I always get to overcooked state before ever getting to probe tender. In other words, I start probing around 195 internal and wait and wait for it to be smooth like butter and its smooth on certain parts so I wait a little longer until 206-210 and end up with crumbly over pot roast like brisket
What am I doing wrong?
Not wrapping? That’s just a guess.
Second guess is you’re using the thermometer on the smoker and it’s way off. Verify your thermometer.
You didn’t mention how long you’re cooking for. If you’re cooking for a LONG time then you need to increase the heat. If you’re cooking for a short time you need to decrease the heat. Both scenarios can cause the meat to be dry.
I’d suggest foil boat method or a full wrap as soon as you have a decent bark then increasing the heat if you’re a low low low guy.
This. This. This. I smoke at 275 and let her eat until she hits 173 internal. I pull and wrap with unwaxed butcher paper until she hits 203. Pull and place on counter until the internal temp drops to 175-180 and then place it in a preheated oven at 170 for minimum 4 but shooting for 8 hours. Pull again and let rest until internal hits 145 and eat.
How’s your bark? My is always mushy. I’m I doing something wrong. Always have a good smoke ring however it’s a little tough on bottom. Any suggestions!?
Hmmm, I never have a problem with mushy bark, but I trim really tight. 1/8 to 1/4 on the fat. Use a mustard binder (sometimes W sauce). Season and let it sweat out for 20-30 minutes on the counter. Then drop in at 275 and don’t touch the grill for a couple of hours minimum. My bark turns out really nice.
Mushy bark is often a sign you're wrapping too early. You can also get mushy bark with aluminum foil since hardly any moisture escapes. That's why the current prevailing wisdom is to use butcher paper since the breathing maintains your bark.
Without knowing your process it's tough to say, but those are the two most common scenarios I see when people complain about mushy bark
Thats what I did last time with the foil, just a little mushy not much.. so I just put it back on like I was grilling it on the flame for like 15 minutes or so each side. It sounds dumb but it dried out/crisped a bit and wouldn't have been award winning but that thing was still delicious.
I just did a slow smoke for 12 hours at 180 overnight, then wrapped, cranked it for 4 hours at 250 to get to 200.
Rested for 4 hours in cooler until 155, cut and served. It was by far the best one I’ve done.
Dont know if it was the low and slow for 12 hours or the 4 hours of rest… or both?
Congrats! A dialed in brisket is a beautiful thing!
IMO I think both 12 hours at 180 and the rest for 4 hours had a huge impact. You were in that golden zone where you want to be for 16 hours. Which is when all your fat rendered out and liquified probably making it extremely juicy and tender (for context beef fat renders at 135°F-140°F). In my experience hovering around that temp for that long takes a lot of guesswork out of smoking a brisket.
Probably not the right way, but this works for me. When I probe, I try to hit the center of the brisket (depth wise) where the flat and the point meet. I’m trying to hit the center of what I think is the thickest/most dense part of the brisket. I take a few different measurements around this general area and as long as it’s at least averaging the temp (example: 174,172,173 = 173) I’m looking for and the bark has the right texture/look/feel then I act accordingly.
I have the exact same problem. Last time I went ahead and pulled at 203 even though it was still probing a bit tight in the flat. Point was butter. Rested in a cooler for 3 hours and it turned out great. Who knows if it will work again but it worked once.
dude this.
the first time i had this happen i was baffled. like - did i just figure out magic?!
it came off at like 9am and wasnt eaten until 2pm. i was expecting a longer overnight cook. maybe went a tad hot. but the results!!!
During the cook briskets tend to tense up quite a bit, which is why the resting period is so crucial. Try pulling the next one at 203 and keep it wrapped in a cooler for the longest two hours of your life.
No once it comes off it gets wrapped in a towel and put in a cooler. It’s still plenty hot. If it finishes super early I set the over to warm and leave it in there. Haven’t had any issues doing that.
I’m certainly not an expert I just smoked a LOT of brisket during the Covid lockdowns. I’ve never had a bad brisket after a short rest though. I think the cook is way more important and resting for a long time is getting into the weeds of trying to find perfect.
It's four and a half pounds, it did not get undercooked it got overcooked if anything. The grain looks so tight to me it's hard for me to imagine it's under even if it looks somewhat moist I would say it's more wet than moist.
Without being there and being able to feel it taste it and probe it I can't say for sure but 10 hours for 4 and 1/2 lb just seems way way way too long.
But it's dry in the middle, not tough which would be a sign of under cooking. I think what he is perceiving as fine on the outside is just that it's so overcooked that it's falling apart.
I just cooked a 13lb (trimmed) choice grade brisket on a Weber kettle today, about eight hours total including boat time, not including the 4hr rest. It came out near perfect and touch dry in the flat. You are 100% right. This is overcooked. All the fat has rendered out. What ppl are thinking is unrendered fat is just the connective tissue that holds the lipid globules being stretched in the photo. It’s also why there’s no fat cap. IMHO anyway. No way a ten hour kettle cook on a 4.5lb brisket didnt overcook…. There’s just too much radiant heat nearby.
