Need Help

[Dirt Clod]

Cooked about 6lb beef brisket yesterday. Put a rub on it left in the frig over night. Put in the smoker next day. Smoked it for 4 hours and cooked till it had an IT of 179. I did not get a very good bark and it was dry. Maybe overcooked I am thinking. Any suggestions? Thanks

[beefmann]

was the brisket lean?

was the fat cap up or down?

what was the box temperature?

was the water bowl dry during the cook? 

[devo]

When checking the temperature of your beef, insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of beef, not resting in fat or touching bone. Cook until rib roast reaches an internal temperature of 120-130 degrees F. Remove from smoker, cover with aluminum foil, and let sit approximately 15 to 20 minutes. NOTE: Cutting into the meat too early will cause a significant loss of juice. Do not skip the resting stage.

[Dirt Clod]

I trim the fat to about a 1/4 of an inch

fat cap was up

220 box temp

The water bowl was dry when I checked it

[wyoduke]

The water bowl was dry when I checked it

This was the key  but if you would have added some moisture and putit in FTC it would have helped you with that

[GusRobin]

Should never let the water bowl go dry. It collects grease also. You want water in there to dilute the grease. I cook briskets to abour 185* IT and then FTC for about 2 hours.
What grade of meat was it. If it was "select" that could be part of the problem. While I am no expert, I have done my share of briskets. Sometimes you just get one that turns out dryer than normal, especially in the select grade.

[Dirt Clod]

I am new to this smoking what is FTC?

[devo]

Foil-Towel-Cooler

Basically wrap in foil than in a towel and hold in a cooler

[GusRobin]

As devo said. If you don't have a cooler you can FM  foil and then put in the microwave (don't turn it on). Also, I know it seems obvious but just in case -- when you FTC don't put ice in the cooler.

[beefmann]

also when you FTC add some apple jiuce, apple cider, Beer, Soda, or some other flavored drink  to add moisture  back into the meat, and as for th  water bowl others have set you  straight, never let it go dry, i have water for the smoking process  then switch to orange soda, sometimes root beer  or some other flavored drink,

also Drit, do not be afraid to experiment and ask for help lots of good advice here, That is how i found out about  using a flavored drink instead of water and  you can taste the difference

Hope all this  helps

Beef

[Dirt Clod]

Thanks everyone

[ghost9mm]

Hey DC ain't this the best forum, best people around ...good answers to your questions or problems and very polite...

[wyoduke]

Everyone has trouble its how the rest of us on here learn we have all done something i fell asleep and let a roast go 6 hours to long ;D but i learned when to start and when to drink  :o

[Pachanga]

I would replace the water bowl with a half-size steam table aluminum pan.

Photo in this thread.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=12061.0

When you add water at the start or later in the smoke, make it boiling water.

Good luck and slow smoking.

Pachanga