6 hours in the oven and then 12 hours rest is such a good thing.
Brisket can be a tough smoke you got to stay on top of it.
I smoke brisket and wrap with butcher paper when I have my desired bark. "Around 170 usually"
Smoke till probe tender in the thickest part of the flat. I pull it and put it in a pan and let sit in open for 10 mins-stops the cooking.
Wrap in pan and rest for an hour in cooler.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Burner76
Based upon the described process you might want to considering some modifications for the next try. Not separating the point, keep it in the smoker until tender (toothpick test), resting only for an hour or two before serving.
 
Last edited:
Chris, are you saying to time it so I go from the smoker to the oven, then serve?

I thought letting it sit in the cooler was supposed to let everything "rest", and keep the juices in?

Dave, same question...smoke, wrap, oven then serve? Eliminate the "Cooler" step?

Dave said it a whole lot better then I could have. When your smoking the brisket for <insert occasion here> try to get it done as close to eating time as you can. It only needs to rest 15 minutes or so. The cooler is used to hold it a couple of hours(longer in some instances). If your done early then let the brisket cool to about 170* wrap it in foil and place it in a cooler surrounded by towels. This will help prevent overcooking while at the same time keeping it warm till it's time to eat. 12 hours is stretching it a bit - thus allowing the meat to tighten back up.

Chris
 
  • Like
Reactions: Robert Rich
I've been around a bbq pit my whole life ..
Dad smoking briskets for little league games and so forth.. Then when i got older i became intrested in the bbq world.
1st...the quality of meat can make a huge difference..
It's becoming harder and harder to find a good whole brisket..butchers at grocery chain stores have been splitting briskets flats from the points from what i noticed and in some cases I've seen the flats actualy shaved ..
All this makes it harder to adjust smoking times and resting.. My opinion is 12 hrs in a cooler is to long. That method really should be reserved for traveling.. A warmer oven can even your meat up if not carefull .
The thing is..and it always seems to be the case ..a lot of people keep trying to either shorten thier cook times or try to slow roll it for way to long..There's a reason why they say you can't just up and go buy a brisket or plan/ think your going to smoke a brisket and eat the same day if your not up before the sun with the smoker going..
Just don't over think it .. Basic techniques and a buttload of time watching temps and not opening the lid on the smoker.
 
Thanks for all your help.

I always thought that you couldn't let rest too much. I guess I was wrong.

I'm printing this thread out and keeping it for next time...in a couple weeks.

WindLaker
 
  • Like
Reactions: Burner76
I've taken briskets off the smoker at 185 and wrapt in towels dropped into the cooler and 6 hrs later it's turned to mush !! All the bark turned soft and basicly slid off the brisket.
Best way in my opinion is to take the brisket off the smoker and using a thermapen checking the temp...wait until temp goes down and the cooking has stopped . Then wrap and drop in the cooler..but i still wouldn't let it sit there anymore than a few hrs..

Cheers , Burner
 
If you wrap in peach butcher paper, the paper breathes and saves the bark.... so it says in fine print....
  • ✅ 100% Made in USA & FDA APPROVED: Our pink butcher paper is 100% FDA approved for direct food contact and Made in USA with highest quality.
  • ✅ BETTER THAN ALUMINUM FOIL: Our pink butcher paper beats foil hands down because it is a exclusive blend of kraft pulp, engineered for resistance to heat and moisture which allows the meat to breath & directly contributes to the flavor, moistness and texture of the meat.
  • ✅ UNWAXED FOOD GRADE PAPER: Our pink butcher paper has excellent wet strength, which is vital to avoid messy slip-ups when cooking, resting, and cutting meat. And it accomplishes this without any sort of wax, plastic coating or anything else that could affect the flavor of what you have cooked.
  • ✅ MULTIPURPOSE USE : Our High Quality Multi-purpose Pink Butcher Paper is perfect for Slow Smoke Meat, Storing, Serving, Wrapping Briskets, Sandwich’s , Burgers, Burritos, Fresh Meat & Fish, Gift Wrap Paper, Placemats, Table Cover, Art, Craft and Much more applications in Restaurants & Backyard pits. Don’t forget to buy this as a PERFECT BBQ GIFT for your family & friends.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Burner76
What grade of meat was the brisket?
Cause there is a big difference between Select & Choice, and a bigger difference between Choice & Prime.
Prime is the way to go, if you can get it, but Choice is acceptable. However I would not buy a Select brisket, unless you have a lot of experience smoking briskets. They are very hard to get right.
Al
 
  • Like
Reactions: Robert Rich
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky