Reviewing Brisket smoke notes & still wondering

[schlotz]

The flat was not crumbly at all, just on the dry side with little moisture. However, the moisture did improve a bit (not a bunch) with slices nearer to the point. Doubt the 6 min cool down allowed the IT to drop to 170º so this might have been a contributor to it drying out. Having a little difficulty getting my head around a possibly under-cooked scenario in that how does the flat become moist again once it has dried out. Current thought process is that I might have pulled it a tad late and it continued to cook further but, this wouldn't be the first time to discover I'm not thinking correctly. :rolleyes:

 

[zwiller]

How does one really tell if dry means under or over cooked? Anymore, I tend to think most times a guy says dry I think UNDER but? My hunch is overcooked is crumbly dry and under is firm and tough. I personally think the ultimate test is the bend AKA pencil test. It must bend but not break but don't read of guys doing it. Also, in Franklin's book he makes it a point to talk about how to hold brisket when slicing as it is just about ready to fall apart and I interpret this as better to overdone than under.

 

[schlotz]

...and yet that takes one right back to the ultimate question regarding a dry flat. Was it under or over cooked? The flat is the leaner portion and my head is still wrapped around that, so when you find it dry I immediately think overcooked. Is this wrong? Can the dry flat portion really become moist again, just by cooking it longer? Where does the moisture come from?