First Brisket Cook as well as First Post

mo11217

First let me say you guys and gals have been awesome. I've been reading just about everything on this forum for a few months now and it was ya'lls encouragement of others that I decided to give brisket a try. I've had my large egg for just over 2 years now and I've got a solid handle on smoking butts and chickens. Even gotten some pizzas to come out really good. 

Since this was the first weekend in what has felt like months without raining over night, I decided it's time to go for a brisket. Found a Choice 15lb packer at Kroger (I knew my first time wasn't going to be perfect so no sense it getting a better grade of beef.) Trimmed 2.75 lbs of fat off of it. Got the grill lit at 10:00 PM Friday night. Rubbed it with Four41South Fat Henry's Classic Rub and got in on right at 11:00 PM when the egg stabilized at 250. Of course I had the plate setter legs up, drip pan with no liquid. Had my Thermoworks Smoke on the grate and in the thickest part of the flat.

I never wrapped it and placed it fat side down with the point to the back of the egg.

Grill temp held steady all night between 220-250. Around 4:30 AM it was at 165 and at 7:30 AM it was at 175 so my guess is this was it's stall period. I never opened it till around 9:30 AM when it was at 185ish. Smelled amazing and the toothpick test still had some resistance so I let it keep going. At noon it was sitting at 198. Toothpick slid right through every part and it had that jiggle. Picking it up off the grate, I almost pulled the flat away from the point.

Let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes then wrapped in tin foil and into a cooler for 2 hours for FTC. Finally, it was time to see what these last 15 hours accomplished. I know I don't have a fancy brisket slicing knife so had to use the only available knife. A long serrated carving knife. Obviously, this played a part in the brisket falling apart, but the flat was SUPER dry. It just kept crumbling as I tried to cut it. Finally, I cut the point off and started slicing it and it held together a little bit better.

I tried to not get excited or discouraged. I know there is a learning curve with every piece of meat I put on the egg so I will definitely try again and switch up a couple of things each time till I find that sweet spot that works for me. Next time I will try wrapping it to see if that helps hold in some moisture in the flat. Any other suggestions would be great.

Thanks again ya'll for all the help and any suggestions you might throw my way. 

 

 

jdkeithbge

I don't see anything wrong with that!  Especially for your first brisket.  Great cook and welcome to the forum!

bluebird66

Welcome!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Way better than my first (or 20th probably). For your notes- that brisket is over cooked. Any time one is dry and falls apart, it’s over. 

If you were recording finished temp, take it lower next time. 

This is easy to make right. Chop that flat up and sauce it to reheat and you will some of the best sandwiches you’ve ever had. That crusty bark will  really shine through in a chopped sandwich. 

bgebrent

Great first shot at brisket.  Keep playing with it.  I like your decision to wth choice for your first one.  Next considerations should be injecting and or upping the ante to prime beef.  Welcome. 

pgprescott

Welcome. Sounds like you had a solid plan and execution. Sometimes you just get a subpar protein. Inter muscular fat is your friend. When choosing the brisket try to find the best grade you can and get one that feels loose and floppy from the jump. Nothing to be ashamed of there at all. A dry flat goes well in your chili. 

lousubcap

Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.  Above all, have fun.
For the first brisket you definitely had a solid result.  Nailed the bark and decent ring as well.  I'm sure the point was a true banquet.  As noted by @The Cen-Tex Smoker, you will reap the benefits of that flat with the sammies.  
Now that you have taken on the challenge, time to plan the next one.  
Always remember, "the friggin cow drives the cook."

Foghorn

Welcome aboard and great first effort.

If you make 1 to 3 modifications (depending on how much you want to change) I bet you'll find your next brisket to be significantly better than this one.

1) Start with prime beef.  You're ready.  This isn't going to be a case of you ruining an expensive piece of meat.

2) Try wrapping in butcher paper when you are happy with the bark - usually at a meat temp of 165-170 as it comes out of the stall.

