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When is the brisket done???

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edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
In progress of cooking an 8# brisket @ 325-350. It's now 5.5 hours intot he process. When do I test for temp and tenderness?
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  • yaB
    yaB Posts: 137
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    bk,
    I mentioned this in my response to your ealier post, but I would say that you're cooking the brisket at too high a temp.[p]Aside from that, if you don't have a way to measure/monitor internal meat temp, you can use the "fork test" to assess whether the meat is done. When you can easily insert a fork into the flat of the brisket and twist it in the meat, the brisket should be done. Take it off the grill, wrap it tightly in foil and let it rest in a warm oven or wrapped in towels in an ice chest. [p]Bob
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    yaB,
    Some of what you say must be correct. I read an internal temp of 180 and the fork is not that loose. I guess I should just remove it and hope for the best. Also, the rub seems a bit burnt. Hope I didn't screw this all too much.
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  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
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    bk,
    As others have mentioned, cooking at that high of a temp I`ll be amazed if you end up with anything tender or juicy...for that matter even edible....and also as others said...475° dome and 300° grid can NOT be accurate, there`s no tellin what temp your are actually cookin at, but rest assured is way to hot.[p]Wess
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  • yaB
    yaB Posts: 137
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    bk,
    Depending on what's in the rub, it's not necessarily a bad sign when it looks "burnt". That will happen even during a long cook at lower temps, producing the crust or "bark" that makes BBQ so tasty. [p]My guess is that your brisket will be pretty d*mn dry and tough. You may be able to salvage some of it by scraping off any obviously carbonized stuff, chopping up what remains, and adding it to some other dish such as beans, chili, soup, etc. It may not be BBQ brisket as such, but it's still edible, and probably has some flavors to add to other dishes.[p]Brisket is tough to do consistently right, even with 100% perfect technique. I've read and heard that BBQers who do brisket competitively cook up several at a time and select the best of the bunch as their entry, just because there's so much variation from one piece of brisket to another.[p]Keep trying,
    Bob
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  • Unknown
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    yaB,
    Well, we sliced it up. Man the ends were dry, but after about 2" it's not bad. Could be better, but it will do. Having to cut away so much that there won't be any left overs and I'm not inviting anyone to share - Too embarrased. Anyway next time I'll stick to the lo and slo.[p]Thanks so much for your thoughts. I will be purchasing a polder and a better thermometer for the dome.

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  • yaB
    yaB Posts: 137
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    BK,
    Nothing to be embarrased about, I'd say. You tried something, it didn't quite work out as planned, but you still got a meal out of it. It could have been worse. You could have observed *all* the "rules" about cooking a brisket, and still had the same experience. Briskets are just plain fickle, imo.[p]In any case, your temp monitoring purchases will serve you well, no matter what you decide to cook on the Egg. Hang in there.[p]Regards,
    Bob
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