Hi All. New guy with brisket question.

[Kansas City Kid]

Hello Everyone.  I'm new to the world of Smokers, and I thank you all for your posts and tips. I have read quite a bit out here but just now got an account to post.  I just got the OBS and tried my first brisket yesterday.  It turned out pretty good Id give it an 8 out of 10.  Sliced thin it was great,  but if sliced to thick it was a little tough.  I cooked to an internal temp of 185. Would 190 have been much different?

Also Everyone kept giving me a hard time about all the "cooking guides" out there. they almost all read that an internal temp of 145 to 150 is rare 150 to 160 is Medium and that 160 to 170 is well done.  I kept telling them that this web site has guys constantly posting about taking it to 190 for a final temp but I just kept getting strange looks as if it would be a piece of charcoal by 190.. 
But Some people have even said that 200 would almost be so tender that it fell apart.  (so which is it)

    What is the ideal internal temp to pull the brisket off?

Thanks again. I do enjoy you all posting all of your tips and experiences.

[3rensho]

I take mine to 190.  Rare brisket is pretty tough.  I use nicely marbled brisket with a fat cap and at this temp it is certainly well done but juicy and falling apart.

Tom

[Consiglieri]

This is a situation where you and your friends are both right.  Brisket is a smoker favorite because it needs that low and slow heat to break this tough cut down into tender pieces.  A finishing temp of 190 will break down connective tissue so that the brisket is tender, but it won't be medium rare.  You can cook a brisket to 135 and have a medium rare piece of meat, but it won't be tender.  If you cook the brisket low and slow (205 to 215F) until you hit the target internal temps, you shouldn't have a piece of charcoal when the brisket is finished.

The temp ranges your friends were discussing for rare, medium rare etc. are targets for cuts that are naturally tender (like standing rib roasts or tri-tip) where you can serve a rare or medium rare piece of meat. 

[Smoking Duck]

Adding on to what my paesan has said, the low and slow method is what will take what had usually been thought of as a tougher slice into a very tender piece of meat.  I myself prefer my steaks, prime rib at a temp bordering between rare and medium rare.  When cooking in the low and slow method, you won't get the redness of the rare-medium rare type but you will get an incredibly tender piece of meat out of what wasn't thought of as a tender piece of meat.  Smoking got it's start a long time ago by folks who could only afford the toughest types of meat and wanted to make them tender.  Low and slow is how you get there.  To me, you can't compare the two different types of cooking meat.  Both methods, when done correctly, can get you where you want to be with your different types of meats.  You can even do a combination of both with a cold smoke then a searing on the grill.  But, and this is only my opinion here, I'll take the low and slow meats over anything else.  There's just something about the smoke that makes my mouth water every time.

Good luck and welcome, KC Kid.

[Kansas City Kid]

Thanks for the replies.
Yeah I will take it to 190 or so next time with  no fears.  I plan on doing about 8 to 9 pounds for Christmas dinner.  Hopefully I will have it perfected with all of the great advice on this site.  You guys are awesome! Thanks again.

KC Kid

[chevyman]

Welcome KC kid,
You may also want to wrap your brisket in foil and let it rest for up to 4 hours after you pull it off. you would be amazed at the differance that you see in brisket when it has time to rest, very tender and juicy. Just another tip but the best thing you can do is pratice.......your stomach will thank you!!!!

[Ontrack]

Most people on here always said to take brisket to 190, so that's what I do, then FTC. I've turned out some wonderful briskets, and I won't change a thing, because I really don't think they could get any better!