more help consistantly not fall apart tender

[planohog]

This brisket was one of the small $12 hunks , well trimmed , looked good from Henry E. Butts.
I was trying to keep costs down while learning pitboss vertical pellet smoker and briskets .
cut small slices on both sides to allow seasoning to penetrate. ( not doing that again ) .
Soaked in my favorite marinade meat side down over night.
cooker to 200. ( seems the onboard sensors read high, my Inkbird IRF-4S showed 225-235 most of the time
while meat came up to 165.
Wrapped, added some apple juice to the foil. brought it to 195 ( thinking this would fix the overdone. )
Pulled , opened to let heat out then placed in ice chest for several hours.

it was tasty but it was very firm and far away from fall apart.
I have the taste part down but the texture,firmness or fall-apart feature is missing.

What am I going to do next time. ? ( not wrap ) .

any tips or ideas ?

Regards T, in Seabrook Texas

[planohog]

this vertical PB smoker has heat on the bottom.
It might be a mistake for me to place the meat
fat side up.
so I am going to run meat fat side down,


meatside
fatside
water pan
heat

regards T

[Rambo]

I do Fat Side down on an Offset Stick Burner. This is as large an argument as Beans in Chili

[k.a.m.]

A couple of things you are fighting here.
1. Small flats need to be cooked much faster because they are skinny and leaner than the point.
2. You pulled way too early at 195° but because of the leaner cut you also dried it out with the prolonged cook.

My suggestion would be if you are cooking just a flat.
1. Cook between 250° and 275° fat cap down.
2. At 165° pan in an aluminum half or full pan and place 1 cup beef broth in the pan then foil cover.
3. At 205° internal temp check for probe tender if not tender go to 210°.
4. Once probe tender let rest covered in pan for at least 2 hours.
I hope this helps.

[txsmkmstr]

Nothing magic about 195*... or 203*... or any other temperature. You'll want to take it off the pit when the thickest part of the flat is "probe tender". Now that's a bit subjective but a toothpick or temp probe should insert easily into the meat. It's often described as a knife thru warm butter - or perhaps more like a real ripe avocado. Either way, my guess is your brisket was undercooked. I rarely have a brisket probe tender under 200* internal.

[GRailsback]

I would also stay away from buying those flats. They are hard to do regardless. Buy the smallest whole packer you can find. You shyould be able to find them in the 9-11 pound range pretty easy. Nothing less than choice. And your results cooking a whole packer are much more likely to be sucessful if you use the probe tender method.

[Okie Sawbones]

I'm with k.a.m. here. If I do a flat, 275F until probe tender, usually around 203-206F, then place in a heating blanket for 4 hours.

[planohog]

Thanks for the tips, Im excited to try again, this task called working keeps getting in the way.

[k.a.m.]

Thanks for the tips, Im excited to try again, this task called working keeps getting in the way.

It is a necessary evil for most though

['BoutTime]

I'm with k.a.m. here. If I do a flat, 275F until probe tender, usually around 203-206F, then place in a heating blanket for 4 hours.

If you use any type of cloth to wrap your brisket with, make sure there are no holes in the bottom of the wrapping. I foil-wrapped a brisket in large bath sheets, and they sucked all the juices out. Brisket was still great and tender, but not juicy.

[planohog]

Thank YOu

[sinfony78]

i go by feel when pulling briskets. if I check the temp, they will be between 205-209 degrees

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[castironchris]

If I may, the HEBs in my area have started carrying just the point by itself so that is what I have been doing lately with a lot more success than the flats.

[txsmkmstr]

If I may, the HEBs in my area have started carrying just the point by itself so that is what I have been doing lately with a lot more success than the flats.

I would love to find those but no HEB's nearby. I've been seriously thinking about slicing the lousy flats off and grinding them for burgers and just cook the point. Be lovin' me some point.