3) As stated above, this was probably slightly overcooked.  When it was 185 at 9:30 did you check it for tenderness every 20 minutes?  It may have been tender 20 - 60 minutes earlier than when you took it off.

TEXASBGE2018

Brisket really is one of the hardest things to cook. I've been watching Aaron Franklins videos a lot lately and have even talked to him about it a time or 2 and he kept telling me the key is to spritz them. it helps develop the bark faster and keeps them from drying out. Per his advice I am going to try spraying with apple cider vinegar every hour or 2 next time I cook and then wrapping once you like the bark, I think this might help just enough to keep it from drying out. Really good 1st try!

mo11217

Thanks guys. I appreciate the advice. I'm going to definitely try again and make 1 or 2 changes each time.
 
Side note, we did chop up all the leftovers and made chili yesterday afternoon from this recipe I pulled off the forum:
http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1163323/award-winning-smoked-brisket-chili-served-at-salado-after-party-2014/p1


It is fantastic!

ewyllins

mo11217 said:

Thanks guys. I appreciate the advice. I'm going to definitely try again and make 1 or 2 changes each time.
 
Side note, we did chop up all the leftovers and made chili yesterday afternoon from this recipe I pulled off the forum:
http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1163323/award-winning-smoked-brisket-chili-served-at-salado-after-party-2014/p1


It is fantastic!

That is the best Chili recipe out there, in my opinion. I've won back to back Chili contests with it!! 

StillH2OEgger

TEXASBGE2018 said:

he kept telling me the key is to spritz them. it helps develop the bark faster and keeps them from drying out.

I've only done one brisket so I'm no expert and I'm certainly not going to dismiss anything Franklin says about executing a brisket cook, but did he know you were using a ceramic cooker? I don't have experience with other smokers, but spritzing seems less important on a BGE and opening frequently may create issues with maintaining temps.

johnnyp

Welcome 

SkipIA

"I never wrapped it and placed it fat side down with the point to the back of the egg."

Next time, place the brisket fat-side up to self baste....it'll help considerably. have fun!!

bucky925

Good to have you here.  Very nice brisket!

Webass

Where were probing for your temp check?  Should be in the thickest part of the flat.  The point will take care of itself.  FWIW your first brisket turned out much better than mine, which also crumbled.  It's like most anything else, the more you do it the better you get.

mlc2013

welcome and that looks like a great first brisket i think you got it dialed in for your next one and as you see there is no waste there is always chili and great sandwiches and brisket hash with eggs one of my favorites. Welcome and great job and best of luck on all future cooks. 

EagleIII

Nicely done! That looked exactly like my first brisket! 

smbishop

mo11217 said:

Thanks guys. I appreciate the advice. I'm going to definitely try again and make 1 or 2 changes each time.
 
Side note, we did chop up all the leftovers and made chili yesterday afternoon from this recipe I pulled off the forum:
http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1163323/award-winning-smoked-brisket-chili-served-at-salado-after-party-2014/p1


It is fantastic!

Best recipe in my opinion as well.  I have also won with it.  

Great first post and thank you for sharing!  Looking forward to more of your adventures!

Theophan

I have a question for the brisket gods here (I've only cooked a few flats, and am NO expert):

• It seems to me that if a brisket is truly just plain perfect, when you pull it out of the Egg, and you let it rest on the counter for 10-15 minutes, then slice and eat it (this is always what I shoot for), then it'll be great eating.
• BUT if you cook it till it's just right, but then FTC it for a few hours, it'll keep cooking with the residual heat and then it'll be overcooked, dry and crumbly!  

It sounds to me as though maybe this is what happened to the OP.  It sounded to me as though his brisket was probably just right when he pulled it, and if he'd eaten it after a short, non-FTC rest, it'd have been great.

So here's the question:  If you're going to FTC it for a few hours, do you deliberately pull it before it's really done?  And if so, how not-done do you pull it?  Or am I just wrong about all of this?