Calling all Brisket Gurus ... Help this Newbie Please

Hoosier_Patriot

Dear Gurus, Need some advise. Not knowing what I was doing, I bought a piece of meat labeled "Brisket" and brought it home. Then, after I got my egg yesterday (a large demo @ Porkopolis in Cincinnati) and got it set up today I spent some time online watching some brisket kings on You Tube, I now know what I have is a very trimmed (almost no fat) "flat" with no point. So, with no point and very trimmed, it's pretty small ... about 4 pounds. So, by my understanding that will be 5-6 hour slow smoke. My egg was prepped at about 250 and then I threw on the wet apple wood chips, then the plate setter, and then the brisket with rub on it on a rack above a drip pan. With the top vent technically closed (its not air tight) and the bottom vent about 1/4 inch open the dome temp has been in the 220 range for the first 90 minutes then, inexplicably, the dome temp dropped to 200 and I was afraid the flame was dying out so I took the opportunity to open it up, add some dry oak chips and then open up the vents a little. The temp shot up to 230 and I knew it would go higher so I closed the top vent again and put the bottom vent at 1/4 inch. Am I making a mistake closing the top vent? It seems that smoke is coming out the top so it is getting SOME flow. If I open it a little it's hard to keep the dome temp below 250. BTW the probe in the brisket has read 142.1 F for the past 30 minutes (90th through 120th minutes in the smoke) I hope that is ok. What is the internal temp I'm looking for (or should I use some other measure of done-ness? Then, when done, it's my understanding that it needs to be wrapped in foil and then in a towel and then put in a cooler, but for how long?

Spaightlabs

Leave the daisy wheel open just a tiny little bit.

You will get used to getting it to settle in at a temp pretty quickly.  You start jacking with the daisy wheel and the bottom vent a little and you can chase temperature all day, just get it settled in and leave it alone.

Hoosier_Patriot

Thanks Spaightlabs, what about the post smoke "rest" in the tin foil & cooler? How long or what temp?

fljoemon

Pull out when brisket temp reaches 195. Use double layer of heavy duty aluminum foil and stick it in cooler for a minimum of an hour.

Hoosier_Patriot

Thanks fljoemon

Redskull

I agree, daisy wheel slightly open.  don't chase your temp so much, 200 to 250 is prime temp for any low & slow cook.  I have had a time or two where my temp would spike to 275 or better, i couldn't seem to get it down.  I removed the meat, drip pan & platesetter.  I usually have the bowl of water that my chips had been soaking in near by.  I just used my hand to splash some of the water over the coals to bring the temp down some.  Then you adjust fire from there.  When I'm choosing a market cut brisket, I try to pick out the thickest, largest & a large fat cap, you can always trim the fat down to 1/4 inch.  Good luck on your next brisket.

henapple

Try to cook till its tender. The Travis Method is great for a small flat.