Overnight brisket/Not so good

Unknown

First brisket attempt. I put on a 5lb brisket flat at 10 PM last night, I started at a dome temp of 300, b/c I thought the meet would bring down the temp when it was first put on. It did, when I went to bed at 11:30 it was sitting at a dome of 250. Got up at 3:00, temp had creeped back up to 300, dampered down and went back to bed. 6:00 still sitting at 300. I took it off the egg at 7:00 at an internal temp of 178. The brisket had great flavor but was dry. Not suprising b/c I know it was cooked to hot. Just going to have to do it again. One question, I have seen several different recomendations for internal temp. What have you all found to be optimum? Looks like it is time to chop it up and add some bbq sauce.

Wise One

Tjeffer, I've only done a few but I pulled them off at 195. I sliced tehm an dthey were good. I've had better (and still trying to figure out how to get there) but it was good. It's really amazing how a bit of sauce can save some dried out meat. Reminds me of my grade school days when we covered everything with ketchup. "If it's not good with ketchup, it's inedible."

carpetman

Tjeffer,[p]I finished a 14lbs Brisket Sunday evening after 30 hrs. of 225 temp. It turned out tender and moist. Our friend bragged on the great taste. Low & SLow is the only way for Brisket. I pulled it and 185 degrees.[p]

stike

Tjeffer,
you are right that putting the meat on will bring the temp down. but that is only temporary.[p]once the temp re-stablilizes after opening and the introduction of the much-colder (relatively) thermal mass of the meat (and maybe drip-pan, etc.), the temp will re-stablize pretty much where you had it.
so it went back to 300 and sat there.[p]