First brisket almost done!!

DANGIT, I put this in the wrong place. Crap.

I trust you are keeping in mind ,that 193* could be the first time you actually check it ,to see if the probe goes all the way thru the flat like butter.

Packers can be very independent.

Well, I took it out at 193, and mixed results. The deckle came out nice and juicy, tender, very good.
The flat was very dry, and tough.

All results above were after FTC for 2.5 hrs.

Any suggestions?

Read, practice,and good notes! This will get you a long ways in becoming a brisket cook.

Probe must slide into the flat like butter and then its ready.

quote:

Well, I took it out at 193, and mixed results. The deckle came out nice and juicy, tender, very good. The flat was very dry, and tough.

Was the whole flat (end to end) this way or just a portion/tip of the flat end opposite the point?

pretty much the entire flat.I have read on here about removing the brisket, seperating the flat & point, and putting the point back in?

Keeping the point on will help the flat from drying out, then easy to split but point in another 3hrs or 210* and it will render out to some real nice beef. Most make burnt ends but i will chill a day and make BBQ beef sandwich.

It is pretty easy to split.

Make sure you let brisket rest for 2-3hrs and then cool before slicing.

Have FUN your on the right track!!!

Keep in mind,we keep emphasizing that the quality of the packer will have a lot to do with the final product.Briskets are a mite independent.

I've observed,that a perfect brisket,the first time out,happens about as often as a perfect olympic dive, from a cowhand, from the 10 meter board,into a cattle trough.

Next,I'm not sure I really know what a "deckle" is,how to find,season up,-or cook one.

After that,I reckon I been around cow cookin' since I learnt how to stand up and pee,and gasoline in south OK was $0.021/gal

I've seen maybe a dozen packers,from US of A cows, come done at 193*.

As you cook enough packers,you find that the flat is dry/tough and figure that is ALWAYS a sign of overcooking.

I've been taught by some pretty fair brisket cooks,to just keep on cooking,until the probe-or a two tined meat fork,will go thru from top to bottom,like warm butter.

Sometimes, you might hit 210*

We all worry about ruining/wasting a $20 chunk of meat,but the experience pays off.

Think what a cook costs,especially if you drove 1500 mile,each time,to make it.

Worst case, we make a Tex-mex dinner,or a fine skillet of hash.

Now,if we're talking about the point,some is done,the same time as the flat,and makes great slices.Others, might take three more hours,go to 215*,and then chunk it up for the "cooks candy".

Keep cookin' and takin' notes,and these good cooks will get ya there.

Now,I'll get outa here,before they accuse me of makin' a Smokin' post.

quote:

As you cook enough packers,you find that the flat is dry/tough and figure that is ALWAYS a sign of overcooking. I've been taught by some pretty fair brisket cooks,to just keep on cooking,until the probe-or a two tined meat fork,will go thru from top to bottom,like warm butter. Sometimes, you might hit 210*...

Good post & points of view. I started with the Brisket 101 target of 190* and have eased it toward 193* myself lately.

I left one on unintentionally to 198* and it was very tender - had to slice tender side of flat thicker than normal and those slices tended to fall apart a bit. This rookie assumed this was a bit overcooked. It was good tho.

Even tho I've had pretty good results at 190, you've got me re-thinking 'done'.


Dry? My first one WAS dry. A fat belly flop into a mud hole next to the cattle trough... lol

I think on the first few the 190* helps to get the feel of what it is like it test for doneness. A person has to remember that just because the thin part of the flat feels like slicing butter, that the whole flat needs that feeling.It does seem that 193* is a better starting point for the quality on brisket that I'm buying now.

My last brisket I put in the CS020 I did it backwards from my previous ones, it came to tender a little different. It took real patience to let the thick part of the flat to come done, but I was rewarded for it.

As these fine cooks stated, temp is only a place to start checking for the feel of doneness, experience and not reading will teach us how to determine this.

Keep good notes and cook another, the life of a brisket cook is never learned on a just a few.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom:
After that,I reckon I been around cow cookin' since I learnt how to stand up and pee,and gasoline in south OK was $0.021/gal

LOL! Thanks Tom! I needed a good chuckle today!

yessir.