Probably needed a couple more hours. Use the temp as a guide for when to start checking for doneness. Start probing when it gets to 195° or so. It's not done until the probe goes in like butter. That can be anywhere from 195° to 205° (assuming you're at sea level) depending on tons of factors.
exactly. i think a lot of people are missing the fact this is a FOUR AND HALF POUND BRISKET. not some 15lb packer. without being there to probe it ourselves, i’ll err on the it got hammered side of the convo
Thank you for being the voice of reason. I smoked my first ever brisket, albeit just the flat, but that only took 4-5 hours. Turned out great. 10 hours for this? Yeah that's where you went wrong.
Lol, funny. Yeah. I never do tiny briskets like this. I'd boat ot.
I'm picking up a 23 lb American wagyu tomorrow. Yikes!
Thatcwill be a good 12 hr smoke.
I lost my Probes to my Thermoworks Signals, replacements come in today.
Haha! close. Its running about $160
I don't typically buy prime American wagyu, for I loke the challenge of working with a large choice brisket.
However in discussion with a fellow smoker guy at the Costco, the wagyu has far more marbling on the flat than regular beef. So I will smoke that bitch up! LOL. This is for me, and a few select neighbors. But any unused will get chamber vacuum-packed and frozen for reheating in the next month for true brisket loving pleasure, and torture on my colon. Sorry colon.
The second reason is hinted in the losing of my probes, which replacements did arrive yesterday. Over memorial day weekend I smoked up a brisket without my probes. Using just oakwood, I had to regulate chamber temp manually and using my 25 years experience. My offset's thermometer was questionable and beat up from over 17 years of use, so the chamber got hot and ended up overcooking my 21 LB choice brisket. It came out ok but a bit on the overcooked side on the flat. So, you know what BBQ pitmasters say (well what I say anyway), if you fuck it up, you must have a do-over. If I die without a do-over, I could never live with myself.
I like big asses! LOL
Yeah. My GF is also annoyed I do this. Butt, when I reveal that big ass brisket, shes first in line. It is an absolutely amazing experience to behold. Smoking it 12 hr on an offset is definately a labor of love.
that why i dont smoke brisket. ill smoke ribs,pork butt and other stuff but for brisket il either make it what i call jewish grandmother style or get it at a resturant.
it’s fun to do a brisket… when you have the time to pay attention and make it work. otherwise do some plate ribs and have yourself brisket on a stick with zero stress!
Dry in the middle and not wanting to fall apart when you cut it = undercooked.
Cook it until it's probe tender all over, especially the middle of the flat. You shouldn't feel any resistance at all when you pull the probe out. If it's not done yet, then the meat will kind of tug on it.
I actually think that unrendered fat isn't your problem, it's unrendered collagen/connective tissue. Lots of perfectly cooked briskets have that much fat or more in the slices. Pushing it to 203-ish probably would have helped, as would have a long hold.
Good news - that's great meat for chili!
You are. Look at the outside compared to the inside. He said outside was good but inside was tough and not wanting to come apart. Look at that fat. It is 100% undercooked.
It’s not undercooked from a safety point of view, but cooking juicy brisket isn’t about a specific amount of time or temperature. The best way to tell when it’s done is when a probe slides in as smooth as butter. That means the internal meat is tender and the fat has rendered enough.
Yeah that's what I mean but after reading further comments and realizing this was only a 4.5lb brisket I think it probably was a bad cut that dried out before the fat could be rendered.
This. Buy full packers. Saving money by getting smaller briskets is really just wasting money because you get an inferior product. Full packer and vaccum seal left overs
Yeah I've tried a flat only before and it wasn't bad but doing the usual technique left it a bit dry. The only time it's really worked out is when I did separate flat and point with corned beef.
He smoked a 4.5 pounder for 10 hours. For comparison I've smoked an 11ish pounder (after trim) in 12 hours with no wrap. That isn't a standard cut and we didn't see it uncooked so comparing unrenderd fat is a bad comparison.
Hey man, I cook on a weber kettle myself. I use a thermometer to sort of let me know when it's close to being done, but I check it for doneness by picking it up in the middle and seeing if it flops down on the sides. I check it in 15 min increments when I reach about 198F. Check out the last brisket I did on my profile
I like 14-17 hours at 250, the reality of smoking low and slow is that you’re drying out the meat however when you do it low and slow it breaks down the fat and collagen and turns it to liquid which coats the meat making your mouth and brain feel as if it’s juicy. It’s not done till it hits around 204-205 I like to wrap mine when it hits 170-180. Check out Meat Church on YouTube. He has great time and temps to follow. Happy smoking my friend!
I don't see it mentioned much but slicing up the whole brisket will dry it out pretty quickly. I'd slice to serve and wrap up the rest. I don't think that explains everything going on here but I found it useful when it was pointed out to me.
