Beginner cool, brisket flat always dry

[Aaronkok]

A newbie cook here. Using the shotgun smoker.

Been trying to get brisket right, and it’s so difficult. Flat always tend to be dry, and not sure if it’s over or undercooked.

have tried wrapping with foil, butcher and naked. Tried 225, 250 & today 300.

Today’s cook was 300 for about 3 hours till it hit 160 at the flat , then wrapped and continued till 205 at the point and probe tender everywhere. Rested an hour.

Point was moist enough but flat was chalky & dry.

Briskets are normal choice packer briskets at about 11lbs untrimmed.

the best brisket I did was a prime which I think I overcooked and it was falling apart with the flat a little dry.

I’m about to throw in the towel 😠I have read/watched/listen, still not getting it. Only thing I haven’t done is injection & separating the point & flat

*edit* Just realize today’s cook was lacking the smoke ring due to how fast I wrapped when it hit the temp.

[Chuck in Charlotte]

I feel your pain, and it sucks when you spend the extra bucks for a prime and it still comes out dry. I can't offer much advice, only encouragement. After two dry briskets I started cutting them up into smaller pieces. I can nail the point, but my wife doesn't like the fatty part. I'm getting closer on the flat, though I've yet to have what I'd call a complete success. If it were easy I guess everyone would be good at it. I'm going to keep trying and if I find a magic bullet I'll let you know.

[Aaronkok]

If it were easy I guess everyone would be good at it. I'm going to keep trying and if I find a magic bullet I'll let you know.

its THAT difficult? Ouch.. today’s was just a choice, made a prime before, it was slightly better but still lacking..

[Jerod Broussard]

My best flats came off packers that were wet- aged 40- 42 days, forget the exact time. Cooked uncovered until 195 internal, then wrapped and taken to 203. Uncovered and aired out to cool down enough to place in the freezer, then the fridge. They were reheated to 165 and put in a cooler to hold for three more hours. They had a nice slick at slicing, were tender, and dry like any normal flat after a minute of being allowed to oxidize.

[Ahumadora]

*edit* Just realize today’s cook was lacking the smoke ring due to how fast I wrapped when it hit the temp.

The smoke ring has already been set before it hits the stall. Smoke won't penetrate the fat. If you want a deeper ring, make sure the meat is super cold when you place it in the pit. Without knowing much else about your set up it is hard to advise.

[Aaronkok]

Oh wow....... 🤯 that’s a lot of work!!!

My best flats came off packers that were wet- aged 40- 42 days, forget the exact time. Cooked uncovered until 195 internal, then wrapped and taken to 203. Uncovered and aired out to cool down enough to place in the freezer, then the fridge. They were reheated to 165 and put in a cooler to hold for three more hours. They had a nice slick at slicing, were tender, and dry like any normal flat after a minute of being allowed to oxidize.

[Jerod Broussard]

Yeah, but they tought me some important lessons.

[RonB]

Briskets dry quickly when sliced. I would only slice what you want to plate. If someone wants more, cut it when they ask.

Flats are very lean and normally dryer than the point, but you should be able to get *some* moisture in the flat. I don't do a lot of briskets, but have never had a problem.

Try smokin' a chuck roast the same way you smoke a brisket. Buy the one with the most marbling you can find. If you take it up to probe tender you can pull it like a pork butt or carefully slice it.

[jfmorris]

I second this - I sorta cringe when I see a picture of a sliced up brisket flat like that, as I know it dries out so quickly.

[fzxdoc]

I tried to Like your comment, jfmorris but was blocked out. Consider it liked!

Kathryn

[Sweaty Paul]

I think cooking a prime brisket makes a difference too. I have found that dry brining is key (just as Meathead writes about) and if you can dry brine a minimum of overnight good, but, a full 24 hours better.

I then inject mine. I have had great success wrapping after they hit the stall at about 165. I tend to use foil to capture the juices for use for reheating for brisket tacos hash etc. I don’t add any other braising liquid. Think the next one will be wrapped in butcher paper for fun.

Good luck!

[fzxdoc]

Eggsactly. Injecting with a mixture of Butcher BBQ's phosphate mixed with homemade beef broth is the magic bullet for me, usually. Every cut is different, though--some more forgiving than others.

Kathryn

[Sweaty Paul]

Concur. That’s what I inject with too. I can tell a big difference with dry brining too.

[jfmorris]

Aaronkok This is almost the opposite of my experience with briskets, but all of mine have been USDA Prime from Costco, averaging 16 to 18 pounds before the trim. I dry brine for 24 hours, pull from the fridge, rub down with whatever rub I am using, and go straight from fridge to smoker. I have been wrapping in foil with a cup of beef broth when it hits 160-165, and start checking for probe tender at 195. Usually they've gone to 200 to 205. I tend to serve these for Sunday lunch, and pull from the smoker before church, and let sit in faux cambo for 4-5 hours, which I think also helps with moist results.

I've done about half of mine on my offset, with a mix of charcoal and wood and half on the kettle with the SNS and its water pan. No water pan on the offset.

What RonB says about slicing is key - the flat dries out very quickly when sliced. I slice as I serve, and no more. I try to capture all the "au jus" from the foil when I unwrap it, and ladle a little of that over the meat if someone wants some on their plate.

What is a shotgun smoker?

[Aaronkok]

Thank you! I’m starting to think the grade makes a lot of difference (DUH) 🤣

Shotgun smoker is a vertical insulated by BBQGuru

[jfmorris]

Cool Aaronkok I just looked up that smoker and it looks like a very nice one!

[Red Man]

You mentioned the temp in the point when you pulled it. Don’t even worry about point temp. Worry about temp in the thickest part of the flat...better yet pull it when it’s probe tender in the thickest part of the flat. When I’m slicing flat from a packer, I start my slices in the middle of the flat, those will be the best. What’s your resting procedure? I put it in a 170 degree oven and after a while I turn the oven off.

[Nuke em]

I think I know what your problem might be.
1. You say you take the point to 205. dont judge it by the temp of the point. Judge temp by the flat. Put your probe in the flat. When it hits 190-195 start probing to see if it feels like butter. When your flat is done max 203 (not 205, big difference), then your point is done.
2. Make sure your probe is not in the fat between the point and flat.
3. When trimming before the cook, leave a little more fat on the flat. It does something to make it not dry out. (A buffer zone). The fat could be trimmed after cooking and sliced before serving
the dryness is from over cooked. Take your temps by the flat and you’ll be good to go
when I do briskets (doing 3 a week now) I have been cooking them at 275. It cooks em faster, gives the smoke ring and the bark all in one. The avg temp for the cooks is around 250. (Lump charcoal).
I cook the briskets without injecting and I do not wrap.
I do salt 24 hours ahead.
I will be heading to the store today to grab another 30 plus pounds for this upcoming weekend.

[Ahumadora]

All good points

[jfmorris]

Very good advice - I always put my probe in the thickest part of the flat, avoiding the deckle (layer of fat between flat and point). I don't ever take a temp read on the point. I am wondering if his flat is undercooked if he was probing the point. The fat versus lean heats so differently...

[Aaronkok]

So it’s almost like treating the flat like chicken breast meat! And how much does the grade matter?