To inject or not to inject (Brisket)

[ak1]

I know this is an old thread but 200 is WAY too hot. 160 is even too hot. Most pit masters I believe prefer even as low as 130 for a medium rare cook. I suck at cooking brisket but I do know that 200 is way hot and the reason for your dry tasteless meat. Oh and keep in mind there is no such thing as too much smoke. Mesquite is my go to for a nice Texas BBQ brisket. Just make sure the fire is getting enough oxygen to avoid a lighter fluid taste from a starved fire.

Sorry! But I''m calling BS on this.

 

[matty1988tjc]

And you are absolutely correct. I feel like a jackwagon. The low temps would not even begin to break down the cologen (sp). anywhere between 190 and 205 is perfect as long as the meat is basted and not allowed to dry out, which is the biggest challenge running that high. I apologize for my ignorance, I truly feel stupid lol.

 
Sorry! But I''m calling BS on this.

 

[damnthatsgood]

I know this is an old thread but 200 is WAY too hot. 160 is even too hot. Most pit masters I believe prefer even as low as 130 for a medium rare cook. I suck at cooking brisket but I do know that 200 is way hot and the reason for your dry tasteless meat. Oh and keep in mind there is no such thing as too much smoke. Mesquite is my go to for a nice Texas BBQ brisket. Just make sure the fire is getting enough oxygen to avoid a lighter fluid taste from a starved fire.

 
And you are absolutely correct. I feel like a jackwagon. The low temps would not even begin to break down the cologen (sp). anywhere between 190 and 205 is perfect as long as the meat is basted and not allowed to dry out, which is the biggest challenge running that high. I apologize for my ignorance, I truly feel stupid lol.

Ha ha ha!!  Man, in a few years when you have hundreds of smokes behind you and everyone regards you as some kind of "zen bbq master", you're going to look back on this and laugh.

Also, just in case you haven't realized it yet, there IS a such thing as too much smoke.  And, you don't have to baste/mop/spritz/etc.  People who have been doing it forever can't tell any difference.  And in my smokes, I gave up spritzing because it just doesn't do anything. (I'm talking about briskets here)  Make sure you rest the meat for an hour or two after you smoke it, and it will reabsorb the juices.  I bring my briskets to 205*, and they are so moist it's unreal.

 

[matty1988tjc]

 
Sorry! But I''m calling BS on this.

 
Ha ha ha!!  Man, in a few years when you have hundreds of smokes behind you and everyone regards you as some kind of "zen bbq master", you're going to look back on this and laugh.

Also, just in case you haven't realized it yet, there IS a such thing as too much smoke.  And, you don't have to baste/mop/spritz/etc.  People who have been doing it forever can't tell any difference.  And in my smokes, I gave up spritzing because it just doesn't do anything. (I'm talking about briskets here)  Make sure you rest the meat for an hour or two after you smoke it, and it will reabsorb the juices.  I bring my briskets to 205*, and they are so moist it's unreal.

Lol. I know! And I am certainly going to take your advice. I usually do let it rest but maybe not long enough. I think my biggest problem is that I have been pulling at 185 at the highest. Never again! Lol

 

[damnthatsgood]

For sure go to at least 195*, man!  You don't even have to be afraid of going to 200*.  Once the probe goes in, and it feels almost like you're probing nothing at all, it's done.  If there is much resistance, it needs some more time.

I get my brisket through the stall.  Then I wrap it in foil and take it to about 203* before I pull it.  Then I wrap it in about three towels and let it sit for a couple hours.  Check it out:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/151099/dtg-smoke-5-brisket-w-pineapple-juice

This is just how I do it.  Don't think it's the only way!!  LOL, but I did learn how on this very website!

 

[matty1988tjc]

 
For sure go to at least 195*, man!  You don't even have to be afraid of going to 200*.  Once the probe goes in, and it feels almost like you're probing nothing at all, it's done.  If there is much resistance, it needs some more time.

I get my brisket through the stall.  Then I wrap it in foil and take it to about 203* before I pull it.  Then I wrap it in about three towels and let it sit for a couple hours.  Check it out:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/151099/dtg-smoke-5-brisket-w-pineapple-juice

This is just how I do it.  Don't think it's the only way!!  LOL, but I did learn how on this very website!

Man that looks like the perfect brisket. I just took mine out at 199. I ended up wrapping it at about 165 for time reasons. At least I am pretty sure wrapping it helped speed it up a little. I did end up injecting it this go round just to see what happens. Used some Stubbs Texas Steakhouse, I think its called. I put some in the foil when I wrapped it so I hope it helped with the moisture issue, as that seems to be my biggest struggle. I am pretty excited about this one, seeing as I pulled it at the right time for once.Gonna let it sit for an hour or so and get some potatoes baking. Ill definitely let you know my results.

 

[ak1]

 
Lol. I know! And I am certainly going to take your advice. I usually do let it rest but maybe not long enough. I think my biggest problem is that I have been pulling at 185 at the highest. Never again! Lol

Yeah, 185 is a bit on the low side.. It's amazing what a difference going to 195-205 even makes.

 

[jay1340]

Injecting is a waste of time, so is all that other fussing over a brisket. 

IT doesn't matter. But it's usually somewhere around 185*-210* for tender. It all depends on the pokey pokey test!!!

 

[damnthatsgood]

 
Injecting is a waste of time, so is all that other fussing over a brisket. 

IT doesn't matter. But it's usually somewhere around 185*-210* for tender. It all depends on the pokey pokey test!!!

While this guy's advice is mostly true, remember that smokers are illegal where he lives....