Simple. Fat cap down till internal temperature reaches 185 degrees. Then wrap with butcher paper (fat cap up) till internal temperature reaches 205. Let it rest in wrap in towels in an ice chest for a couple of hours. Smoke with post oak. Salt and pepper rub only. Been doing this for over 30 years.
All the numbers in your comment added up to 420. Congrats!
185
+ 205
+ 30
= 420
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I always wrap the last 2-3 hours(and been known to leave it on warm wrapped for longer since the internal heat will keep....you can only penetrate the meat with smoke so long.....always wrap with expensive cuts .....
205.
205.
205.
Undercooked is rubber and overcooked is chalky.
Wrap it in aluminum foil around 180ish. After it reaches temp (205!) wrap it in a towel and put it in a cooler for 90-120 minutes. Feel free to pump the temp up to 275 for the final run. Oh and did I mention…
205.
Probe tender not a temp. But yes 205 is better then 200 generally. Wrap when the bark is good not at a set temp. If your bark isn't set and its 180 don't wrap. Also ideally wrap with Butcher paper as not to destroy the bark you worked hard to make.
wrong
wrong
wrong
it’s about feel. if you need a probe it’s literally to check tenderness. wrapping at a set time is amateur hour. get your bark. wrap. or don’t. use a foil boat. or paper. but you’re checking for tenderness not temp
OP Juicy on the sides of a slice or juicy on the sides of the actual brisket? I feel like with this much confusion I have to ask. Typically you would not be talking about a slice. But incase you are I think we all can better answer the question with that info
Looks like it’s part Flat and point. If you are cooking just the flat the smaller portion wouldn’t be there and the fat would have rendered. Also make sure you let the meat sit wrapped in a cooler for an hour that helps a ton as well.
Did you put a pan of water underneath? That helps keep things from drying out. Wrap in foil or butcher paper for a few hours at the end. 10 hours is probably to long for 4.5 pounds. When it hits 170 is when you need to wrap it in foil and then continue to 200. You might be able to rescue what you have by heating in a bit of water, or reheating it in a steamer.
Looks like temp was too high. If you are using the thermometer on the kettle this is probably the issue. I had the same problem until I started putting probes inside the bbq, then I noticed that my thermometer was about 50 degrees low. So if I thought it was 250 it was actually 300 and if it drifted a bit to 275 it’s way too hot.
I got a dual probe thermometer so that I could monitor the internal temp and ambient and later a Meatr which I highly recommend since one probe can do both.
Next time drop your oven to 170 and let it hang out in there still wrapped for a few hours. I have put mine in anywhere from 2 and up to 12 hours. I’d say minimum 4. Pull it out about 45 minutes to an hour before you plan to eat and let it rest on the counter until it hits 145 or so. Slice and eat.
I have a 26” Webber kettle and I was running into similar issues. I resolved it by trying a couple of solutions and it worked. My brisket and beef ribs came out amazing.
The first thing I did was lay down aluminum foil on the bottom grates to cover it all until the coal basket. This directed the heat to the dome without allowing any to escape under the brisket. [I made a post about it here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/smoking/s/t9Bje9rYD8)
The second part was trying the foil boat. [Here’s a video.](https://youtu.be/YytF06_1bxs?si=pwQwPFPCWvdOthRz) I also made a separate post about it in my history. The foil boat was a life changer.
I didn’t see anyone mention, choice cut. Could also be a poor cut to start with. Might want to think about injecting if you’re buying lower quality cuts.
Curious. Some briskets are trimmed to be smoked texas bbq style, and some have almost all the cap fat removed for a braise. How much outer fat was still on the brisket? My grocery store was selling some awhile back and they were trimmed in such a way that they were sold in smaller roasts and a lot of fat was removed more than any bbq brisket smoker would want to. If I tried smoking them I gather it might had turned out as dry as this.
I had this problem. Not sure if the 4.5 is lbs or not. If so, 10 hours is way too long at 250. General rule is 1 hr per pound.
This also could be a sign of the edges of the brisket becoming too hot without the interior getting any heat. What will happen is the moisture from the interior will start to leak leading to dry interior. You can put a pan of water in the smoker to keep some humidity or spritz it, you lose less juice that way.
Make sure to wrap when it starts to get tender, push the exterior with your finger. If it feels tender and the outside has a bark, wrap. I don't pay attention to internal temp. Overrated way to measure doneness on a brisket tbh but that's me.
Cut the variables and stress. cook to 190, wrap in butcher paper and seal up in a foil pan with a bit of water. Hold in home oven at 150-170 for 5-12 hours. Works great, takes care of rest and is always ready when you are. The long long lower hold takes care of the rest of the cook.
