All Things Brisket

[dcbc 14,641]

On 6/1/2021 at 12:09 AM, Beantown Express 2.0 said:

Thanks for the response but not sure I totally follow.  Let’s say I do it at 225F are you saying once it hits 165 you wrap it in something and leave it on the smoker?  When I do beef ribs I don’t wrap them and just leave them on at 225F until they hit 204 degrees which takes around 7-8 hours usually.  Once again, new to brisket so not sure how you do the whole wrap thing.

Yes, I almost always wrap in butcher paper.  I was on team no wrap for a while, but I decided I like the results when I wrap a bit more, particularly in the flat.  I don't wrap beef ribs though.  My bark holds together well (not mushy).  You just want to make sure it's set (doesn't rub off with the back of your finger nail) before you wrap.

Edited June 2, 2021 by dcbc

[Beantown Express 2.0 6,586]

24 minutes ago, dcbc said:

Yes, I almost always wrap in butcher paper.  I was on team no wrap for a while, but I decided I like the results when I wrap a bit more, particularly in the flat.  I don't wrap beef ribs though.  My bark holds together well (not mushy).  You just want to make sure it's set (doesn't rub off with the back of your finger nail) before you wrap.

I didn't have butcher paper so I wrapped in foil.  Hope I didn't screw it up.  It stalled at 154 so that is when I wrapped it.  Guessing I will make a block of beef jerky by the time I am done but it's my first attempt so oh well.

[dcbc 14,641]

10 minutes ago, Beantown Express 2.0 said:

I didn't have butcher paper so I wrapped in foil.  Hope I didn't screw it up.  It stalled at 154 so that is when I wrapped it.  Guessing I will make a block of beef jerky by the time I am done but it's my first attempt so oh well.

Foil works fine.  It'll be great.

[Beantown Express 2.0 6,586]

23 minutes ago, dcbc said:

Foil works fine.  It'll be great.

So when I say it stalled is that when it hit 154 and stayed that way for like 30 minutes to an hour?  That is when you should wrap a brisket right?  Last questions.  I should now take it to what temp?  204?  higher/lower?  at that point I don't have a cooler or anything.  Do I just leave it wrapped in the foil for an hour plus or do I stick it in the over on "warm" for an hour plus?

Edited June 2, 2021 by Beantown Express 2.0

[dcbc 14,641]

4 minutes ago, Beantown Express 2.0 said:

So when I say it stalled is that when it hit 154 and stayed that way for like 30 minutes to an hour?  That is when you should wrap a brisket right?  Last questions.  I should now take it to what temp?  204?  higher/lower?  at that point I don't have a cooler or anything.  Do I just leave it wrapped in the foil for an hour plus or do I stick it in the over on "warm" for an hour plus?

You wrap any time after the bark is set.  If the bark is set and it's hit the stall, it's fine to wrap.  From there, you put it back on the cooker.  You start probing around 195.  It's done when a thermometer probe goes into the thick part of the flat like warm butter.  That could be anywhere from 195 to 210 or so.  But there's not a set temp.  Each brisket is different.  Some are more stubborn than others.  

[Beantown Express 2.0 6,586]

My temp just said 212 so I pulled it and put it in the oven on warm still wrapped in foil. I guess I should wait an hour plus to cut it right?   I opened the foil and the bark seemed a little soggy so I may have screwed something up.

[dcbc 14,641]

23 minutes ago, Beantown Express 2.0 said:

My temp just said 212 so I pulled it and put it in the oven on warm still wrapped in foil. I guess I should wait an hour plus to cut it right?   I opened the foil and the bark seemed a little soggy so I may have screwed something up.

 

Turn the oven off.  You don't want to heat it further.  A cooler with a bunch of towels works well, and you can hold it for hours.  You want to rest at room temp for about an hour before putting it in a holding container.  It will be fine, but just for future reference.

Edited June 2, 2021 by dcbc

[Beantown Express 2.0 6,586]

Came out terrible.  Through it away.  Bark didn’t set, the meat was too chewy to eat, and I added too much pepper.  Fuck!

