Hacked off about a brisket ...

jtilk · Postby **jtilk** » Tue May 17, 2011 5:10 pm

Ok so I'm looking for a little advice here... seems that cooking a brisket is kinda like my golf game, I prop one end up only to have the other fall down. Back in Feb I did a cookoff of about 30 teams and took 1st in brisket, pulled the thing off about @ 197 and after sitting in a cooler for a few hrs juice was running out of the thing when I cut... the past 2 cookoffs I have done my briskets seem to be a little on the dry side. I'm injecting, wrapping @ 160 in an aluminum pan, pulling off at 195-197, allowing it to rest for maybe 2 hrs and getting a dryer texture... any idea what could be causing this?? Is it inthe foil to long, causing it to boil out its liquids? or is it maybe not in the foil long enough? :angryfire:

Postby **limey** » Tue May 17, 2011 5:25 pm

Did you do the poke test @ 195, I cooked two briskets this weekend one was done at 195 the other I left at 200 til my Tpen went through like butter. It's funny the smaller one was pulled at 200.
Go figure.

Pony Express · Postby **Pony Express** » Tue May 17, 2011 5:27 pm

i think everyone has the same thing happen. Quality of meat can cause that. Some briskets are better than others.
Pull temp is only part of the equation

Was it cooked at the same temp each time?

ecto1 · Postby **ecto1** » Tue May 17, 2011 6:22 pm

A brisket is like a woman I will never completely figure either one of them out. :wink:

BluDawg · Postby **BluDawg** » Tue May 17, 2011 6:51 pm

Quit worrying so much about internal temp. it is only a general guide line, when it passes the poke test its done. As was previously mentioned no two are alike. The quality of meat can vary depending on how old the animal was at time of slaughter, the type of feed Ect. Just because it is a choice or prime doesn't mean a thing as to when it will finish. I have had a few go to 220° before they passed the poke test.

atcNick · Postby **atcNick** » Tue May 17, 2011 7:06 pm

You guys just answered some of the frustrations I've had with brisket. I'll have one turn out awesome!! I'm feeling like a pro, then the next one I do everything exactly the same and something just isn't right.

One question for you guys, when you do the pike test how often ate you checking? Every X minutes or X degrees?

-Nick via Tapatalk

E Town · Postby **E Town** » Tue May 17, 2011 7:08 pm

BluDawg wrote:Quit worrying so much about internal temp. it is only a general guide line, when it passes the poke test its done. As was previously mentioned no two are alike. The quality of meat can vary depending on how old the animal was at time of slaughter, the type of feed Ect. Just because it is a choice or prime doesn't mean a thing as to when it will finish. I have had a few go to 220° before they passed the poke test.

What he said.

ceaves · Postby **ceaves** » Tue May 17, 2011 8:24 pm

Most mine come off at 211-214. I always try to let rest at least 2 hours before slicing. 2 hours in foil in a cooler and they are still too hot to touch.

FR8 Train · Postby **FR8 Train** » Tue May 17, 2011 8:31 pm

I've also pulled a few around the 210 mark with pretty good results. The window of a brisket being done is so wide that you may as well not even use a thermo and just poke it with something.

Southern Pride BBQ · Postby **Southern Pride BBQ** » Tue May 17, 2011 8:48 pm

ecto1 wrote:A brisket is like a woman I will never completely figure either one of them out.

I never heard it put so well.....thats the darn truth !!!

jtilk · Postby **jtilk** » Tue May 17, 2011 8:58 pm

To answer some of the questions you guys have had... A) I didnt try the poke test, but I guess this will be my method from here on out... B) Everytime I cook brisket I try to keep the pit between 225-250.

One question for you guys about the poke test, do you guys use the toothpick on the flat?? or the point?

FR8 Train · Postby **FR8 Train** » Tue May 17, 2011 9:08 pm

I poke from the top in the middle of the flat.

jtilk · Postby **jtilk** » Tue May 17, 2011 9:15 pm

I'm only inquiring because I want a clean sweep so I can "retire" from cookoffs... figured I'd go out on top if I took first in brisket, chicken and ribs in the same cookoff. haha... I've gotten 2 of the 3 at once, but nothing more.

BluDawg · Postby **BluDawg** » Tue May 17, 2011 11:30 pm

jtilk wrote:To answer some of the questions you guys have had... A) I didnt try the poke test, but I guess this will be my method from here on out... B) Everytime I cook brisket I try to keep the pit between 225-250.

One question for you guys about the poke test, do you guys use the toothpick on the flat?? or the point?

I aim for somewhere close to the thickest part of the Flat. Don't worry about the fat cap it its t meat that has to have that hot knife through butter feel :tup:

TXLNGHRN · Postby **TXLNGHRN** » Wed May 18, 2011 8:41 am

At my last comp I did 2 briskets, foiled both at 165, they were tough then, pulled at 195 still did not past the poke test, rested in a cooler for 3 hours and they fell apart. I have no idea what was going on. This was my 2nd time using the cooler. The first time I used it for a catering gig and 17 briskets came out unbelievably good. Which I guess is a good thing, I go paid to cater not to compete.....

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