2nd Attempt at a Brisket - starting now

GoooDawgs

As you guys saw a couple weeks ago, I tried my first brisket and walked away with a lot of lessons learned. Here's what I'm working with this time: - 17 pound CAB choice from Restaurant Depot, trimmed down to about 13 (a lot I know - see pics and let me know if I did too much) - Rub was Franklin's S&P, injected in the flat with low sodium beef broth and just a tablespoon of worcestershire. - wood is 50/50 red oak & hickory - FB200 set to 250 This time I just used the regular platesetter (instead of the PS +XL stone that was a mistake last time). I plan on wrapping in butcher paper at 165. Hoping to have it ready for my son's 1st birthday party at 4. Stay tuned! And could someone confirm my probe is in the right spot? Thanks

MaskedMarvel

I think you GOT THIS ONE!!!


Cant see any pics here, tho

GoooDawgs

For some reason the picture upload function is down right now...I'll try again in the morning

GoooDawgs

tikigriller

I am a rookie so don't trust me, but that probe looks like it is in the point. Needs to be in the flat. 

I think everything looks great, but I blew my first so I am very anxious to see how your second goes!!!!!

I feel like you are going to nail it. 

GoooDawgs

tikigriller said:

I am a rookie so don't trust me, but that probe looks like it is in the point. Needs to be in the flat. 

I think everything looks great, but I blew my first so I am very anxious to see how your second goes!!!!!

I feel like you are going to nail it. 

If you zoom in on the probe it's going in sideways - not vertical -kind of an optical illusion.   I think it's the thickest part of the flat that it's in - but honestly I have a hard time figuring out where the point stops and the flat begins! 

tikigriller

I'm sure someone will chime in. I am really nervous about giving my opinion here because I simply just don't know for sure. The good news is you have PLENTY of time to fix it if it isn't. :lol 

fusionhq

I'm putting one on in about three hours. I have yet to nail one, but looks like you and I are on the same track! I'll be excited to see how it ends up. 

GoooDawgs

Flameboss did a nice job of babysitting over night - held rock solid at 250.

It's been 7.5 hours and I'm in the stall.  Internal temp was 163, but now it shows 161 due to sweating.  I was just about to get the butcher paper to wrap at 165 but looks like I'll have to wait a little longer. 

Calling on the pros to confirm the probe is in the right spot @SGH, @lousubcap, @Brisket_Fanatic.   (Note that the meat probe is an "L" shape,  so it's actually in sideways pointing towards the flat)

lousubcap

@GoooDawgs  -  Gonna be a great ride-no pro here but given you have around 2" of probe into the meat you are likely there.  Tough to tell for sure but let it ride (this is not an exact science) and as you get close you can use something else to do the probing for doneness in a few places.  Most likely you won't get the entire flat to release when ready to declare victory anyhow.  The FTC usually brings the stubborn pockets home.
Good looking brisket and trim job from my perspective.  Enjoy the cook and eats.
 

GoooDawgs

In the butcher paper now.  So far I like the bark on this one better than the first one. 

Gman2

Looking good!! Your in for some good eats!!

MotownVol

Looks great.   Enjoy.

Brisket_Fanatic

I am humbled to be mentioned and yes it appears you have the probe in the thickest part of the flat.  My experience with injection are that sometimes the stall lasts longer. It looks great so far, now bring it home brother!

tikigriller

It's the top of the 7th and you appear to have a big lead!!!!!  Hope your bullpen is better than the Giants!!!

cant wait for the money shot. Your cook is probably going to be the decider for me on the butcher paper thing. 

GoooDawgs

tikigriller said:

It's the top of the 7th and you appear to have a big lead!!!!!  Hope your bullpen is better than the Giants!!!

cant wait for the money shot. Your cook is probably going to be the decider for me on the butcher paper thing. 

Haha I like it.  Right now it's about 191, still a little resistance though.  My last Restaurant Depot brisket was a little dry at 200, so I'm thinking about 195 should be good.  Then it's resting just in the paper for 30 minutes to stop the carry over,  then wrapped in towel and cooler into the cool until 4 ET for the party.  

4Runner

Looks good.  I like to use 2 probes to double check placement. Also, I prefer to insert probe against the grain.  Trust the feel and don't worry about temp at this point.  Waiting on the money shots now.  