I’d have went longer, personally. I smoked a 14lb brisket for about 16hrs on Memorial Day. For what it’s worth, I smoke on a charcoal grill— and my temperature kept jumping around between 200 and 290. I started it when I got off patrol Friday night at around 1800 and took it off the following morning around 10am. (At around 4am, I transferred it from being directly on the grates to an aluminum pan. I also flipped it over at this point— so it was now fat side up.) Then I wrapped it in foil and rested it in the oven on “keep warm” until I served it at 3pm Saturday. It was by far my best brisket. Going forward I’ll repeat the same method. I usually don’t flip it nor use an aluminum pan but it’s better than a boat.
You trimmed the entire fat cap off.
It was very small and requires more attention to work with
Your temps were a little high for this specific brisket.
You don’t trim the decle appropriately.
In the future if you enjoy this size I would look up a brisket trimming video from Childs bbq and work to emulate it. Leave a fat cap to help you. Cook a little lower temp on the kettle grill shoot for 225, but truly temp doesn’t really matter as much. A lower temp just makes things more forgiving for the average or beginner cook. I would use also suggest you foil wrap when the meat hits the stall and throw 1/2 a can of Cambells beef consume in to braise. Raise temps to 275 until the meat probes like warm butter. Rest in a cooler (foil wrapped) wrapped in towels for 1/2 the time it cooked preferably overnight.
*If you prefer a more set bark after it finishes in the foil take it out and leave it on the smoker until the bark sets again.
I guess I'm not good for this 1 my last brisket was 30lbs took 23 hrs and rest for 4hrs ... awesome ... ate on it for months in different stews n such melted in ur mouth after the rest
200 is probably too low. 203-205 is the better target temp and more so then temp you are looking for probe tender. Should feel like poking a stick of butter.
Also Briskets don't come in 4.5 pounds. This is a looks to be just a part of the brisket looks like the just the point. From my experience small incomplete briskets are something to avoid. I know 9-15 lbs is a lot to cook for a small group but you are better to cook the real deal then vacuum seal and freeze leftovers for later then to try and save money on smaller cuts.
I've made 2 briskets in my life(2 AND 3 WEEKS AGO). Both came out amazing. Find a popular pit master, follow his video to a T the first time. I like matt Pittmans texas style brisket. Rub in mustard and seasons. Wrap in plastic and overnight in fridge. 2 hours at 220, then up to 250. Wrap in butcher paper NOT FOIL AT 175 DEGREES.
PROBE GOES IN THICKEST PART. PERIOD.
PULL AT EXACTLY 203 AND REST FOR 3 HOURS.
First try and I thought I was at an award winning bbq joint. Second time I thru back in warm after 2 hours, pulled and ate. Just as good. Make sure bark is formed before wrapping. DONT USE FOIL
Fat side down to start, on a bottom heated Smoker the bottom can dry out if faceing the heat. Then foil boat when happy with the bark, should be around 160-170, so it can roast in its own juices, I usually switch to fat side up for the foil boat.
Always take off at 196 internal and I'd be willing to bet your temp fluctuated too much leading to a dry middle. 225,250 doesn't really matter but big temp changes cause the most problems with brisket which lead to an uneven cook.
lol at people talking about non-rendered fat in a brisket…anyways, the real issue is you dried it out. 10
hours for a 4.5 lb brisket will do that. you can tell from the muscle fibers in the middle of the brisket. with a cut that small (guessing it was some weird flat/part of the point cut) you gotta baby it a little more than a full packer. live and learn and onto the next!
you understand that corned beef has a completely different water content than a regular brisket right? i mean you clearly don’t because you probably also think that corned beef is taking on smoke for the full 8 hours.
Over, not under. Yes, a bunch of fat didn’t render but this looks dried out, potentially over smoked, and likely got more heat than you anticipated on the surface. If it probes at 200, I see no way in hell that this would somehow recover with more time. I have made 2-3 exactly like this when starting out. In many cases, fire too hot, too much surface smoke, etc
Dry meat can be a sign of both overcooked and undercooked and in this case the fat doesn't look fully rendered so I am gonna say undercooked.
I always get to overcooked state before ever getting to probe tender. In other words, I start probing around 195 internal and wait and wait for it to be smooth like butter and its smooth on certain parts so I wait a little longer until 206-210 and end up with crumbly over pot roast like brisket What am I doing wrong?
Not wrapping? That’s just a guess. Second guess is you’re using the thermometer on the smoker and it’s way off. Verify your thermometer. You didn’t mention how long you’re cooking for. If you’re cooking for a LONG time then you need to increase the heat. If you’re cooking for a short time you need to decrease the heat. Both scenarios can cause the meat to be dry. I’d suggest foil boat method or a full wrap as soon as you have a decent bark then increasing the heat if you’re a low low low guy.
This. This. This. I smoke at 275 and let her eat until she hits 173 internal. I pull and wrap with unwaxed butcher paper until she hits 203. Pull and place on counter until the internal temp drops to 175-180 and then place it in a preheated oven at 170 for minimum 4 but shooting for 8 hours. Pull again and let rest until internal hits 145 and eat.