[thunderlounge 8,318]

Too much pepper?

Da fuq?

[HouTex 1,912]

You threw it out? I’ve never done such a shitty job that I had to trash an entire brisket. It doesn’t have to be world class BBQ to be edible.

[Etexhorn13 3,091]

1 hour ago, Beantown Express 2.0 said:

Came out terrible.  Through it away.  Bark didn’t set, the meat was too chewy to eat, and I added too much pepper.  Fuck!

I’ve basically started from scratch with briskets over the past 9 months or so, so I’m still very much a beginner but starting to get really good results. The first few can be really hard not to overthink... my advice to you is relax and just let it cook. Get a remote probe so you can see the temp as it goes. Wrap between 150-160 when it stalls, then around 202ish start probing. If you probe anywhere that isn’t totally smooth (butter), keep cooking and probe every 30 min or so. The most important thing though is you need to let it rest at least a couple hours before cutting it, that may have had something to do with why yours was so chewy/dry. 
 

From one newbie to another it’s mostly just patience and learning from mistakes for the first couple. 

Edited June 3, 2021 by Etexhorn13

[McFly 606]

You were doomed from the start with a 3 pound cut. Smaller cuts leave less room for error. 
Overcooking then cooking more didn’t help either. 
 

[utee94 16,065]

26 minutes ago, McFly said:

You were doomed from the start with a 3 pound cut. Smaller cuts leave less room for error. 
Overcooking then cooking more didn’t help either. 
 

Yeah, full packers take more time but they're a perfect combination of muscle, fat, and connective tissue, so they're actually pretty fool-proof. And even if you somehow screw it up badly, usually at least SOME part of it is edible.

 

[pearlandhorn 3,343]

I was under the impression that smaller briskets would be easier to cook when I did my first brisket.  I did an 11 pounder for my first one.  I was paying too much attention to internal temp (when I should wrap, pull it off, etc.).  I watched a few videos and read a few articles and have completed ditched the notion that you have to wrap at a certain internal temperature and really just base it off the look of the bark and the fat render.  On my cooker, I've wrapped at 160 and as high as 180.  For me, it really just depends on the look of the brisket.

After wrapping, I stick a thermometer in the thickest part of the flat and just set it to notify me when it gets to 200.  I'll take my thermopen and probe a few spots on the flat and point to feel how they are.  If the thermopen doesn't slide right in (giggidy), it needs more time.  I'll then let it rest down to 170 internal or so and if it's not time to eat, throw it in a cooler, still wrapped in butcher paper, until it's time to eat.

The last brisket I cooked a few weeks ago was a 14 pounder.  A larger brisket takes longer, but it's definitely easier to cook than a smaller one and has better results for me.

Oh, and there's no such thing as too much pepper.  I've even started going 2/1 ratio of pepper/salt.  Never used a binder for beef either.

[Lat22 4,070]

3 hours ago, utee94 said:

Yeah, full packers take more time but they're a perfect combination of muscle, fat, and connective tissue, so they're actually pretty fool-proof. And even if you somehow screw it up badly, usually at least SOME part of it is edible.

 

Exactly.  I have two friends with the smaller WSM and they're always buying flats or small pre trimmed briskets because a packer will not fit.  They struggle their asses off to get a good product. 

[McFly 606]

I have the 18" WSM and you can squeeze the larger ones between the handles on the top grate.  It will shrink as it cooks. 

[mdleast 8,491]

Yes you can definitely fit a packer into an 18”. Depending on how big you might have to curve it in there and work the lid down over it by twisting it around to get it to seal but it’ll work and, as mentioned, will shrink during the cook.

[DDD Dad 14,570]

Just wrap an empty beer can in foil and stick it on the grill under the meat. Remove it after it’s shrunk down enough to fit flat. Problem solved.

[dcbc 14,641]

On 6/3/2021 at 7:40 PM, DDD Dad said:

Just wrap an empty beer can in foil and stick it on the grill under the meat. Remove it after it’s shrunk down enough to fit flat. Problem solved.

