Epic Failiure with Briskett

[networkn]

Hi There!

I have a Weber OTG 22".

I bought a 5lb brisket flat and made a rub of hawaiin sea salt, smoked paprika, chilli powder, kosher salt, black pepper and left it for 16 hours.

I made a snake and tried to light a few coals but it didn't really take the first time, the second lot which I put over the first lot didn't really work for about 45 minutes. I think for the first hour and a half the temps were around 180-200F and then for 2 hours at 265f. The Internal Temp of the meat was 153F then I wrapped it in foil and it sat for about 1.5 hours. Unfortunately my wife cut a little off the end which I didn't notice till later, and it wasn't covered underneath in foil.

The meat itself was as tough as leather, but the flavour was pretty decent.

I now have about half left. Wondering if I can get a decent second meal somehow or is it pretty much over?

How many ways did I go wrong?

[Txdragon]

The Internal Temp of the meat was 153F then I wrapped it in foil and it sat for about 1.5 hours.

Problem 1

Unfortunately my wife cut a little off the end which I didn't notice till later, and it wasn't covered underneath in foil.

Problem 2

The flat of a brisket is the toughest part of the entire cut. Why? Because it has the least marbling, with the most connective tissue of the whole piece. You basically cooked it to the point of tightening up and then stopped; Didn't cook it long enough to break down that tissue. The cut end may or may not have been a factor if it was cut after cooking for a bit, then cooked more without being covered. It can certainly be salvaged. I suggest braising it from this point forward. Turn it into stew. I LOVE brisket stew!

Welcome aboard, i'm sure there will be others offering insight. Hopefully you stick around and show us how you recovered here!!

[jerodpb]

With a flat you really should boat it. I only smoke Prime flats but one with decent striations should do.

1. Put seasoning on RIGHT BEFORE you smoke it

2. Smoke at 225ish until 150-160ish internal. Don't worry about the bark or lack thereof. I wouldn't go above 165 internal and sometimes it will hit the stall in the 150's and at that time you might as well crutch/boat it.

3. Place in foil pan, add a little beef broth, crimp the crap out of the foil on top the pan and cook till probe tender. You can go to an indoor oven for this. No longer smoking. If you leave a thermometer in the meat it will be about 203....however, the probe TENDERNESS of the meat has the final say, not the actual temp. Go in on the side of the flat, and that baby will glide in like you going into warm butter. The last one I did kinda "sucked in" the thermometer probe.

4. When it hits probe tender take out of the foil pan, let it steam off for a few minutes. 10 or so minutes, just enough to get it to start cooling off.

5. Wrap in foil.....wrap in a couple towels....stick in ice chest for a couple hours or until the meat gets down to 150 or so internal.

6. Put some more hot coals in the weber. When the brisket is finished resting, take out the foil, put each side over the coals long enough to firm up the bark...slice and serve

7. Also, I have had flats that were a little dry, but plenty tender and tasty, I have also had flats on the full packers that were plenty juicy, but tenderness and flavor were definitely lacking...sometimes the meat just ain't up to par, even if no one robs a piece before it is done

When I smoke a whole packer I don't use a boat or use foil, I use butcher paper.....I do use foil if I rest overnight, but that is after it has been in butcher paper to finish out the smoke. My Pit Barrel Cooker locks in so much moisture that you could probably cook without ever wrapping, I do at least in the 190's on the full packer to lock in some moisture.

[BluDawg]

Hi There!

I have a Weber OTG 22".

I bought a 5lb brisket flat and made a rub of hawaiin sea salt, smoked paprika, chilli powder, kosher salt, black pepper and left it for 16 hours.

I made a snake and tried to light a few coals but it didn't really take the first time, the second lot which I put over the first lot didn't really work for about 45 minutes. I think for the first hour and a half the temps were around 180-200F and then for 2 hours at 265f. The Internal Temp of the meat was 153F then I wrapped it in foil and it sat for about 1.5 hours. Unfortunately my wife cut a little off the end which I didn't notice till later, and it wasn't covered underneath in foil.

The meat itself was as tough as leather, but the flavour was pretty decent.

I now have about half left. Wondering if I can get a decent second meal somehow or is it pretty much over?

How many ways did I go wrong?

You where so far under cooked it pains me. Get your Weber up to 250 min. for cooking a Flat. You can use the snake method light about 10 briquettes to kick it off and run the intake vents Wide open and the exhaust damper wide open.
Cook the flat about 4 hrs the temp will be close to 160 warp it in foil or butcher paper if you can get some.
Put it back on the Grill for another hr get you an Ice pic or a bamboo skewer and probe the flat if it goes in like a hot knife through butter with no resistance it is done if not cook it another 30 min & check it again. Once it probes tender
remove it from the pit and let it sit on the counter for two hrs carve across the grain.

