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I need some Brisket help!

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    I need some Brisket help!

    So this weekend I tried making a 15 lb. brisket in my stick burner. This is the second time I try this with the same result. Ok here we go, I had my temp pretty steady between 250* and 275* maybe that's too hot I don't think so though. My Pit has Tel tru thermometers and I have Thermoworks digital so I know I'm solid there. The Brisket came up to 160* in only 3 hours. I took it out and double wrapped it tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil and put it back on the pit. About 3 hours later, I checked it and it was already at 205* in the point and the flat was 209*. I thought it was strange that it only took 6 hours for a 15 pounder but it passed the poking test the thermometer slid in there like butter so I said oh well I think it's ready. I had about 5 hours before my guests arrive so I left it wrapped in the foil and wrapped it with some towels and put it into my cambro cooler to rest. Like I have read on this website.

    So it's time to cut into it, well needless to say I was very disappointed. I removed the point fairly easily I was going to cube it to make burnt ends but it just shredded apart. The flat was so GRAY and ugly looking. I couldn't even cut across the grain it just shredded like shredded beef. I ended up shredding the whole thing up and saucing it all up like pulled pork. Everyone liked but I didn't because that's not how a brisket should be eaten.
    Not sure what went wrong but I would appreciate some help. I'm thinking that wrapping it with towels and putting in a cambro is making it gray and ugly.

    #2
    I cook briskets HnF every time. 6 hours is usually the max time for a brisket similar in size to yours. However, my temps range from 300-350. Sounds like it was just overcooked. If you don't vent the brisket before putting it in a cooler/cambro, the carry over will cause the exact problem you encountered. I'll usually vent mine and let the IT drop to around 160 before putting it in a cooler.

    Comment


      #3
      Thank you for your response Swamp Donkey, I'm assuming when you let it vent, you have to open up the foil so it stops cooking. Right? So is my brisket turning Gray because it continues to cook while its wrapped and will it not turn gray with your method? How long can you leave it in a cooler and won't it be cold when you go to cut and serve it?

      Comment


      • Brisket Syndicate
        Brisket Syndicate commented
        Editing a comment
        Overcooked brisket will tend to turn gray, due to the fact that it is drying out from a lack of fat. If you're only trying to keep one brisket warm, put hot water in a small cooler (the ones that are just big enough to hold probably three briskets) to pre heat it, and right before you're ready to put the brisket in, dump it out. I've kept briskets up to temp (over 155) for 5 hours before using this method. Pre heating the cooler help a lot.

        Another method I've used is pulling the brisket at around 185, and letting the carry over finish the job. Although this method has backfired on me a couple of times.

      #4
      It does sound overcooked. Do you have a digital probe on the cooking grate a few inches from the meat? Did you check the meat temp in several locations? Have you calibrated or checked you therms lately? USDA CHoice or above beef?

      Comment


        #5
        I did not have a digital probe on the cooking grate this time. I don't think that was the problem anyway my cooker is pretty consistent and I don't have a problem running it at the temp desired. I did pull the brisket at 205* which is when you're supposed to right? I checked the temp in several places and was all consistent. It was surprising that it got there so quickly though.

        Thanks to both of you guys and your responses I think my problem was a combination of things. The Brisket was Select grade, which I'll never use again. Second, I left it tightly wrapped and wrapped it in towels and straight into the cambro cooler and sat in there for 5 hours.

        I will give it a try again and next time I will let it vent and cool down before going in the cambro and I will buy a Prime grade brisket.

        Comment


        • Brisket Syndicate
          Brisket Syndicate commented
          Editing a comment
          You can deliver a good product with select grade meat, there's just a very small window for error. And not all "select " briskets are select grade. They grade the carcass between the 12th and 13th rib. It could be more lean there, but have good marbling in the brisket. I've got some really good select briskets digging through the bin at the store. I've also won a few trophies with select briskets, because it was the only thing available at the time. If you can find a CAB brisket, I really like those. Plenty of marbling, and an excellent natural beefy taste.

        • Papa Bob
          Papa Bob commented
          Editing a comment
          select grade only means the packing house did not pay to have it graded you could get a choice and even a prime probable an old animal but it is possible but sounds like you had multiple problems

        #6
        Did you add any liquid when you wrapped? I have to believe you were a lot hotter than 250-275 for that to cook so quickly. My briskets take 12 hours+. My first brisket attempt was also using a select cut (although the butcher told me it was choice; I know better know) and it was by FAR the worst brisket I have cooked. I have left briskets in a faux cambro for long periods of time as well with no crumbling issues.

        Comment


          #7
          I have three Select grade briskets in the fridge.

          Two could pass for Choice, the other is just getting chopped.

          I find it best to treat obviously dry flats like other dry meats. Hotter and faster, this dry meat just requires a good long rest.

          Comment


          • Dilla
            Dilla commented
            Editing a comment
            What do you mean the other is getting Chopped, what will you do with it? How will you prepare that thing?

          #8
          Brisket Syndicate Where so you usually find CAB briskets? Just curious, is that the same thing as PRIME? Maybe a dumb question and I feel like I do or should already know this........
          Thanks Brother.

          Comment


            #9
            Not sure where you're from, but I mostly find CAB briskets at HEB, or at an actual meat market. CAB is supposed to be upper end of choice. No such thing as a dumb question.

            Comment


            • Brisket Syndicate
              Brisket Syndicate commented
              Editing a comment
              Keeps the sun off my big dome.

            • Papa Bob
              Papa Bob commented
              Editing a comment
              CAB is a designation not a grade, mostly a good marketing ploy but a very good choice to look for.

            • Brisket Syndicate
              Brisket Syndicate commented
              Editing a comment
              They claim that it is the upper end of choice, or prime, as designated by USDA. Not sure how much truth is in that.

            #10
            What's a CAB brisket?

            Comment


              #11
              Certified Angus Beef

              Comment


                #12
                Brisket Syndicate, you mentioned venting the brisket before putting it in a cambro. I haven't heard too many people talk about this on AR. Everybody says to go right from the smoker to the cambro. I have yet to cook a brisket, but I would think that venting is a good idea to prevent overcooking. Do you always vent your brisket until the internal temp. drops to 160 before storing in a cambro? What do all of you brisket cookers think?

                Comment


                • Brisket Syndicate
                  Brisket Syndicate commented
                  Editing a comment
                  I always vent my brisket. If you put a 200/205 IT brisket in a cambro/cooler it won't take it long to come up 5 to 10 degrees IT. Sometimes that's all it takes to Damn near ruin a brisket. You can vent it to any temp you want, depending on how long you want to hold it, but you may want to leave the lid partially open.

                #13
                airforcekixbutt, good question I really would like to have that point clarified as well. I makes sense to me to air it out to stop the cary over effect. But like you mentioned I have read in many post to stick it into the cambro to rest directly after the cook.

                Comment


                  #14
                  Don't worry about what the point is doing, cook the flat, probe the thickest part of the flat until probe tender, start checking it around 190, it don't really matter the cook temp you use 225 to 300 just roll it, better quality briskets are a good investment, I usually just buy angus, but have cooked lesser grades that turned out ok.

                  Comment


                    #15
                    Probe tender - take a brick of butter and put it in the fridge, put another brick out to warm to room temperature, probe them both the next day, the one from the fridge is not all the way done, the room temperature one is probe tender.

                    Comment

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