Put a chunk of smoking wood under one side of the center of it.  Not only will it make it fit better, but it will keep juices from pooling on the top and give you a more consistent bark.  You can dry out the flavored seasoned chunk of wood to burn later.

Edited June 7, 2021 by dcbc

[CoachTex 2,657]

Looking to add a brisket slicing knife to my inventory.  Don't want to spend more then $30. Any suggestions? 

[hornian 5,281]

8 hours ago, CoachTex said:

Looking to add a brisket slicing knife to my inventory.  Don't want to spend more then $30. Any suggestions? 

https://www.missionrs.com/dexter-s14012scypcp-12-inch-roast-slicer-knife.html

[utee94 16,065]

^^^^^^

Yup, that's the one.  Any restaurant supply store will have roast slicers, and I like the ones like hornian posted with the scalloped edge, helps cut through the bark a little easier.

 

[CoachTex 2,657]

How does one keep a scalloped edged knife sharp?

[hornian 5,281]

1 hour ago, utee94 said:

^^^^^^

Yup, that's the one.  Any restaurant supply store will have roast slicers, and I like the ones like hornian posted with the scalloped edge, helps cut through the bark a little easier.

 

Yeah, I actually prefer the non-scalloped edge ones myself, but lots of people prefer that one. 

 

[hornian 5,281]

27 minutes ago, CoachTex said:

How does one keep a scalloped edged knife sharp?

At the price point of these, when they get dull I buy a new one. 

[utee94 16,065]

4 minutes ago, hornian said:

Yeah, I actually prefer the non-scalloped edge ones myself, but lots of people prefer that one. 

 

I don't ever wrap, I love a really well-set, crunchy bark.  So the scalloped edge helps.

For wrapped briskets, the bark is usually such that the non-scalloped works well.

[McFly 606]

4 hours ago, CoachTex said:

How does one keep a scalloped edged knife sharp?

Put a cover on it.

[Both Tacos 1,827]

How does one keep a scalloped edged knife sharp?

Knife sharpener.

[CoachTex 2,657]

 

5 minutes ago, Both Tacos said:

9 hours ago, CoachTex said:

How does one keep a scalloped edged knife sharp?

Knife sharpener.

Can you sharpen a serrated or scalloped knife with a regular sharpener?

[Both Tacos 1,827]

 
Can you sharpen a serrated or scalloped knife with a regular sharpener?

Not a serrated knife but a scalloped one you can.

[Jerry Callo 8,952]

 

Dexter-Russell Scalloped Slicer 12" - $21 at Amazon.

[luke duke 6,445]

 
Dexter-Russell Scalloped Slicer 12" - $21 at Amazon.

[Jerry Callo 8,952]

I give no credence to misquoted memes.

“You keep using that word.  I do not think it means what you think it means.” -Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride.

[utee94 16,065]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

He's right about the misquote, you know.

 

[Jerry Callo 8,952]

BTW, the description of "scalloped" comes from the knife manufacturer, Dexter - who has been making knives since 1818.

[Both Tacos 1,827]

You killed my father...prepare to die.

[dcbc 14,641]

19 hours ago, Jerry Callo said:

 

Dexter-Russell Scalloped Slicer 12" - $21 at Amazon.

I've had one of these for years.  They are excellent. 

[El Tri 412]

17 minutes ago, dcbc said:

I've had one of these for years.  They are excellent. 

seconded. amazing knife. also use it to slice bread

[Paco 1,947]

I definitely prefer scalloped potatoes to serrated potatoes.

[dcbc 14,641]

11 minutes ago, El Tri said:

seconded. amazing knife. also use it to slice bread

Shortly after I got it, and after a few too many, I was using it to slice up some sausage before getting to the brisket and scalloped my thumb.

It grew back. 

She's sharp enough for the old man.