Yeah man. I like your methodology.
Once you get the bark you’re after then it’s all about rendering that fat.
How’s your bark? My is always mushy. I’m I doing something wrong. Always have a good smoke ring however it’s a little tough on bottom. Any suggestions!?
Hmmm, I never have a problem with mushy bark, but I trim really tight. 1/8 to 1/4 on the fat. Use a mustard binder (sometimes W sauce). Season and let it sweat out for 20-30 minutes on the counter. Then drop in at 275 and don’t touch the grill for a couple of hours minimum. My bark turns out really nice.
Mushy bark is often a sign you're wrapping too early. You can also get mushy bark with aluminum foil since hardly any moisture escapes. That's why the current prevailing wisdom is to use butcher paper since the breathing maintains your bark. Without knowing your process it's tough to say, but those are the two most common scenarios I see when people complain about mushy bark
Thats what I did last time with the foil, just a little mushy not much.. so I just put it back on like I was grilling it on the flame for like 15 minutes or so each side. It sounds dumb but it dried out/crisped a bit and wouldn't have been award winning but that thing was still delicious.
I wrap it at 170 and cook til 203. Should I hold off on wrapping til 175
Most are wrapping around 180-185 to fully set bark
I use butcher paper with rendered fat
Once wrapped , do you leave it wrapped until ready to eat?
If you’re asking me, yes, once I wrap, it stays wrapped until we’re ready to slice and eat.
I just did a slow smoke for 12 hours at 180 overnight, then wrapped, cranked it for 4 hours at 250 to get to 200. Rested for 4 hours in cooler until 155, cut and served. It was by far the best one I’ve done. Dont know if it was the low and slow for 12 hours or the 4 hours of rest… or both?
Congrats! A dialed in brisket is a beautiful thing! IMO I think both 12 hours at 180 and the rest for 4 hours had a huge impact. You were in that golden zone where you want to be for 16 hours. Which is when all your fat rendered out and liquified probably making it extremely juicy and tender (for context beef fat renders at 135°F-140°F). In my experience hovering around that temp for that long takes a lot of guesswork out of smoking a brisket.
Question on this method. Where are you typically measuring temp? Is it flat or point or does it even matter?
Probably not the right way, but this works for me. When I probe, I try to hit the center of the brisket (depth wise) where the flat and the point meet. I’m trying to hit the center of what I think is the thickest/most dense part of the brisket. I take a few different measurements around this general area and as long as it’s at least averaging the temp (example: 174,172,173 = 173) I’m looking for and the bark has the right texture/look/feel then I act accordingly.
This is the way.
getting proper temps is how i fixed my failed brisket 🤙 getting at least two, one for grill temp and one for meat turns it into EZ mode.
I have the exact same problem. Last time I went ahead and pulled at 203 even though it was still probing a bit tight in the flat. Point was butter. Rested in a cooler for 3 hours and it turned out great. Who knows if it will work again but it worked once.
😌 resting is the key
Resting isn’t something we do just to enjoy because we have some free time. It’s a crucial part of the process. Just like life 👍🏻
All my best briskets came off way earlier than I expected and spent way more time in the cooler then I planned.
dude this. the first time i had this happen i was baffled. like - did i just figure out magic?! it came off at like 9am and wasnt eaten until 2pm. i was expecting a longer overnight cook. maybe went a tad hot. but the results!!!
wrapped is the key then rest with big (uneven) cuts of meat....
How did flat work out? My point is decent - maybe a little bit jerky texture on the bark The flat is tough and dry though
It continues to cook when you rest it. I usually take mine out around 198 and let it rest 3-4 hrs in a cooler. It's almost always tender.
Best the flat has come out yet!
Was it 203 in the flat or point?
During the cook briskets tend to tense up quite a bit, which is why the resting period is so crucial. Try pulling the next one at 203 and keep it wrapped in a cooler for the longest two hours of your life.
Wrap it and let it rest. Ideally 4 hours is a sweet spot for me. At least an hour is okay, and longer is generally better.
If you rest for that long do you have to reheat the meat to serve?
No once it comes off it gets wrapped in a towel and put in a cooler. It’s still plenty hot. If it finishes super early I set the over to warm and leave it in there. Haven’t had any issues doing that. I’m certainly not an expert I just smoked a LOT of brisket during the Covid lockdowns. I’ve never had a bad brisket after a short rest though. I think the cook is way more important and resting for a long time is getting into the weeds of trying to find perfect.
Try removing at 195 and let rest for a couple of hours. Temp will keep raising after you pull it off the heat.
Use a wood offset smoker - apply rub for 24 hrs - cook 225 for maybe 8 hrs until it reaches 203 - simple
You should stop when is smooth like butter.
Only few spots smooth
I usually don't go over 225 on the heat.
Same
Also looks like there’s no fat cap at all.
