Tenderizing Brisket

[chiefbuz]

What is a good process for tenderizing brisket?  I have smoked brisket once on my BDS and it tasted great, but it needed to be more tender.  Is there a tried and true process before you smoke and cook the brisket to have it come out more tender?  Thanks for any feedback.  chiefbuz

[watchdog56]

I would think just to cook slow and get the IT to 185 then wrap in foil for a couple of hours so the juices pull back in the meat.

[DTAggie]

Chief, to smoke a tender brisket you need a thermometer to measure IT of at least 185*

[Ka Honu]

Although there must be one somewhere, I don't know anybody who has a "magic marinade" or some similar pre-cooking method for tenderizing a brisket.  As far as I'm concerned, low & slow cooking to the correct IT, followed by a couple hours of FTC, is the best way to do it. 

[Meat tooth]

Like they said, low 'n' slow, and it depends on the meat, the first one I did was dry aged, and it was awesome! The second one wasn't, it was in a cryo pack, and not as tender. -Does anyone know if leaving it in the fridge for a few days out of the cryo will help age it? Just a thought.  ;D

[Habanero Smoker]

You can wet age in the cryovac like Old's prepared his Aged Sirloin. Take a look at the sell by date that should be stamped on the package, and you can go one week beyond that if you need to. I know some that have aged longer, but I haven't. It is not as good as dry aged, but the brisket is much more tender after this aging.

[Meat tooth]

Thanks for the link, Hab! Yet another great tidbit of info.  8)

[classicrockgriller]

When you select a Brisket, Try to get a choice.

Most are Select when you buy a packer Brisket.

Then like others have told you, smoke/cook till IT of 185*.

Then FTC for as long as you can keep the IT in the safe zone.

Make sure you have knowledge of where the grain of the

"Flat" is running and that you slice the Brisket 90 degrees

(crosscut) to the grain. The more you do, the easier they get.

[KyNola]

One other thing to help you in choosing the right brisket is a great tip that WTS shared with us.  When you are at the grocery, flex all of the briskets.  The one that bends the most and the easiest is the one you want to take home.  Sounds crazy I know and people will look at you funny but it works!

[ghost9mm]

Or you can go here and get a really tender brisket...

http://store.snakeriverfarms.com/american-style-wagyu-kobe-beef/brisket/

[KyNola]

Or you can go here and get a really tender brisket...

http://store.snakeriverfarms.com/american-style-wagyu-kobe-beef/brisket/

Once again my friend G9 comes up with the best idea of all.  I have 2 of those boys in my freezer right now just waiting for me to break 'em out.  I still have just enough Zach's Brisket Rub that CRG sent to me to rub one of those guys down.  Need to do that soon.

[zueth]

Where do you get the Zach's from?

[ghost9mm]

Where do you get the Zach's from?

http://shop.zachspice.com/category.sc?categoryId=2

[zueth]

Where do you get the Zach's from?

http://shop.zachspice.com/category.sc?categoryId=2

I don't see the brisket rub on there.

[ghost9mm]

OK !!! here ya go...

http://www.shop.texasstarfoods.com/product.sc?productId=115&categoryId=19