 

[jay1340]

 
While this guy's advice is mostly true, remember that smokers are illegal where he lives....

It's only illegal if you get caught!

 

[damnthatsgood]

 
It's only illegal if you get caught!

Amen!

 

[dish]

I'm trying my first brisket today that I injected using bouillon cubes.  Have you tried them before?  It's 4.5lbs that I started at 10:30am and it's 5:00pm and IT is just 149*.  I will foil it at 165* with some more of the bouillon until 200* I'm thinking.

 

[austinsmoke]

I've injected, rubbed, and brined briskets on several occasions, and there are no noteworthy tenderness differences between the two, moisture was negligibly better in the brined brisky, and the injected was okay.

I think your dryness issues stem from your temperature: 250 is simply too high in my opinion. 225 is the general consensus, 215 is what I do.
How much trimming of the fat do you do? I've recently stopped trimming my briskets altogether, and remove the excess fat as I carve, it works great.
How long do you let your rub sit on the meat? Overnight is the minimum, 2-3 days is ideal.
Do you "inspect" your purchases? An ideal brisket for smoking will have a great deal of flex.
What is your smoker make? If the heat source (coals, element, burner) is on the bottom, then it helps to flip the roast so the fat cap faces the heat for insulation (there is debate about this).
How long do you let your meat rest for? Alot of folks will say that it's best to wrap in foil after removing it, then wrap in towels, and store in a cooler for a couple hours. This works wonders, because it gives the meat a chance to rest, redistribute the juices, and finish everything off with an almost braise, making a juicier, more tender finished product.

Good luck!





 

 

[austinsmoke]

Moose - first i heard about a few days in the fridge with rub...how long can you safely keep covered? Ihave only ever done overnight. I also agree that the injection process opens too many juice drains :-)

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Masonman , Beef needs S/CBP (Garlic and Onion - unsalted) . This my only Brisket Rub . I rub just before placing it in the Smoker . One hour later , I probe it and   (close the lid  until it gets to 200*F IMT )    , then I probe it several places for

tenderness... I'm not a Jaccard man... releases too much juice.  The foil IMHO , ruins the "Bark" . Wrap after the cook , and rest.

225*F is my average (+/- 10*F) . Use your Probes and monitor the progress .  Opening only lengthens the cook.

IMG_0001.JPG

• oldschoolbbq
• Aug 27, 2014

. . .

FOOD I HAVE COOKED - ANYTHING 016.JPG

• oldschoolbbq
• Apr 7, 2013

is fall apart tender . . .

The obligatory slice to the ring of red 001.JPG

• oldschoolbbq
• Oct 8, 2012

and good Smoke ring . . .

Have fun and . . .

 

[austinsmoke]

Old School - I bought a 16 lb packer from Sams, and I am trying your S/CBP, garlic and onion powder. I am not smoking it until Sunday, but I put it on generously last night and figured it could age/ tenderize for a few days. It looks like it has turned the top 1/2 inch of the meat a grey...like it was chemically seared! I suppose this is just the salt penetrating the meat?? I have usually cooked it at 240, but I have not been happy with either tenderness or moisture...so I am going to try 220 +/- 10. Since it is such a big piece and I don't want a stall, I will probably foil at 160 until maybe 185 then unfoil it and re-crisp the bark until 200 then wrap in towels and into cooler for 2 hours before slicing. What do you guys think??

 

[austinsmoke]

Old School - I bought a 16 lb packer from Sams, and I am trying your S/CBP, garlic and onion powder. I am not smoking it until Sunday, but I put it on generously last night and figured it could age/ tenderize for a few days. It looks like it has turned the top 1/2 inch of the meat a grey...like it was chemically seared! I suppose this is just the salt penetrating the meat?? I have usually cooked it at 240, but I have not been happy with either tenderness or moisture...so I am going to try 220 +/- 10. Since it is such a big piece and I don't want a stall, I will probably foil at 160 until maybe 185 then unfoil it and re-crisp the bark until 200 then wrap in towels and into cooler for 2 hours before slicing. What do you think??

 

[oldschoolbbq]

I'm sorry , Austinsmoke . We had the kids this weekend and , well .

Anyhow , how did the Brisky turn out

 Did the Salt do anything ( been stated salt helps a Smoke Ring)

  That's why I season just prior to Smoking. In fact ,I normally do it at the Smoker

  How long did it take ?

Send Q-view for us to see . As always , have fun and . . .

 

[papabob]

This is very interesting since I usually insert my probe when I put my product into the smoker. Am I doing this wrong? I'm guessing that your reasoning has to do with bacteria growth below 140? Could you explain a bit? Thanks. I've read all of your posts, even why your called Bearcarver! Very enjoyable. Thanks again!

 

[Bearcarver]

This is very interesting since I usually insert my probe when I put my product into the smoker. Am I doing this wrong? I'm guessing that your reasoning has to do with bacteria growth below 140? Could you explain a bit? Thanks. I've read all of your posts, even why your called Bearcarver! Very enjoyable. Thanks again!

OK---I'll try:

If you break the seal of a hunk of meat, you have to treat it like ground meat, which is getting it from 40° to 140° IT (Danger Zone) in no longer than 4 hours, due to bacteria growth between 40° and 140°.

If you don't break the seal, you don't have to worry about getting it from 40° to 140° IT in 4 hours.

Also If you don't get it through that danger zone in 4 hours, taking it to high temps, like 205° IT for butts will kill some bacteria, but it won't kill the toxins formed by the bacteria while in the Danger Zone.

Hope that helps,

Bear