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BGE - Brisket (help?)

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aturco
aturco Posts: 55
in EggHead Forum
Good Morning Fellow Eggheads!
I have a 3.3 lb brisket on my Large Egg at this time, I know its small, it was cut in half. I have the egg stabilized at 250, platesetter with legs up and a drip pan filled with water on the platesetter, grate on top of that and the brisket on top of the grate. I have been reading a lot about the time vs temp of the brisket, etc. Looks like a rule of thumb is 1 hour to 1.5 hour a pound...thoughts on this?
Also seeing that when internal temp is 185-200 pull the meet...thoughts on this?
Sounds like there is more people that believe temp is more important over time, sounds correct to me, but wanted to get people's thoughts.
I made the other half of this brisket last week and had it on for 8 hours, it was about the same weight. turned out to be dry, taste was really good though.
I pulled it and did the foil/towel/cooler rest for a couple hours.
 
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
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    The time v temp suggestions are based on an assumed size range.  They do not necessarily hold when using pieces of a cut rather than the whole cut.
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,393
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    Temperature rules over time but with some proteins (and brisket is one of the them) feel is the true finish-line indicator.  When it "probes like buttah" in the thick part of the flat you are there.  Looks like a small flat cut right there.  The window to nail the finish-line is tight on a cut that size.  You may want to give the DR.  BBQ brisket flat a look, linked here:
    http://biggreenegg.com/recipes/brisket-flat/  Above all, have fun.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • aturco
    aturco Posts: 55
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    Not sure what you mean lousubcap when you say...You may want to give the DR.

    I just got batteries for my probe and put it in the meat, holding at 160 after 2 hours and 15 mins.
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  • Stoogie
    Stoogie Posts: 173
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    aturco said:
    Not sure what you mean lousubcap when you say...You may want to give the DR.

    I just got batteries for my probe and put it in the meat, holding at 160 after 2 hours and 15 mins.
    He means that he wants you to click on the link for DR. BBQ's recipe for brisket flats.
    Large BGE

    Neenah, WI
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  • thetrim
    thetrim Posts: 11,357
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    aturco said:
    Not sure what you mean lousubcap when you say...You may want to give the DR.

    I just got batteries for my probe and put it in the meat, holding at 160 after 2 hours and 15 mins.
    He was just referencing Dr. I.e. Doctor BBQ
    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
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  • aturco
    aturco Posts: 55
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    oh...thanks...been on for almost 6.5 hours, about an hour and half ago I took it off and wrapped it in butcher's paper and foil, right now probe says its at 191....thinking i should pull it and put it in the towel and the cooler...thoughts?

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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    aturco said:
    oh...thanks...been on for almost 6.5 hours, about an hour and half ago I took it off and wrapped it in butcher's paper and foil, right now probe says its at 191....thinking i should pull it and put it in the towel and the cooler...thoughts?


    If it were me I would wait a little longer. maybe 195 or a little over. This one is not going to get tender like a whole brisket would so I think going by temp is probably your best bet. A long cooler rest will do it some good. I would throw some type of liquid in there too.  a little beer or water or something like that. Not much- 1/4 cup or so and wrap it up tight for a few hours.

    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • aturco
    aturco Posts: 55
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    Thanx Cen-Tex...I pulled it and wrapped it in the towel and now its resting in the cooler. It had the butcher's paper and foil around it as well...I think next time I am going to try a bigger piece. I was able to maintain the temp of the egg @ 250 over the length of the cook, last time I did not have luck doing that. I will post a pic before I slice it. 
    Threw some brats on the egg to smoke as well!
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    aturco said:
    Thanx Cen-Tex...I pulled it and wrapped it in the towel and now its resting in the cooler. It had the butcher's paper and foil around it as well...I think next time I am going to try a bigger piece. I was able to maintain the temp of the egg @ 250 over the length of the cook, last time I did not have luck doing that. I will post a pic before I slice it. 
    Threw some brats on the egg to smoke as well!
    Nice. You will get the hang of the temps. Don't sweat it if these small briskets don't turn out like the pictures on Franklins BBQ website. If you can get a 3lb brisket tender you are a better cook than me. If its not tender enough just rough chop it and add sauce and make chopped brisket sandwiches. One of my faves. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • aturco
    aturco Posts: 55
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    After a long rest in the cooler wrapped in a towel, I pulled it out and sliced it. Really good flavor but dry. Can seem to figure out how to get a moist piece of meat out of my egg. Maybe this was too lean a cut of meat to begin with? 
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    aturco said:
    After a long rest in the cooler wrapped in a towel, I pulled it out and sliced it. Really good flavor but dry. Can seem to figure out how to get a moist piece of meat out of my egg. Maybe this was too lean a cut of meat to begin with? 

