My Brisket Adventure

Canadian_Smoke · August 28, 2005, 03:28:03 PM

What I did:

I started off with a 4.6 LB brisket (flat cut, boneless) I marinaded it over night using the Dandy Brisket marinade from the S&S book. In the morning I rubbed it with the Dandy Brisket rub from S&S giving me a prepared brisket that looked like:

While I was preping the meat, the smoker was preheating. I preheated it to about 260 deg before I slapped that bad boy into the second rack from the top with 12 pucks of Hickory (only 10 burned of course because I don't have any Bubba pucks yet [V] ). I filled the top rack with some nice fatty slices of pork side to provide that a nice fatty rain for my beef.

I changed the water at about the 4 hour mark, removing the partially burned puck and replacing the water with fresh stuff that was already boiling. Things kept cooking away, but I became concerned at the 7 - 7.5 hour mark when the IT was still only 170 deg. I stayed the course and at the 9.5 hour mark the IT was 184 so I pulled the meat, FTC'd it a couple of splashes apple juice for two hours and then cut her up.

What I got:

The fully cooked brisket looked like this:

and I was feeling pretty proud of her because it looked so tasty.

This sence of pride soon turned into a feeling of horror as the knife cut into it for the first time...it was a lot tougher than I was expecting. I was reading about folks having problems cutting their brisket because it was too tender, I certainly didn't have that problem. Don't get me wrong, it certainly was shoe leather, but it wasn't the consistency of a nice roast beef either. The meat was definately well done with a consistent grey colour and not much juice escaping from the meat at all.

On the plate you could cut off a piece with the edge of your fork but it wasn't like slicing through butter to be sure. On to the flavour.....this is where the entire project was saved. The meat had a WONDERFUL smokey flavour throughout. I've never had an experience with my Meco smoker with the smoke penetrated the entire piece of meat to this extent. If any of my dinner guests thought that the meat was a little over-done or tough they certainly didn't say anything about it because they were too busy oohhing and aahhing over the flavour [:)]

I'm assuming that it was indeed the smoke that imparted all of this hickory goodness but it could have also been the liquid smoke that was used in the marinade so I'd appreciate any insights on this from anyone who has used that Dandy Brisket receipe from S&S.

Also if anyone picked up on anything that I did wrong or any step that I might have missed that could have caused this perceived toughness and lack of moisture I'd love the input. Maybe I just had a really lean piece of meat, I don't know. I'm pretty sure that my thermo was OK because I tested it in boiling water just before I got underway and it was reading 211 deg (close enough for me).

Anyway, thanks for staying with me if you are still reading this. Overall I score this project as follows:

Appearance - B+
Tenderness - B-
Taste - A+

Overall - B+

Carpe Diem does NOT mean catch of the day

Oldman · August 28, 2005, 03:43:28 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I preheated it to about 260 deg before I slapped that bad boy into the second rack from the top <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
This is way to hot for brisket. Once you get above the point of boiling water you dry out the meat and meat becomes tough. While you can roast a Prime Rib @ 350 F and still have a nice piece, brisket has to be slow cooked to be tender--there is no option here. I do pre heat my box hot. However, once the meat is in I take it down to 205-207 F.

Next time at the 4 hour mark remove the brisket and wrap it in a boat of foil so the juices will stay with it. Enclose it completely in foil. Return to smoker until you get to a temp of 185 F or abouts.

Then FTC and add some apple juice to it as well.
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I became concerned at the 7 - 7.5 hour mark when the IT was still only 170 deg. I stayed the course and at the 9.5 hour mark the IT was 184 so I pulled the meat,<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> This seem why to fast IMO. My 6 pound brisket took a total of 14.25 hours all in all. 12 hours in the smoker. 2.25 hours FTC.

As to the fat on the top rack if you have any of the trim from the brisket left try it next time.

EDIT at first your pictures did not show up. That piece looks real lean to me. So lean to me that I would have much-o fat above it. In fact I would have the fat already in the smoker long enough before I put that piece in that it would already be dripping juices. I personally don't like that cut. I feel that cut is better served as corn beef or a pastrami.

In your first (pre-cooked) picture it looks like you have somewhat of a fat cap. However, in the last picture it looks like all of the fat had been rendered out. Again this is due to high heat. Again I suggest wrapping the meat at the 4 hour mark in a boat of foil--enclosing the entire piece.

