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Wobbly brisket: factors that come into play?

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    Wobbly brisket: factors that come into play?

    Hi!

    When cooking brisket, what key factors would you say are important to get that brisket to wobble like jello when done? Here's what I think, but I would love to hear y'all's opinion on the matter. After all, this is real important stuff

    1. Meat selection. Marbling is key.
    2. Don't cook it super fast. Allow the cook to take its time. I'm thinking 250-275° F.
    3. Wrap in butcher's paper.
    4. Allow for a good hold/rest.

    Do you agree? Did I miss something? I'm a schemin' an' a plannin' on how to do a brisket that is super wobbly, and the collective brain power in here is my #1 source for advice like this. I've done a ton of briskets, but I'm still learning.

    PS I'm thinking backyard cooking, not competition. So I skipped injection et.c. DS

    #2
    I think selection is super important. Your steps are real close to what I do.

    I've done hot/fast on my PBC and got a super wobbly brisket. I purchased a black angus choice packer from Restaurant Depot. When selecting one, I made sure it would bend when held from one end. Most will, but I want one that bends "the most". Also, I dry brined it for about 18 hours, trimmed with about 1/4" fat. Seasoned with dalmatian rub. PBC cooked at about 325F for most of cook. When the bark was set, around 165-170F internal, I wrapped in foil instead of paper. I only put a half can of beef consomme in wrap, poured slowly over beef as to allow it to soak in a bit. I did hold in my faux cambro for about 2 hours. It was one of my best efforts.

    I've done low/slow and haven't been able to get them as wobbly as the one described above. It could've been i got lucky on selecting the right one. I've done prime packers and have not gotten that close.

    Good luck.
    Last edited by au4stree; May 15, 2020, 07:54 AM. Reason: Edit to add: Wobbly should be a technical term. ;^)

    Comment


      #3
      Thanks for your input! Very interesting that running at higher temps didn’t matter, although it hasn’t been officially proven, so to speak. Will see what other members’ findings are.

      Comment


        #4
        Seems like a lot of people win competitions cooking hot and fast. I'm also personally not sold on butcher paper over foil.

        Comment


          #5
          All I know is that my wife loves my brisket with the method I've developed over the years. I never even paid attention to whether it "wobbled like jello" but now I will have to LOL

          Keys to my method
          1. quality meat, preferably Prime Grade (or equivalent, like Angus)
          2. 24 hour dry brine
          3. Minimalist rub .... salt, pepper, granulated garlic
          4. Consistent heat .... I cook it at 250F, but I think the key here is consistency more than the actual temp
          5. At least 1 hour, preferably 2, in a faux cambro or 170F oven. Wrapped in foil, not paper.

          Comment


          • Donw
            Donw commented
            Editing a comment
            +1. And I would add try a good quality pure Wagyu once in your life just for its wobbly goodness.

          • ecowper
            ecowper commented
            Editing a comment
            Donw one of these days I will .... although when I splurge on brisket, I normally buy Painted Hills free range stuff from my butcher shop. And that is off the hook!

          #6
          I can tell you this pastrami was wobbly like jello after smoking and steaming it.

          Click image for larger version

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          Comment


          • Attjack
            Attjack commented
            Editing a comment
            ecowper That was my first pastrami. Won't be my last!

          • ColonialDawg
            ColonialDawg commented
            Editing a comment
            ecowper that is not recommended these days...

          • ecowper
            ecowper commented
            Editing a comment
            ColonialDawg damn, too late

          #7
          I cook at 300-325 for 4 hours then wrap in pink butcher paper and continue cooking until probe tender. It's always nice and wobbly. Usually take 6hrs of cooking time and a minimum of an hour rest.
          Last edited by Hulagn1971; May 16, 2020, 10:15 AM. Reason: Forgot to mention 4hr time

          Comment


            #8
            So cook temp seems to be less important. Several of you mention probe tender, I forgot about that one in my list. I.e. feel the brisket for tenderness, don’t just cook by target temp.

            I agree on the foil vs paper, I’ve used foil more than paper, and think it is more of a personal preference thing.

            Comment


            • ecowper
              ecowper commented
              Editing a comment
              Probe tender is very important. I find that prime brisket gets to probe tender around 195-198 F .... going to 203 ends up with my brisket breaking apart, usually.

            #9
            Foil or foil pan wrapped with broth ends up tasting like mom’s pot roast. Texas style here, 275*, wrap in paper to keep the bark IF there’s a nasty stall, or just let it ride to probe tender. Rest, rest, rest !!!