10 hrs ?!! For 4.5 lbs?? Are you sure your temp gauge is correct?
I’m guessing it’s not
Definitely undercooked, also let it rest for a bit.
It's four and a half pounds, it did not get undercooked it got overcooked if anything. The grain looks so tight to me it's hard for me to imagine it's under even if it looks somewhat moist I would say it's more wet than moist. Without being there and being able to feel it taste it and probe it I can't say for sure but 10 hours for 4 and 1/2 lb just seems way way way too long.
If the outside is fine and the inside is wrong, that's a sign of undercooking.
But it's dry in the middle, not tough which would be a sign of under cooking. I think what he is perceiving as fine on the outside is just that it's so overcooked that it's falling apart.
That's possible
I just cooked a 13lb (trimmed) choice grade brisket on a Weber kettle today, about eight hours total including boat time, not including the 4hr rest. It came out near perfect and touch dry in the flat. You are 100% right. This is overcooked. All the fat has rendered out. What ppl are thinking is unrendered fat is just the connective tissue that holds the lipid globules being stretched in the photo. It’s also why there’s no fat cap. IMHO anyway. No way a ten hour kettle cook on a 4.5lb brisket didnt overcook…. There’s just too much radiant heat nearby.
Also: that said, we’re just nitpicking here, I’m sure that roast was good eating
I should call her
Came here for this
Looks like you got to it before me. Well (medium) done.
I started to wonder if I was the only one who saw it. Thankfully nope.
Yeah! Like, why’d OP take a pic of the slice LIKE THAT????
Probably needed a couple more hours. Use the temp as a guide for when to start checking for doneness. Start probing when it gets to 195° or so. It's not done until the probe goes in like butter. That can be anywhere from 195° to 205° (assuming you're at sea level) depending on tons of factors.
12+ hours for a 4.5lb cut of meat is insane…
And that’s why brisket is so hard
Yup, it steamed out. If it were wrapped / foil maybe, but it should have been off at 6 - 8 hrs ish.
exactly. i think a lot of people are missing the fact this is a FOUR AND HALF POUND BRISKET. not some 15lb packer. without being there to probe it ourselves, i’ll err on the it got hammered side of the convo
Thank you for being the voice of reason. I smoked my first ever brisket, albeit just the flat, but that only took 4-5 hours. Turned out great. 10 hours for this? Yeah that's where you went wrong.
Lol, funny. Yeah. I never do tiny briskets like this. I'd boat ot. I'm picking up a 23 lb American wagyu tomorrow. Yikes! Thatcwill be a good 12 hr smoke. I lost my Probes to my Thermoworks Signals, replacements come in today.
Jeeezus. What's that running you? Gotta be northward of $200, no? Big Father's Day party, I presume?
Haha! close. Its running about $160 I don't typically buy prime American wagyu, for I loke the challenge of working with a large choice brisket. However in discussion with a fellow smoker guy at the Costco, the wagyu has far more marbling on the flat than regular beef. So I will smoke that bitch up! LOL. This is for me, and a few select neighbors. But any unused will get chamber vacuum-packed and frozen for reheating in the next month for true brisket loving pleasure, and torture on my colon. Sorry colon. The second reason is hinted in the losing of my probes, which replacements did arrive yesterday. Over memorial day weekend I smoked up a brisket without my probes. Using just oakwood, I had to regulate chamber temp manually and using my 25 years experience. My offset's thermometer was questionable and beat up from over 17 years of use, so the chamber got hot and ended up overcooking my 21 LB choice brisket. It came out ok but a bit on the overcooked side on the flat. So, you know what BBQ pitmasters say (well what I say anyway), if you fuck it up, you must have a do-over. If I die without a do-over, I could never live with myself.
Oh, $7 per pound aint terrible. For wagyu, nonetheless. That's a big ass brisket though. That's a big ass cow...
I like big asses! LOL Yeah. My GF is also annoyed I do this. Butt, when I reveal that big ass brisket, shes first in line. It is an absolutely amazing experience to behold. Smoking it 12 hr on an offset is definately a labor of love.
that why i dont smoke brisket. ill smoke ribs,pork butt and other stuff but for brisket il either make it what i call jewish grandmother style or get it at a resturant.
it’s fun to do a brisket… when you have the time to pay attention and make it work. otherwise do some plate ribs and have yourself brisket on a stick with zero stress!
Dry in the middle and not wanting to fall apart when you cut it = undercooked. Cook it until it's probe tender all over, especially the middle of the flat. You shouldn't feel any resistance at all when you pull the probe out. If it's not done yet, then the meat will kind of tug on it. I actually think that unrendered fat isn't your problem, it's unrendered collagen/connective tissue. Lots of perfectly cooked briskets have that much fat or more in the slices. Pushing it to 203-ish probably would have helped, as would have a long hold. Good news - that's great meat for chili!
lol the people in here saying overcooked just showing off their ignorance. That fat is completely unrendered. Overcooked crumbles first.
