Tough parts of a brisket

[wcpreston]

On my continuous quest to make sure I know what I'm doing...

The last question I asked was "probe tender where?" And what I got was "the thickest part of the flat." So I tried to do that this time when I cooked my brisket – and I think I waited too long.

Details: 50-day wet-aged Prime Costco packer brisket. Smoked it at 250F and all looked beautiful. I started probing around 190F and the point was perfect, and the thickest part of the flat started feeling good around 195F.

BUT there was a part of that thick point that was thicker than the rest. If memory serves, with pork shoulders, the thinking was cook until all parts are probe tender. So I decided to do that here. That never happened, even when I got to 205F. And I think I overcooked the flat.

Thoughts? Ignore the one tough spot? Smoke until MOST of the thick part of the flat is probe tender?

[Spinaker]

I like to separate the point from the flat because of this reason. These two pieces of meat cook at different rates and are often probe tender at different times. I cook it until the whole thing is probe tender.

The point always seems to be probe tender at about the same time, all over. However, the flat generally has a few tough spots. This is where wrapping the flat can come in handy. I will start probing when the meat is at about 185 F or so. This is when I have sufficient bark built up and I am ready to wrap. Wrapping will allow the meat to come up in temp, but it will also allow for more even heating through out the piece of meat. Then you can simply move the meat to the cambro once you reach 202 F or so thought out the whole flat.

[texastweeter]

Dad KenC52 separates and does well. I leave whole and go probe tender in thickest part of the flat. If you crutch it usually works out either way.

[LA Pork Butt]

I am with Spinaker on separating the point from the flat, but I usually wrap the flat when it goes into the stall and let the point finish unwrapped. Both of us cook on a Large Big Green Egg without a water pan. Your cooker may make things go differently. I use two probes to monitor temperature - one in the point and the other in the flat.

[Spinaker]

Yep! That is not a bad idea to wrap the flat and let the point roll naked. I might have to try that on my next brisket cook. Been a while since I have said HI! Hope you are well!

[LA Pork Butt]

Spinaker It is always good to hear from you and swap ideas. I am still cooking 275 spare ribs at your suggestion. It usually cuts an hour off of the cook.

[Spinaker]

Great to hear! LA Pork Butt

[JoeSousa]

On my last brisket cook I cooked two at the same time unwrapped. One finished up great. Everything was probe tender right around 200. But the other one was probe tender on the end of the flat, in the middle where the flat and point meet, and the point. But there was about a 3 or 4 inch section in the middle of the flat that just wouldn't get tender. No idea why and I had never had that happen before.

So I just carved around it and used that chunk of meat to make brisket chili.

[Jerod Broussard]

How long did you hold after the cook??

[CaptainMike]

I too have begun separating, but I also choose briskets that are as thick as I can find at the end, along with other criteria.

[Santamarina]

I cut the packer in half where the point meets the flat. I do this because I use a vertical smoker and the full packer won’t fit. Of course I then discovered that the two pieces were done at different times. It was a win-win.

[tdimond]

My last brisket cook had a couple of those not quite as tender spots, but the hold took care of it. That wound up to be a four hour hold, but a minimum of two hours should help with tenderness.

I took the cook prior to probe tender throughout and wound up overcooked in spots after the hold.

[wcpreston]

Thanks so much for the replies.

So besides splitting the point and flat, is the general idea to cook until all parts of the flat are point tender? Or cook it until most are tender and let the rest fix the tough spots?