Brisket - how to reach a tender and juicy flat ?

Hello to all,

I´ve a question, refer brisket.

Cooked several briskets so far. Every time I reach better results, but it´s still not a 100 % safety result cook.

The point is always very moist and tender and all I want. Nevermind if I chop it, make Burnt Ends or slice it.

My problem is the flat. I cook brisket normally @ 240 – 250 F in the egg w/o foil, cause I love a nice bark (foiling makes imho a worse bark).

Just a few thoughts, I measure the temp in the flat, but I don’t have a goal temp, I poke a toothpick or thermo probe in the meat until it goes inside of the meat like in warm butter.

I started to check the flat @ 180 F internal every half hour, until it passes the poke test.

Sometimes the flat gets that tender, but sometimes not.

I check every 30 minutes, but I get a bit panic, if the test wasn´t successful approx 4 or 5 hours after reaching 180 F internal flat. I fear, that an additional cooking time dries the flat out.

Most of the time when this happens (flat doesn´t pass the poke test at any time during the cook), I separate flat and point (point has passed the tender test normal several hours before the flat) anytime I think it`s best to pull it now out fo the egg, wrap the flat and put in the cooler until slicing and eating. Result is a ordinary flat, but not more. A bit tough and a bit dry. But not as tender and juicy as I expect it.

My question here is, should I go ahead with cooking when this happens ?

Is there a point every flat gets tender and moist, and I haven’t reached it so far ?

Or is my fear warrantable, that longer cooking times don’t help to tenderize it, it will help to dry out ?

Is it possible at that moment, when I fear I don´t get that beast tender with normal cooking rules, to wrap it, add liquid and cook it ? Helps this ?

Any other suggestions ?

My target is, that every brisket cook ends in 100 % satisfaction :-)

The most will – the point anyway – but I want also the flat in this level.