[jtilk]

Nothin' much more to cover here ... looks like they all pretty much hit the nail on the head for you with where you went wrong.
As for your leftovers you have, anything that would cook it longer would work and preferrably braised in a crock pot to keep some type of moisture in it since it's already been cut. Crock pot with gravy served over rice is always an option...

[BluDawg]

Brisket Chili!

[networkn]

The Internal Temp of the meat was 153F then I wrapped it in foil and it sat for about 1.5 hours.

Problem 1

Unfortunately my wife cut a little off the end which I didn't notice till later, and it wasn't covered underneath in foil.

Problem 2

The flat of a brisket is the toughest part of the entire cut. Why? Because it has the least marbling, with the most connective tissue of the whole piece. You basically cooked it to the point of tightening up and then stopped; Didn't cook it long enough to break down that tissue. The cut end may or may not have been a factor if it was cut after cooking for a bit, then cooked more without being covered. It can certainly be salvaged. I suggest braising it from this point forward. Turn it into stew. I LOVE brisket stew!

Welcome aboard, i'm sure there will be others offering insight. Hopefully you stick around and show us how you recovered here!!

/me slaps his head. I forgot the "second" cook part! I understand now.

Got a good Brisket Stew?

Don't worry I am not one to quit, I'll get this right trust me!

[networkn]

Brisket Chili!

Sounds awesome, do you have a recipe?

[BluDawg]

Cut the brisket into cubes and use it as the meat in your favorite chili recipe I I me this one.

S A.Chili Queen Chili
This is, according to the legend, one of San Antonio chili queen's original recipe.
 
2 pounds beef, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 pounds pork, cut into ½ inch cubes
¼ cup suet
¼ cup pork fat
3 medium onions, chopped
6 clove garlic, minced
1 quarts water
4 ancho chiles, seeds and stems removed, chopped fine
1 serrano chile, seeds and stems removed, chopped fine
6 dried red New Mexican chiles, seeds and stems removed, chopped fine
1 tablespoons cumin seeds, freshly ground
2 tablespoons Mexican oregano
salt, to taste
 
Lightly flour the beef and pork cubes. Quickly cook in the suet and pork fat, stirring often. Add onions and garlic and sauté until they are tender and limp. Remove all pieces of fat. Add the water to the mixture and simmer for 1 hour. 
Grind the chiles in a blender or molcajete. Add to the meat mixture. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for an additional 2 hours. Skim off any fat that rises, then serve.

[BigDave]

Yep Bludawg nailed it square. Not cooked long enuf. We cook flats in 5 to 6 pound range at 240 for 5 or 6 hours. They will be about 165. Wrap and cook until done to probe tender. Usually another 1.5 to 2 hrs, sometime 3 hrs depending on the individual critter. Its done when done.

[networkn]

In the end we did this recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/devo ... index.html

It was pretty good, though the meat certainly wasn't fall apart tender, it was very edible. We served it with Guacamole and Sour Cream. We cooked it in the slow cooker for about 5 hours.

I have a quick question.

My Local Butcher calls the Brisket they offer Naval end or Point end? Is that the same as Packer and Flat Brisket? Which is which?

[jerodpb]

The full packer is the flat and the point

The flat is longer and thinner with less fat

the point is the really thick end and has fat on both sides and lots in it

there is a THICK fat vein separating these two muscles; flat- profundus, point- pectorialus

if you are getting just the point, you really need to cook that thing a while.....making burnt ends would be good as well...that is after you get it to over 200 internal...

http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef ... isket.html

[DaveAlvarado]

Brisket Chili!

This is the best way to salvage brisket. Chop it up, toss it in chili, simmer until tender.

[Txdragon]

In the end we did this recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/devo ... index.html

It was pretty good, though the meat certainly wasn't fall apart tender, it was very edible. We served it with Guacamole and Sour Cream. We cooked it in the slow cooker for about 5 hours.

I have a quick question.

My Local Butcher calls the Brisket they offer Naval end or Point end? Is that the same as Packer and Flat Brisket? Which is which?

Naval end is the flat, point end.. Well, point. Lol

[jtilk]

In the end we did this recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/devo ... index.html

It was pretty good, though the meat certainly wasn't fall apart tender, it was very edible. We served it with Guacamole and Sour Cream. We cooked it in the slow cooker for about 5 hours.

I have a quick question.

My Local Butcher calls the Brisket they offer Naval end or Point end? Is that the same as Packer and Flat Brisket? Which is which?

Naval end is the flat, point end.. Well, point. Lol

Naval end = flat... Point= upper pectoral/ breast... Flat + Point = packer