            Comment


            • ecowper
              ecowper commented
              Editing a comment
              I NEVER put broth in the wrap. Just wrong. But I do prefer it wrapped in foil. Ends up with just a bit of fat drippings, never tastes like pot roast.

            #10
            Looking at brisket the higher the grade the better. When cooking one you are looking at 3 things, muscle development, fat and collagen development. Lower grades have worked harder and have stronger muscles so will be tougher, like wise the will have less fat developed. Collagen is present pretty equally in all the grades as it holds the muscles together. It will dissolve with heat and time. Thus the need for a long cook for a brisket. It has started as the stall begins and is pretty much absorbed as gelatin by the brisket by 180. If you have a high grade of brisket you can start probe checking at about 185, lower grades may take till 203.

            At least this has been my experience and from my book learning from trying to cook this beast over the over the last 40 years.

            So get the best grade you can afford and cook it at 275-300, fat side up to protect it. Take it off when it is probe tender, starting to check at 185.
            Last edited by mountainsmoker; May 15, 2020, 03:14 PM.

            Comment


              #11
              Getting a good grade is very important but right now it’s getting pretty hard to find that prime brisket with breaking the bank. I’ve started keeping them in their vacuum bags in the fridge for 40 days. One of the best briskets I’ve ever made was cooked at 350 F and wrapped in foil after it was 165 internal. It was cooked hot and fast because I over slept and needed to make up time...HA. Crazy how sometimes our mistakes make us do things out of our comfort zone and it turns out awesome!!!
              Last edited by Dadof3Illinois; May 15, 2020, 04:08 PM.

              Comment


                #12
                Ok, ok! I’m goin to echo a little of what ecowper mentioned. Never paid attention to havin my brisket "wobble like jello" he said. I say, what in blazes is everybody talkin about! Aaron Franklin never mentioned wobbly jello. I don’t recall it in Meatheads itinerary either. I know, you peeps are hosin me! When Ahumadora weighs in with WJ, then I know it is the end of me. I am not long fer this world. Bonesy, where do you stand on this?

                Comment


                • Ahumadora
                  Ahumadora commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Wobbly briskets are the bomb. If I am searching at the meat counter I pick them up and give em a shake to find the loose ones.

                • ecowper
                  ecowper commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Well, crap, mebbe I gotta try this wobbly like Jello thing

                • Steve R.
                  Steve R. commented
                  Editing a comment
                  I agree with Ahumadora and Mr. Bones. Good raw materials are the key. The floppier the better, and occasionally a choice or CAB can just have a better feel than a prime.

                #13
                Your steps are similar to what I do except we describe it as "Jiggle Like Jello" here .

                Sometimes I wrap, sometimes I don't - the meat kinda tells me what to do.

                Comment


                • Ahumadora
                  Ahumadora commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Slap it, so it jiggles like a fat *****

                • Troutman
                  Troutman commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Oh you nasty boy !!!

                • texastweeter
                  texastweeter commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Ahumadora can't help myself, something primal makes me slap it...

                #14
                This has deteriorated into nonsense. I’m all in!

                Comment


                • Mr. Bones
                  Mr. Bones commented
                  Editing a comment
                  I fer one, will express appreciation at havin an Expert present, fer potential consultation purposes lol!

                #15
                My last two were wobbly. I certainly can't predict if one will be wobbly or not. I buy CAB choice, I'm really picky about marbling and firmness. I want the loosest, limpest ones I can find. I wet age all my briskets 60 to 70 days. At that time the juices will have an off putting odor but as soon as the meat is rinsed all that goes away. I cook in a Kamado with a Smobot at 300F with just a salt and pepper rub. As soon as I get to probe tender I wrap in foil and rest it for 2 hours. I have changed the way I rest the brisket. I put an old towel on the counter then my wrapped brisket on a cookie sheet then a couple more old towels on top. I want it to cool slowly, but quicker than in my faux Cambro. It seems to keep more of the liquified connective tissue in the meat. I don't add any liquid when I wrap, I tried it and didn't care for it. The other thing I noticed was you had better have a very sharp knife with a brisket that tender if you want it to slice well. This is just my two cents worth. As I said in the beginning I can't predict if it will wobble, but I do get consistent very good brisket this way.
                Last edited by Oak Smoke; May 16, 2020, 07:45 AM.

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