Brisket Bust

bhugg · December 2019

I know brisket is a fickle beast but I flopped tonight. Decent flavor but dry as a bone.

I cooked it unwrapped between 225°-250°. 11lb chunk that took about 15 hours. Pulled it at 195° internal and FTC for a couple of hours.

I am thinking I need to start wrapping it at some point but I am not sure when and how to do so.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

aem · December 2019

What grade brisket? I have much better luck with Prime. I usually don’t foil.

bhugg · December 2019

Choice from sams. That’s what I usually get but I have never had one come out this dry.

saluki2007 · December 2019

Don't get down on yourself as we've all had it happen to us. It's possible that it wasn't done yet. You didn't give us enough to go with but the thing about brisket is it's not done at a certain time or temperature. You need to probe the thickest part of the flat until it slides in and out like a hot knife in butter. Some are done at 195 and some are done around 205. Just takes lots of practice to get that feel.

pgprescott · December 2019

lower grade briskets benefit from injections and a foil wrap. It gives you the best window for success. I’m a fan of the commercial injections over the homemade stuff. Butchers and Kosmos are the two brands I have used. They contain phosphates which will aide in moisture retention. Wrapping in double foil @ 155-160 or when you have the bark (rub) set on the brisket will cut the cook time down by almost half and deliver the moistest possible product. Good luck in the future, it happens to all of us sooner or later.

HighSierraEgg · December 2019

Wrap after the stall in butcher paper. Pull at around 200 and put in good quality cooler to rest.

pgprescott · December 2019

HighSierraEgg said:

Wrap after the stall in butcher paper. Pull at around 200 and put in good quality cooler to rest.

This is the Franklin method which is great for high grade cuts.

I still believe foil is better for moisture retention for lower grades which is the issue he described.

Nature Boy · December 2019

We've cooked over 130 competitions on the EGGs in the past 18 years, and it took about 10 competitions before I realized that wrapping yielded a more consistently moist product every time. Not only that, it really helps you hone in your timing.

For me, the time to wrap is when I've built up all the flavor I want on the outside. Both smoke flavor, as well as sufficient caramelization of the spice bark on the outside. When the bark is right, it's time. For me that's usually around 165-170 internal. I usually add about 1/2 cup coffee or beef stock to the wrap. I use foil, but have nothing against butcher paper.

One final thought...there is no magic temperature for when a brisket is done. It's done when it's tender. When I reach 190 internal, I open the foil and probe for tenderness. If it's still tight, wrap the foil up again and check again in 15 minutes. Repeat until tender, then get it off right away.

Happy brisketeering! Chris

Woadie · December 2019

Nature Boy said:

We've cooked over 130 competitions on the EGGs in the past 18 years, and it took about 10 competitions before I realized that wrapping yielded a more consistently moist product every time. Not only that, it really helps you hone in your timing.

For me, the time to wrap is when I've built up all the flavor I want on the outside. Both smoke flavor, as well as sufficient caramelization of the spice bark on the outside. When the bark is right, it's time. For me that's usually around 165-170 internal. I usually add about 1/2 cup coffee or beef stock to the wrap. I use foil, but have nothing against butcher paper.

One final thought...there is no magic temperature for when a brisket is done. It's done when it's tender. When I reach 190 internal, I open the foil and probe for tenderness. If it's still tight, wrap the foil up again and check again in 15 minutes. Repeat until tender, then get it off right away.

Happy brisketeering! Chris

I’ve never done a brisket before. Do you pour the coffee over the brisket or just let it sit in it?

Nature Boy · December 2019

I just pour it in the foil under the brisket. It kinda sits in it. I don't want to risk washing off the bark

Cheers!

bhugg · December 2019

@Nature Boy - Do you wrap pork shoulders the same way?

Nature Boy · December 2019

bhugg said:

@Nature Boy - Do you wrap pork shoulders the same way?

Good morning. Yes, but I add a little pork stock...not coffee.
Chris

bhugg · December 2019

Nature Boy said:

bhugg said:

@Nature Boy - Do you wrap pork shoulders the same way?

Good morning. Yes, but I add a little pork stock...not coffee.
Chris

I did a little searching and found what someone called "Pork Liquor".

2 cups apple juice
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2tbs of seasoning

They add this after it is pulled.

bhugg · December 2019

bhugg said:

Nature Boy said:

bhugg said:

@Nature Boy - Do you wrap pork shoulders the same way?

Good morning. Yes, but I add a little pork stock...not coffee.
Chris

I did a little searching and found what someone called "Pork Liquor".

2 cups apple juice
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2tbs of seasoning

They add this after it is pulled.

I guess my question is do you ever add anything after it is pulled?

Nature Boy · December 2019

After I taste, I'll usually add some salt. You don't need all that liquid, and I definitely wouldn't dump that much vinegar on my pork. If vinegar is served, a vinegar sauce on the side makes more sense to me. The best pulled pork is eaten just after pulling, and it should have plenty of moisture if cooked correctly. Cheers! Chris

Brisket Bust

Comments

Categories