newbie brisket failure twice

Please describe too dry. Brisket will not be jucy like a rare steak. The briskets I have cooked turned out slightly moist but very tender. If your's is more like jerky than brisket try taking it out at 185. My successes have been on a Brinkman offset smoker. I try my first on the egg next week. I don't foil, I like a dry bark.

jim

Jim, do you get any crumbling around the edges & surface areas?

Yes, nice crisp dry bark. Pulling off the loose pieces is the best part of the brisket in my opinion.

I do flats:

1. 5.5 lbs or larger, Choice grade or better, uniform thickness and shape if possible, continuous fat cap if possible;
2. Trim fat from meat (top) side. On fat cap side and fatty sides trim to 1/8”+;
3. Rub up the night before or just before putting on the egg. Use mustard or Worcestershire sauce as a moisture base. Worcestershire adds a spicy flavor. If rubbing up the night before, wrap in saran wrap, fat side up in pan and frig it. Pull it from the frig right after you fired up the egg and rub up again if desirable.
4. Set-up is raised grid and indirect, make sure the indirect piece is under the entire flat for protection, use foil if pan runs short on coverage. Fat side of flat toward the back of egg. Once on the grid, no need to flip it. Might spin the grid depending on how fire is burning.
5. Temp is 235ish grid
6. Wood smoke is pecan, hickory, oak with some apple or cherry at the beginning. Can add during cook too. I prefer pecan with apple and add during the cook.
7. Most of the bark formation will occur during the second half of the cook. Don’t be surprised if the flat releases moisture on top half way into to cook.
8. When the flat leaves the plateau stage, either wrap in foil or continue to cook unfoiled. Foiling may cause loss of bark formation or soft bark. Can add broth or other liquid if desirable.
9. Pull when internal temp reaches 195-200 degrees internal. Over 205 and you could end up with pot roast texture, stringy.
10. Foil and place in cooler for minimum one hour to mellow. The 12-18 pack carry coolers are a good fit with couple towels for added insulation.
11. When ready to serve can add small amount of foil juice to the bbq sauce for added flavor. Test sample is a good idea.
12. If possible, slice as close to the actual serving time. Brisket dries out fast. Slice against the grain, 1/4-3/8 inch slices is a good thickness.
13. If the flat is tough, chop and mix with bbq sauce. Tell significant other, you were in the mood for chop sandwiches!

couple flats on xl

I usually cook a butt and brisket at the same time, with the butt on a raised grid above the brisket (raised grid is just an old round weber grid held up with a couple of bricks). I never open the lid when I cook, but in my imagination I can see that butt dripping on the brisket throughout the cook. You may not need that much meat, but I've got to tell you I've never failed at brisket with a butt on top. Usually around 225 cooking temp. Pull at 195 - they usually get done at the same time.

Leave some fat on the brisket. I get mine at an old fashion butcher shop and they trim it to my desire. I like about 1/4 inch of fat, which reduces to near nothing over an 18 hour cook. I get the whole brisket, called a packers cut. It just barely fits inside a large egg at the start of the cook, but shrinks down plenty during the cook.

No water pan. Just mustard coated with Butch's Magic Dust, or some rub of my mixing (usually Rendezvous rub or Rub #1 from the Bill Wise cookbook).