Beginner's Basic Brisket (flat) Stalled Out

[PMillen]

If you go to http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57882&highlight=brisket+flat+point+fat you'll find bigabyte's tutorial for a first brisket.  I used it and some tidbits from this forum as my planning for my first attempt.

I had a 3.7 pound flat.

This is essentially bigabyte's instruction set.

Seasoning (from bigabyte's post)
Non-iodized Salt
Granulated Garlic (or Garlic Powder)
Durkee Six-Pepper Blend
Black Pepper
Canadian Steak Seasoning

What I had on hand
Fine Sea Salt
Garlic Powder
Black pepper
McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning

1.    Preheat smoker to 200°F
2.    Trim the fat cap to ¼-inch thickness (It's slightly difficult to measure the fat thickness.  I finally just cut down into the fat cap here and there to see how thick it was.)
3.    Sprinkle on a layer of salt.  Do not cake it on, but get a good layer over all the meat.  It will soak in rather quickly.
4.    Sprinkle on some Garlic Powder.  Again, don't pile it on, but get good even coverage over the brisket.
5.    Rub on some Durkee Six-Pepper Blend
6.    Rub on some Canadian Steak Seasoning
7.    Finally, rub on some black pepper.  Use a lot.  The black pepper mellows out during cooking, so trust me it will not be overkill.
8.    Smoke for four hours at 200°F (212° will boil liquids out).
9.    When smoke is done at four-hours, put the brisket in a foil pan, add some apple juice, seal it with foil and put it back in the Bradley or in kitchen oven.  (I'm always troubled by vague instructions like “add some” or “add a splash.”  I had 8.5 fl. oz. of apple juice so I used it all.)
10.  Roast at 200°F to 185°F IT.
11.  Remove it and FTC for at least two hours.

Now—here's my problem.
The temperature was slow to increase when it hit 174°F.  After more than 9 hours at 200°F and only opening the door to boat it it's only at 178.

When it finally hits 185°F I still have two hours of FTC before we can slice it.  That will put us well past dinner time.  So we'll make other arrangements for dinner.

But what should I do with this flat?  Should I let it cook to 185° and FTC it for a couple of hours?  We planned to eat it like thinly sliced roast beef.  How should we warm it up when we finally eat it?

I suppose we could warm it in BBQ sauce for sandwiches but that wasn't our plan.

I have preparation photos but Photobucket is treating me badly so I'll post photos later.

[beefmann]

only thing i would change is smoke / cook at  225 rather then 200, and at the  end FTC with apple juice or apple cider for an  hour.

[PMillen]

Thanks for the prompt reply, Beefman.

I thought about 225° 'cause a lot of posters go that high.  I chose 200° based on one of oldman's (Raye's) posts where he cautions against boiling fluids out of the meat.  Since we've already blown past dinner time I think I'll stay at 200°.  Although it's been 10 hours and it's only at 182°.

After it hits 185° IT and I FTC it I'll add more apple juice (wife's at the grocery store).

Is there a way we can salvage this to eat like thinly sliced roast beef?  Should we take it from FTC and refrigerate?  What would be the best way to warm it for slicing?

[PMillen]

Okay, it took 11 hours to get to 185°.  Now, we're starting 2 hours of FTC.  It's 7:30 PM.

Any recommendations?

[Wildcat]

I recommend letting it cool after the FTC. Then wrap it up and refrigerate. You can reheat covered in foil in oven with some juice, in a crockpot or slow cooker, or even in the microwave. If you want you can vacuum seal and either refrigerate or freeze. You can reheat the same methods or even place in very hot water on the stove (below boiling) until warm.

[PMillen]

Thanks for your help, everyone.

Photographs I promised—


It's spiced-up and ready for four hours of smoke.


After four hours of smoke and seven hours more of cooking at 200° I sliced it to prepare for refrigeration.

I couldn't resist a taste.  It wasn't very good.  It was somewhat tough but that may have been due to my dificulty in determining which way the meat grain went.  It was also too salty and too peppery.

Nevertheless, we're going to warm it in a slow cooker (crock pot).  We're considereing warming it in the juices that collected in the foil boat or in unsalted beef broth.  Any opinions on the better choice?

BTW, we FTCd it in the juices that were in the foil boat.  Were we supposed to?

Also, my PID probe was near the door thermometer probe.  They matched almost exactly until the direct sunlight warmed the door.  Then the door thermometer read a few degrees lower than the PID probe.  That pleases me.

[Kahunas]

Beer, add beer, then drink beer. And some of your drippings.

[Habanero Smoker]

A combination of drippings and low sodium beef broth will work well also.

If you want to try something different, try Onion Sauce for Brisket

[beefmann]

looks good

[OU812]

A combination of drippings and low sodium beef broth will work well also.

If you want to try something different, try Onion Sauce for Brisket

That Onion Sauce is some gooood stuff!

[PMillen]

We warmed it in broth in a slow cooker.  It was okay, not really special, tho'.  I'll try a brisket again but will change my methods somewhat.

[Kahunas]

We warmed it in broth in a slow cooker.  It was okay, not really special, tho'.  I'll try a brisket again but will change my methods somewhat.

Practice, practice, practice. The good part is you get to eat your work. On at least one of your tries, try the texas crutch with a bit of good beer instead of broth or juice.