Brisket HELP!

wbdvt

I am doing a brisket 6.5 lbs and following a recipe that has it at 250 deg F indirect until meat temp is 150 deg F and then reduce egg to 225 deg F until brisket is 185 deg F and when a fork is stuck in and twisted, meat falls apart.

My brisket has been on the egg about 2 hrs and meat temp is 165 deg F.  I double check with a needle thermometer and same results but it is very tough going in.  Recipe said 8-10 hrs.  What is going on and where did I go wrong?

Thanks in advance for all replies.

BulletGrillHouse

A brisket won’t be tender at 185, where did the recipe come from?

Spaightlabs

Please don't stick a fork in and twist your brisket.  you are going to cook until it probes tender (like buttah in the parlance of eggdom).

What grade is the cut you purchased?
Have you calibrated your thermo on the egg?


It is pretty likely that you are going to be at 165 for several hours, so don't panic about it galloping to completion just yet.

I suspect that in about 6 hours you may be wondering why it is only at 185.

You are probably going to find the brisket is tender at 195 to 205...

Good luck, report back

wbdvt

Thank you all, I won't panic yet as there is always pizza!  haha

Here is where the receipe is from:  https://biggreenegg.com/recipes/beef-brisket/

theyolksonyou

Whoever is in charge of brisket recipes at the mothership needs a different job. 

wbdvt

Ok, recommendations seem to be let it go to 195-205?  I intend to FTC at the end for an hour or so.

lousubcap

Reads a lot like Dr BBQ's brisket flat recipe-linked here for the next time:

https://biggreenegg.com/recipes/dr-bbq-coffee-brisket/ 

theyolksonyou

Let it go until it proves with no resistance.  Don’t worry about temp, and don’t worry about lowering the egg temp.  That’s unnecessary.  It’s going to be in the 195-205 range depending on the cow.  

For FTC, be sure to let it rest unwrapped for 30-45 minutes or it will continue cooking in the foil and be overdone and falling apart.  

wbdvt

looks like it will probably be done in less than the 10hrs planned?

theyolksonyou

It’ll likely stall again at 185 ish.  You can FTC for hours, or if your oven will hold 170, wrap and stick in there for even longer. 

lousubcap

Always remember, "The friggin cow drives the cook."  Just adapt to the curve balls throughout the cook and trust the feel for the finish-line. 

Spaightlabs

I don't think Dr. BBQ is really a doctor.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

wbdvt said:

Ok, recommendations seem to be let it go to 195-205?  I intend to FTC at the end for an hour or so.

Start checking around 195. Take your temp
probe and run it all the way through from top to bottom in the thickest part of the brisket. When it goes through with very little resistance, it’s ready. A lot of people say it should feel like butter but I like to say it it should feel  like cake. It’s there but does not give a lot of resistance. Cold butter would be too firm. I find this to be around 200-203 most of the time. Some go at 195, some go 205- just keep checking until it “gives up”. They are never ready at 185 and you should never twist a fork in a brisket. That is terrible advice from bge right there. 

jtcBoynton

I think the original saying is more like "like a hot knife through butter".  We seem to have shortened it up a bit. Doesn't mean literally butter, but "easily".

wbdvt

Pulled it at 200, let sit for about 20 mins, foil with a cup of beef broth, wrapped with towel into warm cooler.

wbdvt

Thank you all for your help.  It came out okay, next time I would probably pull it a little sooner.  But may have been the cut also

Spaightlabs

Doing just a flat is much more challenging than doing a packer.  I haven't seen a lot of prime flats around so good chance you started off with a slight handicap.

JohnInCarolina

theyolksonyou said:

Whoever is in charge of brisket recipes at the mothership needs a different job. 

Or taken out to the woodshed for a beating. One of those things.