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New Owner Needs Beef Brisket Help

D downersgrovecookMember
Hi,
I got a smokette elite as a Christmas gift and have used it several times. I have done a pork butt (really good), salmon (very good) chicken (great flavor, but a little dry). I tried to do a beef brisket this weekend. The only brisket I was able to find was a trimmed brisket at Costco which weighed in at about 5 pounds. There was just a little fat on the top side, but the meat was fairly lean. I read Beef Brisket 101. I followed the recipe in the cook book. Put the cold brisket in a cold smoker for 3 hours at 225. Removed the brisket, covered it with sauce, and then wrapped it tightly in foil and cooked another 3 hours at 225. The final meat temp was 186. When I took it out of the smoker there was quite a bit of moisture in the foil packet. The meat had good flavor, but was as tough as nails. We sliced it VERY thin to compensate, but it really was not very good. Can anyone tell me a way to cook a trimmed brisket? I am guessing that what I really needed was an untrimmed packer brisket, but since we were only 4 people and I have never smoked beef before I wanted to give this a try. By the way, I put some of Karen's Baked Beans on the lower level of the smoker and smoked them for 6 hours. They were fabulous! Thanks, Karen I can't wait to make another batch of your beans.
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FM Former Member
No worries DG Cook, we can help.

Have a read through the forum (look at the top of the Owners forum and the Open forum for some top level recommend threads to read).

NEVER go by the time for anything you Q, NEVER. And if you keep reading the forum, we mention frequently to never, never use the times in that book (when we re-write it, I hope to help edit that for future newbies).

Keep in mind there are only about a 1000 variables and unlike making a cake, you're dealing with a lot of variables.

First problem is cooking a trimmed brisket (probably what we call a flat). There are multiple threads about that in this Brisket Forum.

Two things might have been contributing to the problem. One, if you read Brisket 101, it said to go on temp and it looks like you pulled yours too soon at 186 for slicing. More likely you needed at least 195 or possibly higher.

Also, did you slice with or across the grain.

Keep reading the Brisket forum (I moved your thread here) and you'll see multiple threads about the "poke and prod" method of determining doneness. Basically make sure that time/temp are guidelines, you'll need to always check on doneness (that's why some briskets are perfect at 195 and others I've taken to 200 or slightly above.
cal 2cal 2Member
I,ve never done a flat, but a real good cook told me that it was best not ever to do a flat if I can keep from it. I would think a 12lb packer might only give a family of four 2-3 meals it is very tastey and gets ate very quick.

If you have to do the flat. IMO you need to cook to higher temp 190* or better.Sounds like you didn't let it get tender. You didn't say if you gave it a rest peroid? Good luck next time.
FM Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by Downers Grove Cook:
..Is it possible to overcook a brisket? I read "prod and poke". Is there a point when the meat goes from being like butter to getting tough again?


Sure, you can overcook anything. Like Ribs, to get them "fall off the bone" you have to overcook them.

Go for minimal resistance and when you slice it up, keep in mind what you did and how much resistence you felt.

Happy with the results, then remember that resistence.

Too touch, then it needs to have less resistence

Too tender, then it needs to have more resistence.

You just have to practice with briskets, there's no shortcut.
cal 2cal 2Member
Being a Newbie and not a lot of experence. I set my probe at 190* in the thick part of flat.When it got there I opened smoker and tryed to poke thin end to get fell for resistance and then the thick end for feel for resistance.I then set temp 3* higher and repeated process.It will take practice as Smokin' said.

I also read every thread in the brisket forum I could find that had Rib Dog, Tom, and Smokin's name in it. That was probably as much help as any in the learning process.Have Fun and don't give up!
T tomMember
Just a quick thought from the comp side of things.

Everybody learns to become a very good chicken cook.
Many folks learn to cook good ribs and pork.

Then, the last category is the one most cooks hate to present, and the judges hate to sample-because they know 49 out of 50 times it will be TERRIBLE-BRISKET. Eeker

Most cooks try to make their points on the first three products and not do too bad on the brisket.

This is by guys with million dollar motor coaches.

$100,000 in cooking rigs.

Years of cooking.

Classes from the best cooks.

A couple thousand in this weekend's cookoff.

So,don't worry when your first couple are only fair.

Your CS brisket is already better than many on the comp trail. Wink
Last edited by tom
FM Former Member
Sorry about your results. I did a flat on my 025 last week and it came out fine. My flat had fair amount of fat on it. I've done flats a number of times on other smokers with good results. I cook them to 190-195 and never foil them. I also look for the thickest possible flat I can find.

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