Brisket too tender/moist

Forgot to mention, I cook the brisket at 225.

Bud -- Sounds like you are taking your brisket internal temp too high.

Try taking it to 180-185*. Might let it cool a tad before slicing.

I usually have no trouble slicing at 190-195* but our smoker temps may be out of sync.

I'm sure Tom, the brisket guru, can give you some assistance.

Good luck!!!

Wheels has a good suggestion with pulling the meat at a lower temp. Falling apart brisket is a sign that it's overcooked.

Also, how are you holding the brisket after cooking it? If you pull the brisket at 190º, and the immediately do the wrap in towels and place in a cooler thing, the internal temperature of the meat will continue to rise, continuing the cooking process. Again, pulling the meat off the smoker earlier would help with this.

One more thing to keep in mind is that briskets are not all alike. They can vary in fat content, moisture, size, how they've been trimmed, etc. So, 190º on one brisket won't necessarily yield the same results as 190º on another. The temperature is just a guideline. When you cook a brisket that you are happy with, take note of the resistance you feel when you stick your thermometer into the brisket. As you gain experience with more and more briskets, the resistance will tell you more about the texture of the meat than the temperature reading on the thermometer. More resistance, tougher meat, less resistance, more tender meat. In this case, you're going to far on the tender side.

Good luck and have fun with it, even if those sloppy joes are pricey, they should be really tasty.

Well,don't know about that guru thing,but we have cooked a few.

As mentioned above,it sounds overcooked.

Nothing about cooking at 225* that should hurt it,but you don't say size and total amount of time.

Also mentioned is, are your therms correct,and what grade brisket are we talking?

Are you only foiling after you finish cooking,and what else is in the foil?

As mentioned,the hold is to allow it to cook a little more,even while the temps are declining,and hopefully to pull back and redistribute some juices.

We rarely have a brisket fall apart,and even more rarely at 190*-even prime.

We tend to open the foil gradually,awhile before slicing,as said above.

The closer to room temp you slice,the easier ,for a done brisket.

Sometimes a crusty brisket,that breaks up,does better with an electric knife.

For comps,sometimes, overdone slices better with a Granton edge.

Pushing straight down,rather than a sawing stroke,can help.

Some folks will even slice at less of an angle,than straight across the grain.

Hope this helps a little,and I'd still put money on the overcooked.

So I'm in OKC at the OU-OSU baseball game. Go back to my room and wouldn't you know that there in my hotel room is OKC Magazine, filled with the whole Mag dedicated to Barb Q. CookShack was on there and so was Paul Schatte, from Head Country. Now even though I attended Cookshack Cooking School, I completely forgot what they had taught us about quality of meats. I sometimes have great briskets and sometimes I don't......I tend to believe after looking at my notes and what you folks have written, that I might be buying some good meat sometimes and some not so good meat other times.
I generally average 1.5 hours per pound, so depending on brisket size it ranges from 8 pounds to 16.
Now I also remember that I had a short in my smoker last year and I drove it up to Ponca City and Ed, had it taken apart in no time and they installed a new element and thermostat.....
So going forward, just got home from Bedlam Baseball and bought a rally pretty pricey brisket from Sams and will put in my 55 this week and see how it goes.

Only WISH I had a problem of too moist.

Yeah, Paul knows his brisket. He's great in the class.

Lots of good comments. Tom knows his stuff.

Temp is only a guide. I've had some perfectly slice at 190 and others take 205. The temp gives me a range, but I probe it with a temp probe to "feel" how much give. Do it enough and you'll know what it's doing.

Might double check your probes too.

New Brisket came out perfect.........
So now I tend to believe that I have purchased lesser cuts of meat in the past.
Thanks for the help.......Looks like I'll find me a good butcher...

I have found the secret to cutting meat that would normally fall apart by using a regular chefs knife(such as cold smoked lox, or brisket done to 195) is to use an electric knife.