Bark On Brisket

[RAmorris]

I expose my brisket to smoke for 2 hours with the smoker at 250 degrees. Then I wrap it tightly in foil and cook it at 250 degrees in the oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees. It then rests still wrapped in the foil, also wrapped in a towel and in a cooler, for an hour. This produces tender, juicy, tasty brisket. But there is almost no bark.

Would removing it from the foil at an internal temperature of say, 185 degrees, then cooking it unwrapped on the smoker or in the oven, say at 275 degrees until the internal temperature reaches 200 give it bark? Is there another better way to give it bark?

Please see photo.

[smarkley]

Dude... don't get mad, but I suggest you read Meathead's article on brisket... follow his advise and it will be perfect!

​http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/texas_brisket.html

[Breadhead]

@smarkley

Great answer... I re-read Meathead's articles all the time just to remind myself of the proper techniques and temps.

[RAmorris]

I read Meathead's article on brisket. Regarding bark on brisket that has been wrapped in foil, it says "You can overcome that (soft bark) by pacing the meat over high heat for about 10 minutes per side just before slicing." Does he mean putting it on a grill over direct heat? I tried that and just got grill marks and a drier brisket. My unwrapping it and putting it back on the smoker at 275 until it reaches 200 degrees would be an attempt to modify the "high heat for 10 minutes per side." I guess I'll just have to experiment with this and see what will work.

[Jerod Broussard]

Cook until you get bark, then wrap. I've wrapped in the 190's on brisket that people still talk about. Brisket cooked almost 1.5 years ago.

[DWCowles]

It's hard not to talk about a brisket done by the "Brisket King" Jerod Broussard

[Huskee]

I'll say this, if ever I'm in Texas I have 3 places on the brisket list (in no particular order): Pecan Lodge, Franklin BBQ, and Jerod's house (or is it Broussard's BBQ?)

[Jerod Broussard]

"Hooked on Q BBQ"

[FLBuckeye]

RAmorris Just curious why you only leave the meat on the smoker for two hours? I don't see what you are cooking on so more details would help

[RAmorris]

I am cooking on a Backwoods G2 Party. I've found that once a cut of meat that will need to be wrapped in foil gets exposed to smoke for 2 hours, the smoky flavor is adequate and there is no reason to keep it on the smoker. It will be just as good finished in the oven and easier to control the temperature, although the Backwoods is pretty easy to control temperature on.

But I get your point. Maybe if I leave the brisket unwrapped until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 (the stall), I will have more bark. Then I'll just have to deal with hardening the soft bark that it will have coming out of the foil.

[FLBuckeye]

You can put the meat back on a grill with direct heat to firm the bark up nicely

[DeusDingo]

i've heard from a lot of people that they wrap it after it has stalled for a couple of hours until the bark is well established. apparently the bark isn't established very well at the beginning of the stall and needs a few more hours. other people have even said they wait until the stall is done and then they wrap it so they can get really good bark.

[FLBuckeye]

Harry Soo uses the thumbnail technique to check the bark to see if it is set. He runs his thumbnail across the bark and if doesn't come off, it is set

[Huskee]

I have a Wagyu brisket cook coming up, and I plan to notice the stall for statistical purposes, but to disregard it entirely. I will wrap on bark, like Jerod preaches. Looking forward to it. I hope to have good results to share.

[DWCowles]

Huskee my Wagyu brisket will be deliver tomorrow. I will be using Oakridge BBQ Black OPS Brisket Rub on it thanks to Spinaker and yes I will be firing up the Lang. 😎

[Huskee]

DWCowles woo hoo! I assume hickory?

[DWCowles]

Huskee you bet.

[Medusa]

Great info with this thread!

[fracmeister]

Cook until you get bark, then wrap. I've wrapped in the 190's on brisket that people still talk about. Brisket cooked almost 1.5 years ago.

Man you must have a great faux cambro if you can hold a brisket 18 months.

[DeusDingo]

maybe they are talking about "Is he still keeping that brisket in that cooler?"

[CurlingDog]

DeusDingo or they're asking themselves... what is that smell coming out of that cooler?!

[fracmeister]

Hey Jerod. You have a ways to go to set the record. http://www.china.org.cn/china/2012-0...t_26675303.htm

[smarkley]

hahaha.. lasts a long time if it is petrified! -- is that anything like freeze drying?