    like I said- if you can get a 3 lb brisket to be moist and tender in a smoker, you are a wizard. It's not the egg, it's the cut of meat you started with. I'm not sure where you are located but I'm able to find smaller packers here (like 5-6lbs) and they are great. That will be 3-4lbs finished weight. If that's too much meat, You can vac seal the leftovers and warm them back up or give some to a friend or neighbor. You are really wasting your time and money trying to get a 3lb piece flat to be serviceable. I tried this so many times when I was just learning because  "I didn't want to waste money on big one if I screwed it up". I always thought I couldn't get it right and quit doing them for a while (and should have because I really had no idea what I was doing back then). I have never known anybody who could cook a 3lb flat on a smoker of any kind and make it right. So- good news- it's not you, it's not your egg, it's just not a cook that is meant to be. Find a small packer or do a small pork butt if you want reliable bbq in a smaller cut. If you are doing these small cuts because you don't want to screw up a big one, then you need to change your mindset. If you are doing it because it's too much food, then save some or give some away. I have never been yelled at for bringing bbq to someone.

    Go find a small (or large) whole packer brisket and let me know when you are ready. I'll walk you through it and you will be on your way. There are several other guys on here who will be glad to help. We've all taken it on the chin with bad briskets many times. That's how you learn to make good ones.

    You'll get there- this is just part of learning how.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    Don't trust the above suggestion... Centex couldn't cook a brisket if his life depended on it.  =)
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    henapple said:
    Don't trust the above suggestion... Centex couldn't cook a brisket if his life depended on it.  =)
    Nice to see you back. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • aturco
    aturco Posts: 55
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    Okay, thanks for the words of wisdom Cen-Tex! I already have my guy looking to get me a larger cut of meet. This one was from a 6 pounder, I cut it in half, next cook, I will not cut it in half, I will cook the whole brisket. Your are right didnt want to mess up a large cut of meat in the cook, 6 pounds or more next time. Hopefully I will get it in time before next weekend. If not I will pick up a pork butt or shoulder and try that, I've had varied success in the past with those. I am for some reason not getting the moistness I'd expect with these cuts of meat. I am using a drip pan on the place setter (legs up) filled with water and placing the cut of meat on top of the grate which is on top of the drip pan. I am thinking an 8 pounder shoulder or butt for the next cook if dont get the brisket in time. 
    I did bring the brisket to my corner bar and everyone loved the taste but agreed it was not fall apart moist like I am trying to get to. That is the fun about the egg...keep trying and making friends along the way!

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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    aturco said:
    Okay, thanks for the words of wisdom Cen-Tex! I already have my guy looking to get me a larger cut of meet. This one was from a 6 pounder, I cut it in half, next cook, I will not cut it in half, I will cook the whole brisket. Your are right didnt want to mess up a large cut of meat in the cook, 6 pounds or more next time. Hopefully I will get it in time before next weekend. If not I will pick up a pork butt or shoulder and try that, I've had varied success in the past with those. I am for some reason not getting the moistness I'd expect with these cuts of meat. I am using a drip pan on the place setter (legs up) filled with water and placing the cut of meat on top of the grate which is on top of the drip pan. I am thinking an 8 pounder shoulder or butt for the next cook if dont get the brisket in time. 
    I did bring the brisket to my corner bar and everyone loved the taste but agreed it was not fall apart moist like I am trying to get to. That is the fun about the egg...keep trying and making friends along the way!

    There you go. We will get you there. Let me know when you are ready to go again and I'll see if I can get you set up right. There are many more on here who can help too, 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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