Briskett feedback ASAP

Oscar.

I don't know where 165 comes from. I've seen that showing up over the last few days and it worries me. Those are the temps for poultry, but I've seen them quoted for brisket. Not me.

Make sure it gets to 190 internal for slicing. Get it to 200 and it'll fall apart and be hard to cut, but that temps good for making chopped brisket.

For a 5 pounder, at 225, your should be fine if you shoot for 1 hour per or 5 hours. Give yourself at least an hour lee way. Those small ones cook up fine BUT make sure you watch it, they will dry out if overcooked.

If "timing" is critical, start it sooner than later and when you think it's done to your temp, drop the temp of the CS down to 140 for "holding temp" and it'll be fine.

If you want, you can even wrap it in foil to hold it after cooking and that will help, but the outside of the brisket will be very moist. With that marinade your using, wrapping it might keep some of the flavor.

I'm around this morning, so post a question if you need.

Good luck and WELCOME TO THE NEW FORUM!!!

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Smokin Okie
It's done when it's done
Cookshack BBQ Guide Page

[This message has been edited by SmokinOkie (edited March 03, 2001).]

Smokin, some of the books state i65, kind of a med rare yet cooked to kill organism temp. I do appreciate the 180-200 temp guide. I'll do 190 so it is not too crumbly. I'll also put the brisket on at 11am this morn. Hey the forum or board whatever you call it is very nice, congrats you folks have really done a bunch of progressive work. Hopfulyy we will not have any glitches.

Oscar,

well, let's get you through today, but I do want to explore the brisket temp.

I mean we can REALLY confuse things if we bring in the standard temps for steak where you have medium/medium rare around 130...

but we won't go there yet.

good luck with todays adventure and let us know how the brisket and the marinade came out.



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Smokin Okie
It's done when it's done
Cookshack BBQ Guide Page

Hi Oscar!!

I know it's too late to help you out now, but I just wanted to agree with Smokin' on the brisket temps. 165� way too low!!

Brisket meat is just starting to breakdown around 160�. Not unusual for the temp to plateau at between 160-170�. This is the connective tissue breaking down and that process releases moisture, which cools the meat. I have had full briskets plateau here for 3 hours! Drove me crazy at first!! Thought all my thermos were broke. LOL

Anyway, Smokin' is correct....185-190�.

Everything is cool guys/gals It smoked the brisket for 7 hr.s and went to 197. The tenderness was there with a slight mellow smoke flavor.
The cap scraped off easily and for one I would say it turned out primo. had a friend come by right when I was slicing and he said he had never had beef that tasted that good. He wanted to stay for dinner but the hockey game was calling him. HA!
Thanks for the sgtraightening out with the temps. It has been a while since I ,last did a brisket so I had more questions.



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Oscar

Hi Oscar,
I am curious to what temperature you were cooking at? Also do you think the marinade helped cure the meat in any way? I ask because I did a 4.3lb flat at 250 and it took 10.5 hours to reach 194. Yours was bigger and only took 7. I know meats cook differently but that is a big difference in times.

John

I know the temps are different and the time was too. This brisket was about 2inch thick with a 3/8 inch fat cap. I could fold the brisket from butt cut end to tip. I read on the bbq forum to watch for that. Flexibility in the meat is good, I guess. The temp is used was 225. The day was absolutly calm with a 40 degree, sunny day, melted snow like the devil. Ok it took 7 hr.s to get to 197. I talk alloot how you can use the cookshack in any cold weather. I also think the mild weather we had was a huge boost. The meat was also room temp when I put the heat to it. As far as the marinade doing something to the meat? I would say the oil just infuses moisture and the vinegar helps to break down the connec5tive tissues.
Like okie says it's done when it's done. A total crap shoot each time you cook, sort of.


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Oscar

Good point Oscar, if the brisket flexes that's good. Just think of your muscle, when they're big or tight they don't flex. So the more flexible, the better in brisket.

For the newbies, when you buy a brisket at the store, pick up a couple and flex them. Pick the one that flexes better.

John
I'd suggest doing an experiement. Tell me about your set-up. Smokette? Extension Cord?

With the unit on, and nothing inside, set it for 250 and wait an hour or so to see what the temp is.

Do you have a calibrated thermometer?

Gimme a little more info. A small brisket like yours shouldn't have taken 10 hours, BUT...."it's done when it's done"

Always keep a notebook, these are the lessons to remember.



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Smokin Okie
It's done when it's done
Cookshack BBQ Guide Page

My 2nd brisket that I smoked to 194 was dryer than the one I smoked to 187. The second was a flat only and the first was a whole brisket with a nice 1/8 fat cap on both sides. I don't know if the fat cap made a difference in the moisture.

I do not use an extension cord and I always use a thermometer to measure temp at the cooking grate. The thermometers are calibrated. The smokette was smoking at the temp I set (250). I think either I had a peice of meat that took longer or my thermometer was off since it was calibrated. May be time to check them (I have 3) again. The brisket was edible but a little dry so we cut half of it into pieces and used for chili. The chili was great! So I think I turned something average into a great meal. Thanks for the help. I'm going to buy whole briskets in the future instead of flats only.

John

Oscar,

Where'd you buy your brisket at?

R