Brisket toughens as it cools?

[taffenhoffsbbq]

Hey guys, just wondering if you noticed this with your briskets. I cook them till probe tender (typically) but as I unwrap the brisket to let all the carryover heat to dissipate, and the IT drops a bit, the brisket tightens up. Is this normal?

[58limited]

I have not noticed this but I don't unwrap, I put the wrapped brisket into a cooler right off the pit and cover with towels for several hours. This lets it cool down slowly and allows some of the juices to reabsorb into the meat.

[Draznnl]

This is how I do it as well.

[Jerod Broussard]

All meat tightens as it cools. There is essentially no carryover cooking with briskets. I've never had a brisket rise even one degree straight off the smoker. There's not enough temperature discrepancy between the surface and internal temperatures.

[jfmorris]

That seems normal to me. But I always rest my brisket for 1-2 hours minimum in a cooler before slicing. Seems to help tenderize things further, and it is still very hot when I pull it out. I left one for 5-6 hours one time at it was still up at 160F, having been 205F when it went into the cooler.

Thinking about it, brisket is the only meat I rest, at all. Boston butts I let sit for a bit to be cool enough to pull, but I don't rest them in cambro like I do brisket.

[Dadof3Illinois]

I have noticed that yes they will tighten up at first but after an hour or so they seem to loosen back up for me.

[Steve R.]

As others have hinted at, keep it wrapped and hold for at least a couple of hours. That hold time is an important part of the process, in my experience.

[taffenhoffsbbq]

Thanks you guys! I thought I was suppose to unwrap to let off the carryover heat, but the process is ever changing.