1st Beef brisket question

Personally, I would have foiled it earlier. Probably around 170. 190 was probably low for taking it out. We used to just poke the flat around 195. If it pokes tender (read: tender), then pull it and put in the cooler. If it does not poke tender, give it some more time. The poke test seemed to work better for us than a specific temp.

Yep,the smokette cooks moist enough to get by without foiling a good packer,but I agree with Ribdog that It was probably a ways from being tender.

Cooking at a low temp,won't let it cook/rise in temp more than a few degrees, when you go to the cooler in foil for a couple of hours.

I assume you cut it across the grain,so you could just try cutting it more thinly.

If it was really tough,slice it up,thinner than 1/4 inch, and let it rest in some 225* ,losalt beef broth for 20-30 mins.

It won't be the same,but still pretty tasty for a home meal.

I also thik Rib Dog hit it. 190 was maybe not enough, I also do 195-200, and I also foil. But i do it to add more flavors. I didn't use to, but I started and have had success.

There is so much fat to get cooked, the full brisket is just loaded.

RandyE

Thanks for your help, I am going to do another brisket tonight. Should I foil it and put it back in the smoker, or in the cooler? It seems the more I read on this site the more I get confused.

How do you know it was 200 and then 225* ? Have you checked your empty smoker with a dangling probe and averaged the temps?

The brisket temp is a "target". There is zero guarantee that it will be tender if you cook to a set temp (well, unless it's 210, then it will fall apart).

The idea is to go for a target temp, shoot for 190, then test it. Take the temp probe and push it into the meat (it WILL be hot). The easier it goes it, the more tender. Hard to go in, then cook longer.

quote:

It seems the more I read on this site the more I get confused.

Can image that, 80,000 posts?

Just read the brisket ones from Tom and the 101's from me THEN start reading the others.

LOL

Feel free to ask for clarification

quote:

Originally posted by 4nightsmoker:
Thanks for your help, I am going to do another brisket tonight.

I think what you really need to do is give me your address so I can move nearby. If you are going to practice on briskets every night, somebody has got to help eat all those experiments!

AT $35.00 each I sure hope that I can get this one right, or at least close. The dogs next door and the other animals that are around are sure driving my boxer nuts in the middle of the night. As for all the posts on this site I to have been LOL to myself as I read them. Each time saying what did I do wrong and why with all this help did it turn out not perfect. Thanks Mike.

KC,
I forgot to tell you I am in Colorado Springs Colorado.

Well now,it is late on a Sat night.

It is a long day of ballgames,and big cookoffs for our friends.

Smokin' Okie taught me how to start learnin', how to cook stuff-when I was learnin' the open/close lever on the cooker.


I couldn't use a computer,but I had been a cook/bbqer ,so he was patient enough to guide my questions,about how you learned the cookin' process.

I thought ,because I bought a $400 cooker,that I'd better be perfect with every cook.

Man ,this stuff costs a bunch,the better half may make me sleep on the porch.

If I bought a $25 chunk of meat,it BETTER be perfect?

Smokin' gave me a direction,told me to take careful notes,adjust one thing at a time,

Take careful notes,

Adjust one step at a time,

Ask the forum about how to adjust one step, that I thought I would like to change the direction of.

Smokin' is a top cook,but he has not seen EVERY individual problem that may pop up.

Smokin' tries to direct us to the search,FIND,at page top.

This is the cumulative ,helpful approaches to each individual cooking quirk.

I think he has tried to give some direction ,to what some folks that actually have tasted,a good product,may do to produce that product.

Now there is a quicker approach to this.

There are several good cooks, that offer an all day course for $500-$750,plus planefare,hotel,meals,rental,etc.

They do supply yellow pads,pencils,and snacks.

I guess what I'm saying is that there are steps/stages,to record/learn/and enjoy to be a better cook.

I finally worked up the courage to do a brisket last Dec. Little over 4# from Costco. Put Cookshack rib rub on and left overnight. Also slit some slots and put some garlic and bay leaves in the slots on the fatty side. Think I got that suggestion from this forum. Set 08 at 225. Used meat and smoker probe. Put the meat in at 11 am. Planned on eating at 6 pm or so. I stopped looking at the remote smoker probe as it fluctuated between 183-233 and was driving me to drinking. Anyway I impatiently waited until it hit 185 at 11 pm. I then foiled it and patiently waited 15 minutes and not able to wait any longer cut into it. If that's what brisket is supposed to taste like I want to do one a week. I did think it took a long time cooking but I left it alone until the probe beeped. Guess it's done when it's done.

Glad you enjoyed it but it was not done at 185 + 15 minutes.
Dick.

4nighsmoker,

Don't pay 35 bucks a piece for your briskets...Sams Club has "choice" packers for a lot less. I bought an 13lb for 18. It was great.