I'm wondering what the optimal internal temp for sliced brisket is. Maybe this should be an informal little poll: What temp leaves you with the best balance of tenderness and moistness in a brisket, with it still being sliceable?
I usually cook my briskets till they reach 195* internal. My latest brisket accidentally crept up to 204* before I first checked it and pulled it off the smoker, and that brisket tasted too dry to me.
However, my briskets, although tender when pulled off the smoker at 195*, aren't as moist as a real thin-sliced -- yet tender -- brisket I recently tasted at a restaurant.
Which leads to the question: What internal temp do you take your brisket to so that it doesn't taste dried out, but is tender and sliceable?
Also, just curious: What internal temp do most people in competitions cook their briskets to?
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