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

Options
Kruegs
Kruegs Posts: 128
in EggHead Forum

The bottom of my Brisket gets really tough.  By tough, I mean that I can't cut through it with a knife.

 

I am cooking it fat side up, 225 degrees, about 16.5 hours or until it hits 200 degrees.  The rest of the brisket tastes great. 

 

Any thoughts on how to prevent this?

XL BGE; CyberQ Wifi; Adjustable Rig, Woo2 Green Bay, Wisconsin
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    Options
    What's the bottom, just the bark or well into the meat? It might be that you just need a sharper knife.

    Does this happen every time you do a brisket or just on the last one?
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Kruegs
    Kruegs Posts: 128
    Options

    By the bottom I mean just the bark.  The knife is a brand new $200 slicer, so I am confident that isn't the problem.

    I had the same problem on my last brisket but not nearly as bad.

    XL BGE; CyberQ Wifi; Adjustable Rig, Woo2 Green Bay, Wisconsin
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Budgeezer
    Budgeezer Posts: 669
    Options
    I cook mine fat side down, maybe give that a try.
    Edina, MN

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bicktrav
    bicktrav Posts: 640
    Options
    Also cook mine fat side down.  I switch to fat side up for the final portion of the cook to crisp up the bottom, but it's fat side down about 80 percent of the cook.  I'd give that a try.  If that doesn't work, I'd consider foiling at around 160.
    Southern California
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • plumbfir01
    plumbfir01 Posts: 725
    Options
    I have had better luck fat side down to protect the meat... give it a try
    Beaufort, SC
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
    Options
    I'm guessing it's all in your setup. are you using a drip pan?


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Kruegs
    Kruegs Posts: 128
    Options
    I am using a drip pan.  Set up is a using a AR w/ Spider.  Brisket is on just below gasket and I've been doing a butt on the rig extender above the brisket.
    XL BGE; CyberQ Wifi; Adjustable Rig, Woo2 Green Bay, Wisconsin
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
    edited October 2013
    Options
    so you are using the smaller stone on the spider and the brisket right above that? If so,that's your issue. That stone is too small to protect the bottom of your brisket for that long of a cook. I use the oval stone with a drip pan above that and then the brisket at or a little above felt level. i don't do a butt at the same time though. you could do it the way you are doing it but flip the brisket half way through the cook or even switch the butt and the brisket once the brisket shrinks enough to fit on the extender.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories