My brisket falling apart? why?

measurecutcurse

Hi All-

I've had my medium BGE since November 2008. My first big cook was a turkey (18lb) for Thanksgiving. It came out great, and I feel I've got a pretty good feel for it.

I've made a bunch of ribs, which have won raves (patting self on back) and 3-4 briskets (also well received), and the last 2 I've made (includng this last one) have been very difficult to slice, because they just fall apart. Sort of like pulled pork. The family couldn't care less, cause I just mix with some homemade bbq sauce, and its like a sloppy joe, but I am going for a picture perfect sliced brisket.

Basically, I follow Jerry's (http://www.biggreeneggsperience.com/Brisket.html) recipe. The last one I had (tonights dinner!) is/was a 7 lb brisket bought in the shrink wrap from the local ShopRight (supermarket). I cooked it a little lower than I intended (~205 degrees) for 11 hours over the place setter with a drip pan underneath. The temp when I pulled it off was ~211. I had rubbed it in canola oil and yellow mustard, then used a homemade rub (slightly modified Jerry's butt rub..).

Is it the cut of brisket I'm using? I cooked with the fat side down. The on I made which did slice was from an expendy butcher (~$50) where as the SR brisket was $30. Not much much difference, I guess...

Anyway, thoughts appreciated.

Crimsongator

It is the 211 temp that got you. I pull my briskets about 195 and slice across the grain. This one just needed less temp.

Fidel

It's the foil that's doing you in. Foiling is braising the meat, and that is turning it more into a pot roast than a traditional brisket.

And Gene is right is you are cooking it to 211* that is way overdone. I took your statement to mean your dome temp was 211*, which is too low.

Cook it at 250* - don't wrap it - at start checking it for tenderness at 185*. Once is it tender, pull it, then wrap in foil, rest for an hour, and slice. You'll like that texture better.

measurecutcurse

Thanks for the quick replies..

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I am not wrapping in foil to cook. I have a foil drip pan underneath. After i pull it off I wrap in foil and let rest and add some beef broth.

I meant to pull at a lower internal temp, but...ummm..I overslept...so I agree that the 195 would help. But, it seems to get to 195 much more quickly than I expect.

Next one I'll cook at a higher temp (guess I'll just have to keep at it till I get it right ) .

It was weird, but I had a harder than usual time getting the egg up to the right temp after getting the coal going. I

measurecutcurse

oh, btw, I didn't wrap in foil and put back (according to the recipe I linked to) cause the temp was so high).

Next time, lower internal temp, higher cook temp, which will mean shorter cook...easier than doing it overnight...
Thanks for the help!