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Challenge from Wife - Make "fall apart" Brisket!

Started by mamba, July 09, 2005, 03:29:29 PM

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mamba

My wife loves brisket that is tender to the point of falling apart more so than just fork tender.  I've read almost every recipe I can find and every post here about temps for Brisket, and they all seem to say the same thing:  Cook it to 185-190 with up to 205 and the higher the temp the more tender it will be.

OK, I admit it.  I'm chicken.  I'm worried that 200 will dry it out rather than keep it moist, even if I foil it after about 5 hours and finish cooking in the Bradley low and slow until the internal temp in the flat hits 195-200 or so.  Here is my strategy and I would more than appreciate anyone chiming in with any tips!

I'm going to put my rub on it and let it sit in a bag overnight.  Next, do all the normal prep and put it in at around with the Bradley around 200 with 4-5 hours of hickory (with bacon dripping from top rack), fat side down until internal hits about 130 or so.  Then, rotate, flip to fat side up, double wrap in foil with a splash of apple juice and cook until it hits the so called "fall apart" temp threshold followed by TC.  

That is where you come in!  What temp would you suggest I take it to in order to achieve the meat sort of falling apart or hard to keep together?  190 - 195 - 200 - 205?

I'm going to fire up the project tomorrow, so I'll report back on all details after it concludes.  Thanks for any tips you may have.

oguard

I go to an IT of 190F and the brisket does seem to fall apart nicely

Mike

Catch it,Kill it,Smoke it
Catch it,Kill it,Smoke it.

mamba

OK, I've got one for 190.  Anybody else?  I've decided to bump it up a bit and start a midnight smoke, so away we go!

JJC

I go to 195 and it's really moist and tender--make sure you change out the water at 4 hr.

John
Newton MA
John
Newton MA

mamba

Update:  I did everything described above and decided to go to 195.  The brisket still held together but it was as tender as you could possibly ask for!  Thanks for your responses!

Habanero Smoker

You may be already doing this, but I'll mention it just in case. The brisket will fall apart easier if you cut the meat across the grain.



     I
         don't
                   inhale.
  ::)

mamba

Am cutting across the grain for sure.  It took me a while to get that straight, but now I have it down.  Thanks!

Phone Guy

I like my brisket sliced and sauced, fork tender.[:p]

psdubl07

Sorry I'm a little late on this, but also wrap in saran first, then double foil.  The foil does an amazing job of keeping moisture in, but the addition of saran does it one better.

EDIT:  I forgot to say also that IMO the only thing accomplished by putting the rub on the night before is drawing moisture out of the meat.  I put all my rubs on no more than an hour before smoking now.

mamba

Well, this weekend was Revenge of Brisket.  I thought I'd try again and see what happened with basically the same formula.  Smoked overnight then moved in foil  to oven with Polder inserted.  The temperature was rising extremely slow with the oven first set on 225, then 250, then 300.  I finally recognized something was wrong when the temp hit 174 and didn't budge for 30 minutes (right after it held on 162 for 30).  Took it out, inserted another thermometer and it read 206.  I let it sit for about an hour before carving.  Yes it was tender.  Almost to the point it couldn't be carved because it was falling apart.  Way too tender!

195 is plenty for brisket for good, moist but yet holding together meat.  This would have been great for chopped beef (which is what we ended up using it for).