1st Brisket in the AQ

Most newcomers to packers look at them like they might break,and yes, undercooked will seem dry and tough.

Many approach it like your first try at a computer.

Scared to touch it.

Someone said,"go ahead and try,you can't break it,or do anything that can't be fixed".

Now,you know they were right.

Worst case,on the packer,if you cooked it another 10*,the thinnest parts could be dry.They probably would be anyway.

The thicker part would be better,and the point would reach the place where the cooks save it for themselves.

There might be a reason, that all those folks in cattle country-where they can get plenty of medium rare beef-eat brisket on every street corner.

It can't be because of the vast amount of it.

Two per cow.

How much of the cow can be cooked medium rare,and they don't all flock to eat.

As to taste,different cows might taste different.

Ever had a med rare steak off a 20 yr old dairy bull?

When you say probed tender,does that mean when you stuck a two prong meat fork all the way thru the thickest part of the flat,you couldn't pick it up-because the fork just slid out?

Did you rest it 2-3 hrs ,foiled in a warm/dry cooler?

Now,we're talking meat juices running off your chin,and your elbows.

What I'm trying to suggest is, don't give up yet,as there might be a reason Donna's grandfather developed these as brisket cookers and they have been great for over half a century.

Try a few,and then make the decision not to use the brisket cooker,at its best.

RussL,
When you said that if you left it in longer you thought the flat would dry out to much? I can already hear Smokin say, Try it and take good notes.IMO if a flat is ready in the tuff part under 193* you have a very good brisket, maybe a PRIME grade? Please don't give up! Use the KISS approach and you'll never get a better brisket than what that smoker of yours can produce.

I have had a hard time finding a packer to cook so I opted for a 8 LB flat. Cooked it today took 11 hrs to 193 Degrees. It was trimmed and I was worried it would dry out so I laid bacon on top with the fat down. I don't know if the bacon helped but I was quite happy with it for what it was, my wife enjoyed it and in the end that's what counts. I am a pork fiend by heart but I really was impressed by todays cook. I would even cook another flat but would much rather find a packer to cook.

Tom,
That is probably the most eloquent azz chewing I have ever had.

The only brisket I had eaten prior to this one is corn beef and cabagge ( which I really enjoy).

So, I don't know what flavor to expect or how to achieve that flavor all of you rave about. It is hard to meet a goal, if you don't know what that goal is. I did read lots of post on brisket cooking including "Brisket 101". I thought I was following the directions, but maybe not.

The probe I used is an instant read thermometer, about the same diameter as the Cookshack probe.

The brisket was a Select grade as there were no Choice avaiable.
I put a rub on it and the bark has a good flavor.

When I try the next one, I will take the meat tempature a little north on 190 F.

I know you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear-----Maybe I had a less than desireable brisket????

Russ

IMO,if you get another select. It may need to be north of 195*. I would work hard to get a choice brisket.As Tom said let it rest 3 hours in FTC. Please don't give up or you will be losing out on the best part of these smokers.

Next time, trim it so the point folds back on the flat, it will fit in better. Folding the point whould affect how it cooks.

And do a search on "poke and prod" as temp is a "start" to determining when to pull it, but you can not pull it on temp alone.

Select may/may not come out, just depends on the beef itself. You can make good brisket with select, it just has less internal fat.

Yep,you sound like a cook,and someone that likes to dine.

You must be worth motivating,to reach for the best.

Nobody promised easy,just fine dinin'.