BTW What are you using to measure the temp of your box with? I hope it is not the door thermometer. Many of those are way off the mark. Given you splash the meat when you FTC and looking at the last picture in the un-cut area, and how dry the surface looks I just about would guess your box is running hotter than you think.
Olds

Canadian_Smoke · August 28, 2005, 04:05:04 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Oldman
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I preheated it to about 260 deg before I slapped that bad boy into the second rack from the top <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
This is way to hot for brisket. Once you get above the point of boiling water you dry out the meat. Next, brisket has to be slow cooked to be tender. I do pre heat my box hot. However, once the meat is in I take it down to 205-207 F. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Sorry Olds lack of precision on my part in my description.....I did preheat to about 260 deg but I was cooking in the 210-215 deg range.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I became concerned at the 7 - 7.5 hour mark when the IT was still only 170 deg. I stayed the course and at the 9.5 hour mark the IT was 184 so I pulled the meat,<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> This seem why to fast IMO. My 6 pound brisket took a total of 14.25 hours all in all. 12 hours in the smoker. 2.25 hours FTC.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Again, lack of precision by me, mine was in the smoker for a total of 9.5 hours with an additional 2 hours FTC.

Thanks for the tips, I'll definately look for a more marbled cut next time and I'll try the foil boat as well.

Scott

Carpe Diem does NOT mean catch of the day

Oldman · August 28, 2005, 04:08:32 PM

I was in Edit when you posted so I will repost my last question/ statment:

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">In your first (pre-cooked) picture it looks like you have somewhat of a fat cap. However, in the last picture it looks like all of the fat had been rendered out. Again this is due to high heat. Again I suggest wrapping the meat at the 4 hour mark in a boat of foil--enclosing the entire piece.

BTW What are you using to measure the temp of your box with? I hope it is not the door thermometer. Many of those are way off the mark. Given you splash the meat when you FTC and looking at the last picture in the un-cut area, and how dry the surface looks I just about would guess your box is running hotter than you think.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">210-215 deg range.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> Where I live (Sea level) 215 is above the point of boiling water.

Olds

Canadian_Smoke · August 28, 2005, 04:16:26 PM

Olds -

I'd like to plead the 5th on the question concerning what I'm using to measure the temp in my box [:I] (I'm heading out right now to check it with my digital thermo)

As for the cooking temp, I thought that 210-220 was an OK range but if it has to be under the boiling point of water then I think you have solved the "Dry Meat Mystery" because I was cooking hotter than that for sure (pending a test on the boxes thermo).

Thanks again for your insight.

Scott

Carpe Diem does NOT mean catch of the day

CLAREGO · August 28, 2005, 04:40:19 PM

you cant trust the thermometer on the box in fact on mine the box thermometer reads at 170 degrees and its actually at around 210 not only that the temperature thats furtherest to the the back of the smoker is always hotter.

solutions..... if your only using one piece of meat use the top shelf. this will be further away from the heat source 2.use a probe thermometer to teste the box temperature while trying to get your bs to the temp you want this may take some time usually a good hour to get it right on but i make sure i dont get the temp over 205 degress. i use a polder and i put it right next to the meat as far back as to the back of the smoker i can go. a lot of people bust on polders but it takes air temp pretty good it also works in you home oven deep fryer or a frying pan. after i get the desired temp i then let it sit another half an hour and make sure the temp doesnt change then i open then door and put the probe in the thickest part of the meat. you might ask how i determine the air temp then i look at the box thermometer before i open it. after i close it back up i yet to get over or under my desired temp...it would be alot easier with a double probe thermometer and Bradley does sells one..

3..you could always buy one of those 600 dollar remote double probe thermometers i dont have the money for that

Clarence

Oldman · August 28, 2005, 05:11:25 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Posted - 28 Aug 2005 : 16:16:26
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As for the cooking temp, I thought that 210-220 was an OK range but if it has to be under the boiling point of water then I think you have solved the "Dry Meat Mystery"
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> Other will say that your stated temp is ok. And it could be with a more fatter piece of meat. For what it is worth I use to cook for a living in my youth and I learned about slow, below the boiling point of water cooking.

You would be surprised at the number of things I do at 190 or less.

Olds

rexster · August 30, 2005, 03:08:24 AM

From my "old days" of using an 18" pipe for a barbecue pit: Brisket is hard to find a happy medium in terms of "doneness". You can't treat it like a roast if you only use the flat part of the cut. An oldtimer told me once, "if you find the brisket is too tough, cook it some more". I used to smoke/barbecue my packer cut briskets in the aforementioned pit for around 12/14 hours. A good 4-6 hour smoke at around 200 degrees, then stoke the fire up, wrap the meat in a double layer of foil, and cook for the remainder of the time. It usually came out fork tender and with a lot of juices that I put in my bbq sauce for flavor.
I have only done one brisket on my Bradley so far, and did not follow this procedure. Although I came out with a fairly good piece of BBQ brisket, it wasn't tender like I was used to. I will follow my old procedure the next time around. Briskets have to be wrapped up and cooked at a slightly higher heat and cooked to around a temperature of 190 to get the tenderness and flavor that I want.

Rex