The Texas BBQ Forum

In my last two comps my brisket slices have gotten really dark on me. The brisket looks great when I first slice it but in a matter of minutes it darkens. The smoke ring goes from a pinkish red to a maroon/dark brown and the meat itself turned to a deep brown. Both times the briskets had a perfect tenderness and moisture. The first brisket was injected with injected with Fab-B lite and the second no injection. Any thoughts or ideas to why this is happening?

I have had that happen when I dunk the slices into juice before putting them into the box. I can't say I noticed it otherwise.

Are you letting your briskets rest before slicing? How long are they sitting before you notice the color change?

Ric G.

When air hits the open slices they will darken over time. I try to minimize the time my slices are exposed to air trying to keep them stacked before boxing.

TwoGuysBBQ wrote:Are you letting your briskets rest before slicing? How long are they sitting before you notice the color change?

Ric G.

^^^^^^ Upon my experience, it seems as though you are slicing while brisket is still too hot. I am guilty of this at home. When I slice, I have a few minutes before they start looking dry. It will happen regardless because the juicy goodness will run out of them since they are slices, BUT, how long you let them rest before slicing will determine how fast they start to dry out after being sliced; the hotter, the faster..

Yes that's what I was getting at.
Rule number one ALWAYS let your brisket or any meat rest a while before slicing. That's why when you get Brisket at a bbq joint they slice it in front of you instead of having it sliced sitting under heat lamps as It would all be grey and unappealing. Like KAM said once air/oxygen hits the open slices they will change color.

I learned this the hard way a long time ago when we first started doing cook off's.

As far as the flavor that could be a combo of things as previously stated.

Ric G.