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Brisket Flat - wish me luck

pipedream
pipedream Posts: 58
edited October 2012 in EggHead Forum
Eight years with my egg and I still have not mastered brisket! Giving it a try again today with a 4 pounder, flat only, from Costco. Rubbed it yesterday, wrapped tightly and refrigerated overnight. Injected with beef broth this morning and got her on indirect at 250. Figuring on 1.5 hours per pound at that temp. On at 10am, off at 4pm, with a wrapped rest after that, and then ready to slice for the primetime football games tonight. Have the polder in monitoring the internal. Any suggestions, tips and prayers are appreciated! Thanks!

Comments

  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    Cook it hotter. Try 300 dome.
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,174

    Flats are a challenge but since that's about all I can get I will take the strikeouts along with the occasional triple or home-run.  Here are a few links with lots of good brisket info-and as Travis notes you can cut down the cook time (without any flavor impact) by running 280-300*F on the dome.  Just slice against the grain and don't slice til ready to eat-it dries out quite fast-

    http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/texas_brisket.html
    http://www.bubbatim.com/
    http://www.nakedwhiz.com/recipes.htm
    http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/03/brisket.html
    All the info you will ever need. Enjoy the journey-

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • Thanks! I ramped it up to 300 and am reading the links now. Yeah, flats are about all I can find around here too
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,174
    Running with the higher temp you can figure around 1-1.25 hrs/#. But it's done when done and that's when you probe the thickest part of the flat and get no resistance either direction.  Start checking around 190*F and then every few degrees after.  Most finish for me around 196-199-and given you have a thin part of the flat you can wrap it in foil towards the end of the cook so that it won't dry out while the thick part finishes.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • Not trying to high jack the thread but its a related question. If the dome is running at 300, what is the grate temp roughly at? Just curious I use a grate temp probe and I believe I have heard of a difference in the two.
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,174
    Here's what I have observed but YMMV-on indirect cooks (platesetter in) your dome temp will initially read around 20-40*F hotter than the temp at the cooking grid-gaps narrows the longer the dome is shut.  If not specified, cooking  temperatures reference the dome temp.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • SigP
    SigP Posts: 25
    I usually do a whole brisket but the one I'm doing today is just the flat, (my first brisket on the BGE). I'm kinda worried. It cooked very fast. 205 internal temp after 5 hours. Dome temp was about 265. It is currently in the faux cambro. We'll see in a little while...
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,174
    SigP said:
    I usually do a whole brisket but the one I'm doing today is just the flat, (my first brisket on the BGE). I'm kinda worried. It cooked very fast. 205 internal temp after 5 hours. Dome temp was about 265. It is currently in the faux cambro. We'll see in a little while...

    Dang that is qiuck-dome thermo calibrated?  Good luck and if it goes south, finely chop and mix with your favorite BBQ sauce and turn into some great sammich eats.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • SigP
    SigP Posts: 25
    Calibrated it when I put the egg together last weekend. Got my fingers crossed. Even a bad brisket can be turned into a good meal.
  • EggerinLA
    EggerinLA Posts: 186
    edited October 2012
    Research both ways, try it both ways, and pick which one you think is best.  Don't be like sheep.

    For me, cooking brisket at 250-275 is best.  I have tried the hot and fast way and it wasnt near as good.  But try it both ways.
  • The 4 pound flat has been on 4 hours, indirect for first 2.5 hours and hit 162 internal... At that point I moved it into the texas crutch and now it is at 199 internal. Fork test still says it is tough. What do you think? Let it go another hour or so, or move to the faux cambro?
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,174
    Go with the probe or fork test-believe your indications.  Tough is tough no matter how you measure it but you have got to be close.  Given the temp the thinner parts of the flat should pass the fork or probe test right now...
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • Yep the thinner parts are already passing fork test. Thicker part still a tad firm. Will let go a little longer then faux cambro till dinner
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,174
    Sounds like a great plan and banquet!
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • pipedream
    pipedream Posts: 58
    edited October 2012
    Thanks for the help! It turned out very good... Very tender, but held together enuff to slice, and just a tad dry... Nothing a little sauce didn't fix! And since the egg was still hot I smoked a chicken for the neighbors... And then since the egg was STILL hot I baked a loaf of beer bread!
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,174
    edited October 2012
    Nothing like multiple uses for the BGE-congrats!  Now to ease the load-sell one to your neighbors :)
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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