Strange Brisket cook

[pjlstrat]

Well this started weird from the get go and never stopped!!! Had a crew coming over and wanted to do a Brisket on my Primo XL. I had already done one a year ago and was happy with it.

I bought from Creekstone farms for 1st time. Pricey, but if it's good enough for Franklin.....

I get a ping on the phone that it's delivered, I go check and there are two boxes. Open both and they sent 2 18 Lb prime Briskets. I only ordered one. Checked my order, only one, checked my CC and paid for only one. I called and left a message letting them know and they never called back. Now have 36 Lb of Brisket. I chose the one that looked best and froze the other.

(BTW I saw some complaints about thin flats on the creekstone Brisket and can confirm. I was not impressed with the flat thickness.)

Trimmed it up, S&P only and in fridge overnight for dry Brine. In the mean time I go looking for my digiQ and thermoworks and can not find the meat probe for the Thermoworks. ripped house apart and no luck. So going to have to open the lid and check with thermopen.

Loaded smoker with BGE charcoal, brand new bag and all tiny small chunks! First time that has ever happened.

I put it on at 7PM Saturday night, dialed it in at 225 deg and let it do it's thing. Figured it would be done late Saturday morning then into the cooler for couple of hours while guests arrived. 11AM Sunday I am still only at 165. Shooting for 203. By 2PM, guests arriving I am at 170, ughh!!!! By 3PM I am losing temperature cause I am out of fuel and I am at 185 deg. So after 19 hours still no 203!!!

I had no choice at that point to pull cut and serve. My brother in law thought he was helping and carved it for me, while I was outside, and he cut the whole things with the grain!! I had to cut anything into chunks to serve.

All in all, it was a cluster, but it came out pretty good. was pretty tender and very juicy. Guests seemed to like it.


To say I have Brisket "figured out' would be a gross overstatement. I got my but kicked!! Oh well back to the drawing board, but at least I have a free Brisket to give another go.

[LA Pork Butt]

Nightmare!!! Darn pieces of meat never behave the same. I have a brisket point and flat separated on my BGE now and it is moving slower than usual. I plan to serve at noon, and the internal temp is not yet 160. So, it looks like I’ll be wrapping at the 10 hour mark.

[CaptainMike]

Sometimes we just get a bad hop and take it on the chin. Some time ago I started doing brisket cooks at 250-275 and they seem to be a little more predictable.

[Thom Emery]

You can always finish em in the oven ;0)
I won't tell no one
We are cooking brisket at 300 all the time now

[Oak Smoke]

300 works great for me too.

[pjlstrat]

For those at the higher temps, are you wrapping as well, or no?

[Red Man]

I cook them around 275. I like to wrap with butcher paper when the bark is set, around 180 IT.

[Oak Smoke]

Up until my last one I wrapped in butcher paper at 180. On the last one I set the Smobot at 300, closed the lid and didn't check it again until 195 internal. It was still a little tight so I went to 203. At that point it was like butter, wrapped and into the faux Cambro for 2 1/2 hours. It was by far the best I've ever done. The total cook time was 10 hours, not counting the time it rested.

[Thom Emery]

Yes I wrap at 160 and final temp is based on how long I will need to hold em
195 works when I slice and serve it 4 or 5 hours later
If its a eater at me casa I take it to butter consistency

[klflowers]

My last one finished in the oven after around 16 hours on the wsm.

[jecucolo]

Well at least you another brisket!
hopefully it will be more fun!

[RonB]

As long as the guests enjoyed the meat, it was a successful cook. BUT that doesn't mean you, (we), can't do better. If your cook is going to slow just raise the temp and wrap if you want.

[Sweaty Paul]

Sounds like you did the best you could given what you were given. Silver lining you have another brisket with which to play for free! Good luck!