GoooDawgs

Almost declared victory on it, thickest part of the flat  probed nicely at 195, but the middle, thinner section was in the high 180s and still tough to probe.  I'll try again in 30 minutes. 

tikigriller

Very interested now to see if people suggest pulling and letting it finish off in FTC......this is that point where I lost  mine!

lousubcap

As you wrestle with when to declare victory, if you are there with a great majority of the flat (and especially the thicker parts as it approaches the point) and just have a few stubborn sections that aren't with the program, declare it finished-set on a cooling rack for around 20-25 mins (stop the carry-over cooking) then FTC til ready to slice on demand.  Sometimes the thin parts blow right thru the finish-line and it is easily missed.  (I usually foil protect the thin part of the flat for the first few hours of the cook in an attempt to let it finish out with the rest.  A crap-shoot option at best-friggin cow.)  

GoooDawgs

Thanks @lousubcap. I just declared victory - finally felt the buttah probe and everything was jiggly.  It's taking a small rest for 20 minutes, then into the cooler.   Sliced pics coming later. 

lousubcap

Great looking result right there.  Great eats await.  Enjoy the banquet as I'm sure you will.  

Lit

If you have spots still probing in the 180s I would be very hesitant to pull it especially if it's not probing tender. Bark looks great though good food ahead.

tikigriller

I'm as excited to see the slice as if I was going to get to eat it!  Sure looks awesome!

GoooDawgs

Overall I'd say this brisket was better than the last..  some delicious slices and some dry.   Here are some of my observations and questions:

1) Excellent bark, however the butcher paper stuck to the fat cap and pulled some of the bark off when slicing.  What could be causing this?  I wrapped after the stall at 165.

If I'm using a 2" tall drip pan, could this be limiting the airflow underneath and thus hurting the bark?  Should I raise the grid?

2) The beast was very juicy going into the cooler, stayed wrapped for 4 hours and was served at an internal temp of 140.   When sliced, the flat was pretty dry.

Some pieces passed the bend, but most when I held vertical required more than a slight tug to tear, and felt dry.   Is this a sign I did not cook it long enough? 

The point was excellent, but I still struggled to find where the point ended and flat began.  

Everyone made sandwiches and seemed to enjoy as there were 2nds and no leftovers,  but as we all are on this forum we are our worst critics.

I'm guessing I needed to cook it longer and dont let it rest for 4 hours.  Here are the slices.

lousubcap

Looks like a winner to me and if the consumers liked then that's the main thing.
Regarding your ??-
#1) no comment on the paper as I don't use. Drip pan height/clearance.  My drip pan has around 3/8-1/2" from the lip of the pan to the cooking grid.  No XL here but if you have any spacing at all it should work.
#2) Did you FTC it while still in the paper?  The moisture content shouldn't change that much with the FTC.  The width of the slice is a great contributor to the bend and pull test.  If around 1/4" wide the pull test with a little effort should yield the split.  It does depend on where you sliced the flat for the test.  Normally a dry crumbly slice is overcooked.  But if in only a small part of the flat then that is a solid result.  Now if "dry/tough' then it may not have run long enough but that is inconsistent with the probe feel you got in the thick part of the flat 

Misc:  When you get the feel in the great majority of the flat you are there.  Tough to run longer without a downside.  The four hour FTC was not a factor.  Many have run much longer (friggin cow) and I am guilty of that.
All above FWIW-regardless, a brisket cook is about the most fun you can have with the BGE.  

GoooDawgs

Thanks @lousubcap.  After I took it off the egg, I left it in the paper for 25 minutes on a cooling tack,  then wrap it in a towel and put it in a cooler that I had pre-warmed.   

Are you suggesting to remove from the paper and switch to foil before it goes into the cooler?

lousubcap

I can't comment directly on the switch process but given the main purpose (at least to me) is to preserve the bark once it is set, then after you remove it from the BGE, I can't see where it adds any value.  The FTC is to keep the protein warm for a protracted period of time ( and initially letting the meat come to equilibrium temp/moisture-wise) so I would go to the foil wrap.  But that is worth a thread-I'm on it  

GoooDawgs

Makes sense to me.  Round 3 will start soon and I'll try it. 

Hawg Fan

I'm not an expert and I agree with everything @lousubcap said.  Solid advice.  The only difference is I trim the top side of the packer, but I try to leave a 1/8" layer of fat that will render during the cook and help keep the flat moist.  I don't wrap in paper, but I do FTC as soon as the brisket comes off of the Egg.  I want the brisket to continue to cook and get tender while resting for a minimum of 2-3 hours before slicing.

tikigriller

Congrats!!!!  No matter how you feel about the final product and room for improvement, it is very apparent you improved on your first, so that alone is awesome!  

Seconds and no left overs is also a great sign. My first had nobody asking for seconds. All one needs to know!!

Congrats again.