BRISKET... new to BGE, tips needed

simonsays

just bought a large BGE. been reading up on tips and differ ways that people go about smoking their briskets. i have noticed that there seems to be a consensus to reach a internal temp of 180-185, as this allows the fat to render and meat to be tender. i guess my biggest question is how to reach this temp without completely drying out your meat? i have heard people say to wrap and then some say not to wrap? or to mop vs not to mop? just trying to get some ideas. tried a smaller brisket flat a few days ago and didn't reach that internal temp because i felt like meat was drying out, came out with good flavor but not nearly tender enough. any tips are much appreciated!

Charlesmaneri

I'm no authority but I inject by brisket with a combo of beef stock, whorchiester sauce and garlic powder and cyan  pepper I then cook in Egg at 225 until internal temp of 190 and my brisket comes out great 

lousubcap

Here is a wealth of brisket info -just to help with info overload:

http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/texas_brisket.html
http://www.bubbatim.com/
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/recipes.htm
http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/03/brisket.html
And brisket is one of those cooks that is finished by feel-regardless if packer or flat, start probing the thickest part of the flat at around 190*F and when the probe goes in and out with no resistance, you are finished.  Can be into the low 200's before that happens.  And give yourself at least an hour of FTC (Foil, Towels and Cooler) before slicing and only slice against the grain when ready to eat.  It dries out before your eyes.  FWIW-

Skiddymarker

Further - if you are new to brisket, the Travis Method, really a braise, is a great spot to start. Nice bark, good smoke and sauce to help out with the serve. 

Family prefers this to a dry smoke. 

Mickey

It's back: Travis Method

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1138233/brisket-how-i-do-it/p1

JRWhitee

I usually pull mine after 190 and some have gone to 203 before they are fully tender. I have done the Travis method the last 2 times and they turn out great. I just did one last week.

simonsays

thanks to you all, much appreciated! definitely will try...

caliking

Ping Cen-Tex. His is the best brisket I've ever had.

Not as famous as Travis, but he knows what he's doing.

travisstrick

caliking said:

Ping Cen-Tex. His is the best brisket I've ever had.

Not as famous as Travis, but he knows what he's doing.

I've been doing them like him lately (classic Texas style).

I prefer them that way but my old method was more forgiving.

lousubcap

@travisstrick-And as I recall, you have won(placed?) in a few competition cooks with your classic method.  So, one could conclude that you have the magic brisket touch, regardless of the cook-meant in a most positive way 'cuz I know you know knives and guns >-

jmcnutt5

Before I would tackle a brisket, I would recommend you do at least one of two things...preferably both. 1. Try smoking a pork butt. It will give you an opportunity to learn temperature control and it is very forgiving. 2. If you are just dead set on a brisket, do as much research as possible about how people do it. There are several different threads on this site that go into detail on different brisket cooks. Be very diligent. I myself have only done one brisket but the several pork butts I have done really helped in learning the temperature control.

simonsays

@charlesmaneri @travisstrick do you ever wrap your brisket at one point during your smoke or just leave it be? any tips on keeping your brisket moist during the "stall" process as the internal temp tries to rise to 180+? i feel as if it would dry out if you did nothing...

travisstrick

I don't cover or wrap my brisket.

Thanks Lou, I have won a 1st place doing traditional brisket. My friend won second in the same contest. He had a new lg egg and had never cooked a brisket in his life. He did exactly what I did.

stantrb

More bourbon. Less worry.

NibbleMeThis

Here's how I generally smoke my brisket when doing it in my Eggs

http://www.nibblemethis.com/2013/03/how-i-smoke-brisket.html

R2Egg2Q

Lousubcap posted some great links that I would definitely recommend reading. A IT of 180-185 is pretty low and likely to result in a dryer/tougher brisket than one you let cook until it probes tender (I don't start probing until it reaches about 190-195 and often it doesn't probe tender until 200+). The brisket gets more moist & tender as the collagen melts into gelatin.

Charlesmaneri

@simonsays I havent wrapped my Briskets at all just ride out the stall thats all I do maybe I will have a beverage and a Cigar while I'm ridding the stall but I never wrapped the meat 

caliking

The stall is a crucial part of the process. it gives the cook time to marinate him/herself!

txav8r

I am a total noob at this, and only have one brisket under my belt.  Like you, I had read a good deal on the forum here prior.  Several key things that I missed that are worth noting again, even though they are mentioned above...

Don't slice more than you are putting on the plate right then!  This is ultra important, because as mentioned, it dries out before your eyes!  As I sliced, the internal moistness oozed out under the knife.  But I sliced more than I should have, and those slices remaining on the plate for 15 minutes were considerably drier than were the first serving.  I have brisket leftovers not sliced, and even refridgerated and reheated, it is still moist as a whole.

Foil/Towel/Cooler will force more moisture into the meat and allow to continue to render well past cooking.  And all the experts seem to follow this method.  But tenting or wrapping during the cook is one of those techniques used to salvage the cook when something has gone wrong, rather than a method for a normal cook. 

simonsays

@nibblemethis if i try to get past the stall of 160-170 internal temp without the braising step and just keep on smoking, do you believe it will remain moist by the time i get to 200ish? or is the braising a necessity? also, do you put a pan of water under the meat on top of the plate setter? thanks for the help!

NibbleMeThis

@simonsays I have done briskets without foiling at all and they turn out fine.  The main reason that I use foil is that is the way I learned from Chris Lilly and his brisket kicks @$$.  Plus his method (rubbing beef base and worcestershire sauce on the brisket as a slather at beginning) gives a great au jus to go with the brisket.

I do a water pan now.  Not because the meat needs it for moisture but I think it helps my smoke ring formation on the brisket.  You have to have moisture to get the nitrates to convert to nitrites (may have that backwards) to get the myoglobin to grab a nitrogen molecule (stays pink) instead of oxygen (meat turns brown).   But again, I'm doing that only for the smoke ring.  I could cheat and use a curing agent for the smoke ring but would rather do it this way.

JRWhitee

Just got back from Restaurant Depot and picked up a 14# Packer. I plan to put it on tomorrow morning early. 

jmcnutt5

You will find some people use a pan and some don't. If you don't use one, I would suggest wrapping the plate setter in heavy duty aluminum foil. This saves you a lot of hassle come clean up time.