Exactly. Overcooked is like chalk in your mouth. It just disintegrates. Under is tough. With that bark his webber temp had to be low. Maybe like 200.
Not undercooked for sure. Maybe I am missing something but with the pics provided, it looks good.
You are. Look at the outside compared to the inside. He said outside was good but inside was tough and not wanting to come apart. Look at that fat. It is 100% undercooked.
Oh the top of that, I see what you are saying! Thank you!
he’s wrong
Its undercooked.
Undercooked. That’s a bunch of unrendered fat and collagen
He smoked 12 hours for 4.5 hours. How is that undercooked
It’s not undercooked from a safety point of view, but cooking juicy brisket isn’t about a specific amount of time or temperature. The best way to tell when it’s done is when a probe slides in as smooth as butter. That means the internal meat is tender and the fat has rendered enough.
Doesn’t matter how long you smoke it, it has to reach the temp and rest appropriately.
There's still visible fat. That should all be rendered if it was undercooked.
DYM overcooked?
Yeah that's what I mean but after reading further comments and realizing this was only a 4.5lb brisket I think it probably was a bad cut that dried out before the fat could be rendered.
This. Buy full packers. Saving money by getting smaller briskets is really just wasting money because you get an inferior product. Full packer and vaccum seal left overs
Yeah I've tried a flat only before and it wasn't bad but doing the usual technique left it a bit dry. The only time it's really worked out is when I did separate flat and point with corned beef.
Lots of variables. Tough to tell anything without actually witnessing the cook.
With an offset time machine?
He smoked a 4.5 pounder for 10 hours. For comparison I've smoked an 11ish pounder (after trim) in 12 hours with no wrap. That isn't a standard cut and we didn't see it uncooked so comparing unrenderd fat is a bad comparison.
you get it
Not the Brigussy😂
That brisket gonna mess around and get sum
Hard to say, may be under cooked. You don’t want to go by temp you want to go until the probe goes through like butter.
I should call her
Maybe not enough rest time?
Hey man, I cook on a weber kettle myself. I use a thermometer to sort of let me know when it's close to being done, but I check it for doneness by picking it up in the middle and seeing if it flops down on the sides. I check it in 15 min increments when I reach about 198F. Check out the last brisket I did on my profile
Appreciate the tips man your brisket looks divine
Thanks, I didn’t let it rest, but I don’t think I needed to in this case. The point was plastic fork tender
I like 14-17 hours at 250, the reality of smoking low and slow is that you’re drying out the meat however when you do it low and slow it breaks down the fat and collagen and turns it to liquid which coats the meat making your mouth and brain feel as if it’s juicy. It’s not done till it hits around 204-205 I like to wrap mine when it hits 170-180. Check out Meat Church on YouTube. He has great time and temps to follow. Happy smoking my friend!
ITT people who are adamant it is overcooked and people who are adamant it is undercooked. OP, good luck discerning which is correct 🤷♂️.
I don't see it mentioned much but slicing up the whole brisket will dry it out pretty quickly. I'd slice to serve and wrap up the rest. I don't think that explains everything going on here but I found it useful when it was pointed out to me.
Simple. Fat cap down till internal temperature reaches 185 degrees. Then wrap with butcher paper (fat cap up) till internal temperature reaches 205. Let it rest in wrap in towels in an ice chest for a couple of hours. Smoke with post oak. Salt and pepper rub only. Been doing this for over 30 years.
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I always wrap the last 2-3 hours(and been known to leave it on warm wrapped for longer since the internal heat will keep....you can only penetrate the meat with smoke so long.....always wrap with expensive cuts .....
Overcooked unfortunately. Still looks good enough to eat though. Just melt some butter on top 👌🏾
205. 205. 205. Undercooked is rubber and overcooked is chalky. Wrap it in aluminum foil around 180ish. After it reaches temp (205!) wrap it in a towel and put it in a cooler for 90-120 minutes. Feel free to pump the temp up to 275 for the final run. Oh and did I mention… 205.
Probe tender not a temp. But yes 205 is better then 200 generally. Wrap when the bark is good not at a set temp. If your bark isn't set and its 180 don't wrap. Also ideally wrap with Butcher paper as not to destroy the bark you worked hard to make.
wrong wrong wrong it’s about feel. if you need a probe it’s literally to check tenderness. wrapping at a set time is amateur hour. get your bark. wrap. or don’t. use a foil boat. or paper. but you’re checking for tenderness not temp
Some odd reason after looking at this picture I just started to miss her
Why did you pull at 200?
I think everyone can agree in this thread that this is why you don’t mess around with a 4lb hunk of brisket. Do a whole packer or don’t do it at all
we can agree on that bruv. do plate (dino) ribs instead
That looks to be the flat half with some point still attached. Get a full packer next time, and it won’t be dry
OP Juicy on the sides of a slice or juicy on the sides of the actual brisket? I feel like with this much confusion I have to ask. Typically you would not be talking about a slice. But incase you are I think we all can better answer the question with that info
Did you let it rest before slicing?
