Brisket almost too tough to eat

Unknown · January 2008

I followed the recipe on the BGE website for brisket yesterday using a 4lb flat cut. Per the instuctions, I had the egg set up for indirect @ 250 until the meat reached 150. I then lowered the egg to 225 until the meat reached 185. I gave the meat the fork test, and thought I was finished. However, after 9.5hours in the egg the brisket turned out to be very tough... although with a good taste. What did I do wrong? Did I pull it off too soon? The temp was 185 and the juices were running clear, so how much longer should it have stayed?

Jeffersonian · January 2008

You may have pulled it a bit too soon. Brisket should go until about 195-200, maybe even higher. It also might have been just a bad piece of meat.

gdenby · January 2008

Don't feel bad, briskets are hard. I've only done a few, but here's what I'v learned.

I try to keep the dome close to a 250 average for the whole time.

Go bigger. A 4 pound flat might dry out before all the collagen breaks down. The best results I've had were with full packers, i.e. point and flat together, at least 9 lbs.

From watching a remote thermometer readout, most lo-n-slo briskets and butts hit the plateau at 160. They can sit between 160 and 185 forever. Be patient. That's when the collagen is soaking up all the heat, and turning to gelatin. Once the temperature starts climbing rapidly above 185, the meat is really done.

My best results were with a brisket pulled at just over 200. I'd trimmed a little too much fat off, so portions of the outside were somewhat burnt, but the flat was nice and tender, and the point was still good for cooking into burnt ends.

I've yet to tried the "crutch," by wrapping in foil at 160, but suspect that might guarantee a very tender finish.

gdenby

DynaGreaseball · January 2008

Our friend Fidel, cooks a lot of briskets. He was coaching me thru one recently, and I was surprised when he said it may not be tender, even at 200°. Then he talked about doing the fork test, etc. Well, I was sort of under the impression, from previous disasters, that it would get tougher and tougher the farther the temp is allowed to go over 200°. But I was obviously wrong. I think I was confusing tough with dry.

I think you pulled it too soon. Elder Ward's method takes them to 202° before he pulls them. Not sure what those 2° do, but it's clear that he wants them to go all the way to 202°.

My last brisket was a complete success (the one Fidel helped me with)...tasty and tender. I think the biggest difference in that one and the disasterous ones, was the quality AND the size of the meat.

I will never again try one of those small thin flats. I Never have been able to make them work. The last one was a choice cut, and it was really good.

Kinda disjointed here, but I hope it helps.

DynaGreaseball · January 2008

Alpha-smoke,
Sorry, but there's several responses to your post in the new forum. They can see yours but you can't see theirs in here.[p]Scroll up to find the way to get over there. Good luck.

alpha-smoke · January 2008

Thank you all for the advice. Next time I'll try leaving on a bit longer. I was also confused between dome temp and the reading I was seeing on my remote probe. Looks lile a 20-30 temp diff is common with indirect.

And a big thank you to DynaGreaseball for pointing me to the new forum.

2EggTim · January 2008

I normally take mine to a little over 200, sometimes to 205. Then I foil it and put it in a cooler for a couple of hours to let it rest and absorb the juices. I have also put 1/4 cup of beef broth in when foiling.

mark9765 · January 2008

I cooked one last weekend. It took 16 hrs to reach 195 deg. But I like to cook mine at 210-215 deg. Once it got to 185 it took several hours to get past the plateau. I raised to 250 during the last 2 hrs. I also coat mine with yellow mustard to help tenderise then I coat with my rub. Patients is the best ingredient with brisket. Never had a tough one yet.

Unknown · January 2008

Did you cut it against the grain? If you don't, it will be tough.

Brett

ChitownBBQ · January 2008

2 things.

First, on a 4-pounder, I'm guessing the fat cap was trimmed pretty close. Particularly on the flat, where the meat is leaner, you want all the fat on top for cooking that you can get.

Secondly, Yes, 185 may be a bit low. The meat is certainly cooked all the way through at that point, but brisket (and other large, inexpensive cuts) get their wonderful texture considerably above 'done'.

I left my last brisket(9.9 pounds) on until 205. I don't foil at a specific time or temp, but when the meat starts to darken past the 'appetizing' color. Different people have different opinions on this.

I've done quite a few briskets and even one competition and mine are fairly consistent now. Early attempts, not so much.

Hang in there, they're all good. If it is tough, shred it & simmer in the sauce of your choice for amazing chili, ghoulash, stroganoff - even spagetti sauce.

WessB · February 2008

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Brisket almost too tough to eat

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