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Crumbling brisket issues

Unknown
Unknown
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
When I slice my brisket I get a lot of crumbling around the edges, the meat is incredibly tender & delicious & is always inhaled by all partygoers to rave reviews, however, I cannot help but notice every time I see sliced brisket on this website or on TV the slices all seem to stay together perfectly - what is happening to my brisket?
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Comments

  • Happy Hog
    Happy Hog Posts: 67
    :laugh: Maybe a sharper knife
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  • Austin Smoker
    Austin Smoker Posts: 1,467
    This week, I've had the pleasure of sampling brisket at two of the Top 5 BBQ joints in Texas (Kreuz Market in Lockhart and Louie Mueller in Taylor), based on this month's Texas Monthly magazine, and BOTH demonstrated the effect you describe to some degree....and both were amazing!

    I wouldn't sweat it....especially if it's primarily bark! Simply gather up this "debris", toss in a little sauce and it's sandwich time! Or throw it in your baked beans...MMM!
    zippylip wrote:
    When I slice my brisket I get a lot of crumbling around the edges, the meat is incredibly tender & delicious & is always inhaled by all partygoers to rave reviews, however, I cannot help but notice every time I see sliced brisket on this website or on TV the slices all seem to stay together perfectly - what is happening to my brisket?
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
    I am glad to hear that, & you are correct, it is primarily bark w/some chunks of meat attached to it, & it never goes to waste. I have had brisket from Texas once (I smoke in PA) & it was fantastic, it was sliced thinner than I thought possible to slice this cut of meat & somehow it stayed together - its all good
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  • Frank from Houma
    Frank from Houma Posts: 5,755
    Same experience here. I chopped up some of the flat and added the "debris" to it. Going back on with some SBR's and a vidalia onion and more smoke :) .
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  • Broc
    Broc Posts: 1,398
    Absolutely --

    Unless you have one-na them Ken Onion chef's knives, you haven't arrived, and your brisket will always betray you.

    Unless, of course, you're like me, the proud owner of an eight-piece Sam's Club Special Wolfgang Puck set!

    Someday, Ah'm gonna get the Puck outta there and get me some real knives!


    ;):) :laugh: :) :unsure:
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  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,846
    that's the brisket offering itself up to the cook, so enjoy and don't tell nobody about the tasty treats.....

    T
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
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  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    You have cooked it "too tender". In other words, it has stayed on the pit too long, or pulled off at too high of an internal temperature, so that when it rests, the result is "fall-apart" slices.

    It's a good sign that only the edges are "crumbly". Just back off a little on your cook and it will slice just fine, and actually be moister.
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Thirdeye, that makes sense. My method has evolved over about 5 years and at least 100 briskets to the following: I smoke at 225 dome temp on a raised grid over a drip pan on top of an inverted plate setter. I let this go for about 5 hours, then I put it in a 9x13 pan and cover it with tinfoil for approximately another 5 hours, when I take the foil off I can't remove the brisket as it is too delicate, I let is sit for about 30 minutes or so until it cools enough to remove without falling apart. Perhaps I will give it a look sooner next time & see how it slices, thanks, Zippylip
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  • MSM
    MSM Posts: 6
    Your description is strangely devoid of any mention of meat temperature. How can you know when your brisket is done without a probe measurement? Each brisket is different - two briskets, even if they are the same size, may have significantly different cook times. I could not imagine relying on time alone.
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
    msm, I know it sounds strange, but I have used a guru for years & have always relied on both probes, however, about a year or so ago I dispensed with the meat probe & use the guru only to stabilize the dome temp using the method I described. At the end, I check for doneness only by feel w/a fork, not a temp check. Although it sounds strange, it works every time - I will say I begin each cook with a fairly uniform cut from Sams Club, they are all approximately 7lbs & I go through the whole case until I find one with an amount of fat that is consistent, & although I agree each cut is different, it has been my experience that in the end they all cook the same, I have not experienced much variation if any in the final product from cook to cook. I will be backing off the time by an hour on my next cook to see if I get less crumbling, but the tenderness & flavor must not change because that has been perfect -
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