[Gourmand 7,778]

i've smoked some of those pre-trimmed flats and points from HEB on my 22" Weber Kettle with very good results, but they still take 9-12 hours for my setup. I did one on Monday that was smooth sailing and turned out great. Hardest part with the Weber is fire/temp control but it's not that difficult....I wrapped it in butcher paper around 165 and held it on 200 in the oven while I got more coals going on the fire to keep the temps up longer, powered through the stall much better than previous ones. To echo what someone else said upthread, I'm at the point now that if the stall is too much of a pain in the ass, I'll just finish it in the oven instead of dicking around with the coals on my Weber.

I know we're all brisket snobs and perfectionists around these parts, but even meh brisket is still appreciated in my house. As long you cook it low and slow enough, in my experience it's always pretty fuckin good.

[Gourmand 7,778]

On 6/2/2021 at 8:27 PM, Etexhorn13 said:

Get a remote probe so you can see the temp as it goes.

Yep, this imo is the most important piece of equipment when you're a beginner because otherwise you're likely to be fucking with the brisket too much and not letting it cook undisturbed. If you have a good probe and a remote you can see if the temp is continuing to rise, fall, or stall. 

[CoachTex 2,657]

Got it. Next week I try not to repeat @dcbc's mistake. 

[DalTxHornFan 3,130]

8 hours ago, Gourmand said:

I wrapped it in butcher paper around 165 and held it on 200 in the oven while I got more coals going on the fire to keep the temps up longer, powered through the stall much better than previous ones.

As long you cook it low and slow enough, in my experience it's always pretty fuckin good.

I cheat.  Mine get wrapped and go into the oven once they get to 4 hours or so.  A hell of a lot less work and I never have heard any complaints about a lack of smoke flavor.  Of course, there's less time to drink unsupervised outside while "tending to the fire" -- nothing comes easy.

Edited July 1, 2021 by DalTxHornFan

[ROFL BOX 6,654]

6 hours ago, DalTxHornFan said:

I cheat.  Mine get wrapped and go into the oven once they get to 4 hours or so.  A hell of a lot less work and I never have heard any complaints about a lack of smoke flavor.  Of course, there's less time to drink unsupervised outside while "tending to the fire" -- nothing comes easy.

I used to be a purist & wanted smoke all the way.  Then I actually purchased a trailer smoker & came to my senses.

Plus, it's well known that after 4... 4-1/2 hours you won't penetrate the meat with any added smoke.  The ring has hit it's maximum potential.

[RollLeft 5,088]

6 hours ago, DalTxHornFan said:

I cheat.  Mine get wrapped and go into the oven once they get to 4 hours or so.  A hell of a lot less work and I never have heard any complaints about a lack of smoke flavor...

Maybe I'm a lesser man, but this.  

[GreenspointTexas 9,932]

I thought it was 6, not 4?

[UncleBuck 6,455]

39 minutes ago, GreenspointTexas said:

I thought it was 6, not 4?

My briskets stop taking on smoke once the bark sets. At least that's what I tell myself, and that's normally around six hours before I'm satisfied with it.

Of course with smoke, a lot depends also on what temp you put your brisket on at, and what temp you're cooking at. Maybe it's 4ish hours for his temps.

Edited July 1, 2021 by UncleBuck

[utee94 16,065]

I'd definitely put it closer to 6 hours at 225.  Cooking hotter, it likely comes faster.

For me it's not a big deal to leave the brisket on the pit because I almost always have something that I'm throwing on closer to eating time.  Ribs, chicken, pork tenderloin, sausage.

 

[UncleBuck 6,455]

1 hour ago, utee94 said:

For me it's not a big deal to leave the brisket on the pit because I almost always have something that I'm throwing on closer to eating time

Not only that, when you wrap in butcher paper (properly) vs. foil, then put it back on the pit, it's gunna allow your brisket to breath with that pull of heat and smoke much more than it will shut almost completely off in an oven. That'll help your bark out a ton. 

Once my brisket puts on the paper, I'm wide open on the intake and cranking the heat up.

 

EDIT: Not telling anyone how to cook their brisket if they already have their way that works best for them. Do your thing. 

Edited July 1, 2021 by UncleBuck