Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Brisket Help

UKBradC
UKBradC Posts: 46
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I cooked a 11 lb beef brisket this weekend and it did not turn out as I had hoped. I had the place setter for indirect cooking (L BGE), put the brisket right on the grill (fatcap down) with a drip pan underneath, cooked for about one hour per pound (1AM - Noonish) to an internal temp of around 150. The thickest part came out very tender but the ends were very tough and pretty much inedible. Suggestions or advice on what I did wrong for next time?

Thanks!

Comments

  • Oh and the temp was 220F
  • MJF24
    MJF24 Posts: 146
    Brisket is a tough cook to begin with, but I think you want to take the final temperature closer to 190. At 150 degrees, I think you were just entering the plateau where the fat starts to break down and soften the meat.

    There are many useful tips in the attached link:
    http://www.nakedwhiz.com/brisket.htm
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    Yep you didn't cook it long enough. Never ever cook to time. Cook to internal temp. With Brisket that temp is 195-200 degs.

    Kick that dome temp up to 250 degrees. Tough to reach 200 degrees when your grate temp is below that.
  • You need to take brisket to about 195*
  • Rolling Egg
    Rolling Egg Posts: 1,995
    Agree with all. Just not enough time. As wolf says, Cook to temp not time. Always remember that and you wont mess much up.
  • Hi UK,

    I just posted this elsewhere but perhaps it will help you as well.

    Brisket takes commitment but the results are worth it. There are some very basic rules to follow and they are quite lengthy.

    I would advise that you use double briskets not singles. I assume that you have put a half-decent rub on the brisket. Don't use sugar. Wrap and put in the fridge over night.

    Figure your cooking time from 1.5 to 2 hours per pound. So your 11 lb big boy will take 16.5 to 22 hours to smoke. This means you should start the smoking the day before you're going to serve it. And you should allow for another 1 to 2 hours for resting. Always work out the time you need and work backwards to a starting point. If your guests arrive and the brisket is at 150, you're screwed. You are always better off finishing earlier than late. If you are very early, you can wrap the finished brisket in double foil and stick it in an oven heated to only 170. This will keep the brisket warm without cooking it further.

    Your fire temperature (or what is showing on the thermometer on the lid of the Egg) should be in the 190 to 210 range. Your internal meat temperature target should be 190. Get and use a remote thermometer. It is essential.

    Fire building at low temperatures is an art. The secret is to clean as much ash as you can from the bottom of the egg before using. Try to put most of the charcoal on one side of the egg. These steps will maximize your air flow which is key.

    For flavour, if you like it smoky as I do, use hickory chunks. Do not use chips. They're useless.

    So get your fire going and hold its temperature to 190-210. Throw in your pre-soaked wood chunks. Put in your place setter, legs up. Now put on your drip pan, half-filled with water. Set the grill above. Put the brisket on top fat side up. Put your remote thermometer probe in the fattest part of the meat. Close the lid.

    Make a basting mixture (worcestershire sauce, bbq sauce, beer and whatever). Don't use anything sugary and add a fair amount of water. You don't want to add anything thick to the meat . Mop every hour. If you have to go to bed, don't worry about it, just resume mopping in the morning.

    Now for the most important piece of information. Brisket is a strange piece of meat. As you follow the read-outs on your remote, you will notice at the outset that the temperature is climbing steadily; however, when it reaches between 155 and 165, it plateaus. That is the temperature just stays there. In fact it can stay there for up to 3 hours before it starts to climb again. Most people who are unaware of this will think that they did something wrong and quit or increase the fire temperature which, of course, will destroy your desired result. So doubt panic. The temperature will rise again in time. Just wait.

    After the brisket has rested, you are ready to serve. Slice on a 45 degree angle to the grain.

    Easy, no?