Tender Brisket: A Follow-Up

Unknown

Thanks to everyone who responded to my post below...this forum is the best...Here is what happened to my 6 lb. brisket flat with fat cap on top...[p]10pm: dome 220 meat 48
2am: dome195 meat 145
6am: dome 250 meat 145
10am: dome 220 meat 151
1pm: dome 220 meat 154
2pm: dome 250 meat 161
3pm: dome 250 meat 174
4pm: dome 250 meat 177
had to ramp because party at 6:00 and placed in foil so...
5pm: dome 340 meat 199 and took off[p]Results were a very tender, sliceable brisket with virtually no fat in the meat...used Raging River Rub (its not made particularly for beef but my wife loves the stuff) and it was superb[p]I did hit what I believe was a second plateau at about 177...I wonder if I would have left temp the same if I could have broken through eventually?[p]I don't know if it was luck, time, temp, foil, or the hard rain that fell all day but it tasted great...[p]Dr. No

Nature Boy

Dr. No,
Sounds like a great cook, and you definitely have me curious on the raging river flavor! I think that's the first I have heard of it on brisket. I can sorta imagine, but will have to try that.[p]I do believe you would have broken through the 180 barrier by 5 oclock, and been well on the way to 200 by 5:30pm at 250 dome. But 10 hours in the plateau, and you are working on a tender piece of meat, even at as low as 180. If mine have been in the plateau that long I usually start checking tenderness at 180.[p]Looking at your table though, I am thinkin that drop in temps you had at 2am defiitely slowed down the process considerably. Looks like it took several more hours to break into the 150 range, where you are getting some good collagen breakdown. If you could have kept your temps up during that critical time, I think you would have broken into that plateau by 3am instead of 6, and should have been able to avoid raising your temps at the end.[p]Just some thoughts and opinions. I still have a great deal to learn.
Cheers!
Chris

Unknown

Nature Boy,[p]Chris sure makes a good point here as if possible, you don't want to ever raise the temp later in the cook as it will not produce a better product. Try to keep the temps measured at the grid around 225-250 degrees for the total cook and I think you will be more satisfied with the results of your cook. [p]Dave

Unknown

Nature Boy,
What is your opinion of using foil at the end of the cook on brisket to enhance tenderness? I am still trying to figure out why the cook went so well...other than the obvious use of Raging River Rub...[p]Dr. No

Nature Boy

Dr. No,
From what I have learnt (and I am still practicin and picking up what I can from others) the time that the meat spends in that critical breakdown range is most important. Wrapping is nice if you have to move things along, but you will notice a difference in texture if you try wrapped/unwrapped side by side. [p]I think what helped your tenderness the most is that your chunk-o-chest was able to spend a pretty considerable amount of time in the plateau, and was probably a pretty good piece of meat also. You would have had as good or better results waiting it out, then wrapping in the cooloer for a couple hours. Just an opinion of someone that has been looking at the computer way, way too long.
Back to the website. Goin live tonight.
Cheers!
Chris

djm5x9

NB:[p]From another generation, another time: "Just act stupid, them Yanks just don't have a clue" . . .[p]Now back to you: Such modest words from such a knowledgeable "Q" competitor dropping nuggets of knowledge!

jaymer

Doc,
any idea what happened to cause that 30deg drop in dome once daylight came?

Unknown

jaymer,
yeah, when I woke up at 2 am I found the temp at 250 and got a little nervous...I geared her down a bit but obviously overshot it a bit...my next eggseccory is going to be a guru...[p]Thanks to everyone for their input...[p]Dr. No