BRISKET Question ????? Help me please !

dldawes1

I have cooked 2 briskets and both turned out undercooked ! Pork loins turn out perfect taking them off at ~140F. But I want BEEF !!

I bought 4 pound flat and a 4 pound point brisket.  I cooked them as I interpreted the posts in the forums (many, many of them) !!

I cooked one on New Year's Eve and the other tonight.I cooked Pork Tenderloins as well, each time.

Built good fire

Got xlBGE to temp (250 at grate)

Bought a Maverick ET

Calibrated both probes and the Dome probe on my xlBGE

Allowed to stabilize to ~250 at grate and dome before putting brisket in.

Cooked indirect with place setter (legs up)

Used drip pan with water and apple juice about 1.5 inches deep.

Meat was 41 F when I placed it on grate.

Everything looked good for a couple hours, then meat quit heating at about 144F.

Grate and dome temps stayed ~ 250F

I finally raised the temps to ~275 at grate and dome and meat rose to 156F.

About 3 more hours and the grate and dome dropped so I opened bottom vent enough to bump back up to ~275 F at grate and dome. 

Meat temp was around 148F due to the drop.

Meat came back to 161F and never rose again. 

2 hours later I put the brisket in the oven and I had minimal coals left in the firebox.

Holes in fire great seemed to open, at least enough to allow smoke to continually rise through chimney throughout cook.

Should the briskets have gotten to higher temps before 6-7 hours at 250F ??

What am I doing wrong ??

Thanks in advance...and yes....I STILL LOVE MY BGE !!!!

NightTrainLayne

1. Why only a 4 lb. brisket? Cook the whole "packer trimmed", (flat and point together). Should be 10-12 pounds or more. 

 2. Brisket especially has a "plateau" period during the cook, where the heat is absorbed and used in breaking down the connective tissues rather than raising the temperature of the meat. It is not uncommon to be in the 160 range for several hours without much appreciable change in internal temperature. 

 3. After only 6-7 hours, at 250*, you should still have plenty of charcoal left if you filled it full to begin with. I have a Large, and just finished an 18 hour cook. Started with lump almost up to the top of the fire ring, and I still have a considerable amount left. 

 I don't think you're cooking these long enough, and would recommend next time doing a whole packer trimmed brisket, fill that sucker up with lump charcoal to near the top of the fire ring, and plan on 12-15 hours for your cook. 

 Brisket's a tough cook. It takes practice to get it right, but it's worth it when you do get it figured out.

dldawes1

Thanks!  I'll go back and watch more videos to make sure I am putting in enough lump. I got three cooks out of a BGE bag. Does that sound normal for 3 fireboxes fullin an XL ? If not, maybe I am mistaken on where the top of the firebox is at !!!

These were just small briskets from Kroger. I don't have a good meat supply here. I'll go to Louisville to Costco and buy a Packer for next weekend. 

I appreciate the response....I will cook a brisket on my BGE !!!!!

NightTrainLayne

Someone who has an XL may have to chime in on how much. For a long cook, I fill my large ABOVE the fire box, almost to the top of the fire ring which sits on top of the fire box. That takes probably 5-6 lbs of lump charcoal in my Large Egg.

dldawes1

I have only filled mine to the bottom of the upper fire ring piece. I am just guessing but I think I could get more in (maybe 4-6 inches deeper of lump) if I needed to. 

Just trying to learn and figure it out !!

I appreciate your follow-up.

Have a great evening.  Stay warm !!!

Cookinbob

An XLwill take over 10 lbs of lump to fill from scratch. For a low&slow I start with new lump and a carefully laid fire. If the grate temp is 250, the meat temp will rise. Be patient, and don't be afraid to raise the temp a bit if you have to

QDude

Fill the XL up!  No need to be stingy with the lump.  There is no need for water in the pan either.  The egg keeps food very moist without water.  I have never had an issue making my XL go 14+ hours on a single load of lump.

Brisket is a difficult cook but you will learn how to get it right eventually.  My first coupe were just mediocre but he last few have been great.  I wrap the brisket in butcher paper once it gets to around 150 IT.

Shiff

Two great sources of brisket cooking information are:

http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/03/brisket.html

and

http://bubbatim.com/Bubba_s_Brisket.php

dldawes1

Thanks folks for the info.

I think my problem was with low lump amount when starting out. I did not understand where to fill the fire box up to.

I'll be trying again this next weekend.

BTY, my last brisket turned out awesome after 1 hour in the oven in a cooking bag with juices. Had it at 325* in oven.  Turned out great !!!!

I'll post pics ASAP.

Thanks again !!