Watching the Brisket climb

[schlotz]

Prime trimmed to 13# salt & pepper only and went on the MAK set to 275º at 6am. About an hour ago I lowered it to 250º as it was making too much head way. Currently IT is 176º, was going to wrap but don't want to speed this up any faster.

 

[chopsaw]

Nice , looks good .

 

[schlotz]

Bit concerned on how fast this thing is climbing. It's now at 180º.

 

[texomakid]

yeah that's kind of odd to see an IT climb that fast for that cooking temp. Looks like you're getting a nice bark?

 

[bregent]

Seems about right to me. Prime briskets do seem to cook faster. Last one I did about the same trimmed weight took 5.5 hours at 285.

 

[noboundaries]

Prime briskets have more fat. Yes, they can cook faster, but it is tough to avoid a fat seam. From the position above, you may be in the fat seam between the point and the deckle. Try moving your probe from a vertical insert to one inserted from the end into the flat. If the temp remains the same, no problem, but don't be surprised if you see a 20F drop.

 

[krj]

Readjust your probe.

 

[mooncusser]

Looking good. The graph is neat, is that from the MAK or a separate temp probe?

 

[schlotz]

Map is from the MAK. Checked in multiple areas including the side. It was generally in the 176-180 range vs MAK probe at 180. At 2:10pm it's reading 200º and probes tender about everywhere with the exception within 1-2" from the end. Think it's time to pull and rest on counter for 10 min before going into cooler.

 

[mooncusser]

Map is from the MAK.

Very cool it does that.

Sounds like you're on track. Enjoy and let us know how it turns out.

 

[schlotz]

Ok, it's pulled and resting. So far looks good. It jiggles and smells great.

 

[schlotz]

Rested on counter until IT had dropped to 187º in order to stop further cooking. Now in cooler with towels. Dinner around 5pm.

 

[chopsaw]

Nice thread . Doing my first brisket tomorrow. I'll be watching for a sliced pic . Trying to decide when to start it .

 

[schlotz]

This one was PRIME, and took approx 8 hours (38 min/lb) smoking at 275º for the first 4 hours then at 250º forward. When I do CHOICE, the time increases to approx 45 min/lb. I've had some of those go a bit more.

 

[chopsaw]

Ok . Good info . Thank you . Yours looks great.

 

[texomakid]

So that makes sense. I haven't cooked but a couple of prime briskets. 90% of the ones I cook are choice. I agree that's good info, why we hang out around here

 

[schlotz]

So, the end results: Flavor 10, moisture 8, tenderness 9. Being my first PRIME, I now know that the first tenderness test at 196º was telling me it was time to pull. I've had a tendency in the past to pull too early so I waited another 40 minutes and that was IMO too much. Plenty of moisture in the point, as always but the flat was just starting to suffer a tad as some slices started to break up. This PRIME smoke got done in just over 8 hours but that included the extra 40 min which I shouldn't have done. So it was finished in 7.25 hrs. Again, this is 4 hrs at 275º and the remaining time at 250º.

Regardless the taste was great and nobody went away hungry.
I would grade today's effort an A-, maybe B+. And as I always do, full notes of the smoke were taken.

 

[pigbark]

Looks great man. nice job.. I love the Bark, i have to be careful with some of mine as my wife does not care for the bark.

 

[texomakid]

Looks prefect to me. Love the Bark. I got a 15# whole packer in the Yoder now locked in at 240 deg since 10:30 pm last night. It's not prime but choice ($2.89/lbs) and it's stalled out big time (as expected) but it will push through it. Very nice brisket. I will cook another prime as some point and your notes will be borrowed

 

[schlotz]

Remember, every piece of meat can be different so take them as 'guidelines'