Howdy Pithounds
I'd like a review of the Brisket I played with last weekend here in the UK. Please bear in mind I'm still right on the noob learning curve so happy to listen to all feedback.
Some stats:
3.5lb Grass Fed Point End Brisket cooked on a Monolith Grill
Straight Salt and Pepper rub
Cook took 10hrs....
Average pit temp was 250F
Brisket removed at 180F but continued to cook to 194 whilst resting
Spritzed every hour post the stall.
Taste wise it was fantastic. Had the right structure and pulled apart with little effort. Real beefy, strong taste and I got great Burnt Ends from the point. Could I do better? Always but there are so many experts on here, I'd love to hear your opinions
Thanks
Kid
22” Blue Weber Kettle with SnS insert
Kamado Joe Jr with Kick Ash Basket
Char-Broil Smartchef Tru Infrared Gasser
Anovo Hot Tub Time Machine with Custom Hot Tub
While I have only done one myself and it was grass fed, your looks amazing. And if you said the taste profile was there, I’d say you scored. Looks super moist too! Well done!ðŸ‘ðŸ¼ðŸ‘ðŸ¼ðŸ‘ðŸ¼
First of all, I like the fact that you're hoisting a pint in your avatar. As to the brisket the couple things I would suggest is that you cook the meat to a much higher internal temperature. If it probes like butter that's what's critical but generally that occurs between 195-205*F, depending on the piece of meat itself. Wagyu will probe sooner than later for instance.
The other critical step a lot of first timers miss is the rest. You need to rest it well wrapped in an oven or cooler for at least 1 or preferably 2 hours to allow the proteins to ramp down to around the 170*F mark. Do those two things and you will amaze your friends as to how good a brisket cooker you really are !!!
Cheers here too with a pint of my own mate !! (Ice cold though, not warm )
As to the dry result, I see you're using grass fed, it will do that more than grain fed. Maybe injecting and wrapping after the stall will help retain moisture. I like using a product with or using my own blend with phosphate to retain moisture.
Regardless, enjoy that briskie and brew ! Again cheers to you !!
I can not agree more on the resting time, the more I get confident and patient with rest times, the better each cook gets, it helps to build the patience timeline into the process, or so I believe, I’d rather rest longer, then shorter. Well, that is what I currently think at least.
Well taste, smell and texture are more important than anything we can say from pictures. The Monolith is a ceramic, burning charcoal right? You didn't mention any added wood for smoke and there is not much of a smoke ring--- this is IMHO purely cosmetic but hey... might want to consider that.
did you get a nice smoky taste?
zooming in on the slices it looked moist. But 3.5 lbs is so small (compared to the whole packers I cook) that I am impressed. I hardly ever see points sold by themselves (sometimes flats alone and then whole ones). Frankly I think just the point is a good thing so keep it up!
Hi
Yes, ceramic burning lumpwood charcoal and hickory smoked and it had a subtle smoky flavour. Thanks for taking the time to feedback, really appreciated.
Kid
That is strange you mention it drying out faster at higher temps closer to the ideal 195-203 range. I’d agree that you could get better results hitting that range and resting ( you mentioned you rested).
10 hours is a pretty long time for a 3.5 pounds of beef. I am glad it turned out well though.
I might suggest wrapping with butcher paper or foil with apple juice when it hits the stall. That way you will cut cooking time while adding lots of moisture. I am not sure the basting you are doing is adding the moisture you want as it is probably just extending the time to cook by keeping the meat cooler. The wrap as I mentioned will add moisture by steaming it gently and help there.
Hi
Yes, I normally wrap in butcher paper just past the stall but didn't on this occasion as I had none and it actually turned out better which was weird but I guess that's BBQ :-). Many thanks for your comments.
Thanks
Kid
First, as others have said, if it was to your taste, then you did a great job. What confuses me though is that you cooked it at 250, pulled it at 180, and over the next hour it rose to 194 degrees. What I normally see with my cooks is that when I am smoking at a relatively low temperature like 250, there's not much carryover cooking that happens at all - the temp in the middle of the meat is pretty close to the temp near the surface, and that's the intent with smoking low and slow. And a 3.5lb piece of meat doesn't have a ton of energy stored up in the outer areas to raise the inside by 15 degrees, again especially if you are cooking at 250.
How were you checking the temperature? Could it be that your cooking probe was in a weird spot and the meat actually did get up into the 195-200 range? Though normally a weird thermo placement means you get higher temps. It's a puzzle wrapped in an enigma...
Agreed, a real conundrum. I use Fireboard therms so as accurate as can be. Also placed in the thickest part of the point which made me slightly cautious given how quickly I could lose the bottom end. I may just have been lucky....
)
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