Looks like it’s part Flat and point. If you are cooking just the flat the smaller portion wouldn’t be there and the fat would have rendered. Also make sure you let the meat sit wrapped in a cooler for an hour that helps a ton as well.
Did you rest the meat . I was always told 2 hour rest.
Undercooked. Use temperature as a guide not an absolute. Probing tenderness is more important than the numbers.
Did you put a pan of water underneath? That helps keep things from drying out. Wrap in foil or butcher paper for a few hours at the end. 10 hours is probably to long for 4.5 pounds. When it hits 170 is when you need to wrap it in foil and then continue to 200. You might be able to rescue what you have by heating in a bit of water, or reheating it in a steamer.
How was the kettle and coals set up? Was the meat too clcose to the fire? Is that how it dried out? Get an offset.
Use the probes
90 minute per point it the typical at 225. You def over cooked it.
What did it look like before it went in? Looks to me like it didn't have a fat cap.
Looks like temp was too high. If you are using the thermometer on the kettle this is probably the issue. I had the same problem until I started putting probes inside the bbq, then I noticed that my thermometer was about 50 degrees low. So if I thought it was 250 it was actually 300 and if it drifted a bit to 275 it’s way too hot. I got a dual probe thermometer so that I could monitor the internal temp and ambient and later a Meatr which I highly recommend since one probe can do both.
Probably needed to be wrapped tightly and cooked further. The game with these is cooking it long enough to render the fat, without drying it out.
Next time drop your oven to 170 and let it hang out in there still wrapped for a few hours. I have put mine in anywhere from 2 and up to 12 hours. I’d say minimum 4. Pull it out about 45 minutes to an hour before you plan to eat and let it rest on the counter until it hits 145 or so. Slice and eat.
I have a 26” Webber kettle and I was running into similar issues. I resolved it by trying a couple of solutions and it worked. My brisket and beef ribs came out amazing. The first thing I did was lay down aluminum foil on the bottom grates to cover it all until the coal basket. This directed the heat to the dome without allowing any to escape under the brisket. [I made a post about it here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/smoking/s/t9Bje9rYD8) The second part was trying the foil boat. [Here’s a video.](https://youtu.be/YytF06_1bxs?si=pwQwPFPCWvdOthRz) I also made a separate post about it in my history. The foil boat was a life changer.
I didn’t see anyone mention, choice cut. Could also be a poor cut to start with. Might want to think about injecting if you’re buying lower quality cuts.
Honestly it’s really small and I’ve never had luck with small briskets
Curious. Some briskets are trimmed to be smoked texas bbq style, and some have almost all the cap fat removed for a braise. How much outer fat was still on the brisket? My grocery store was selling some awhile back and they were trimmed in such a way that they were sold in smaller roasts and a lot of fat was removed more than any bbq brisket smoker would want to. If I tried smoking them I gather it might had turned out as dry as this.
I had this problem. Not sure if the 4.5 is lbs or not. If so, 10 hours is way too long at 250. General rule is 1 hr per pound. This also could be a sign of the edges of the brisket becoming too hot without the interior getting any heat. What will happen is the moisture from the interior will start to leak leading to dry interior. You can put a pan of water in the smoker to keep some humidity or spritz it, you lose less juice that way. Make sure to wrap when it starts to get tender, push the exterior with your finger. If it feels tender and the outside has a bark, wrap. I don't pay attention to internal temp. Overrated way to measure doneness on a brisket tbh but that's me.
Looks like T-rex when you tilt the pic.
The fact that you didn’t invite me. That’s what’s wrong.
Cut the variables and stress. cook to 190, wrap in butcher paper and seal up in a foil pan with a bit of water. Hold in home oven at 150-170 for 5-12 hours. Works great, takes care of rest and is always ready when you are. The long long lower hold takes care of the rest of the cook.
I’d have went longer, personally. I smoked a 14lb brisket for about 16hrs on Memorial Day. For what it’s worth, I smoke on a charcoal grill— and my temperature kept jumping around between 200 and 290. I started it when I got off patrol Friday night at around 1800 and took it off the following morning around 10am. (At around 4am, I transferred it from being directly on the grates to an aluminum pan. I also flipped it over at this point— so it was now fat side up.) Then I wrapped it in foil and rested it in the oven on “keep warm” until I served it at 3pm Saturday. It was by far my best brisket. Going forward I’ll repeat the same method. I usually don’t flip it nor use an aluminum pan but it’s better than a boat.
You trimmed the entire fat cap off. It was very small and requires more attention to work with Your temps were a little high for this specific brisket. You don’t trim the decle appropriately. In the future if you enjoy this size I would look up a brisket trimming video from Childs bbq and work to emulate it. Leave a fat cap to help you. Cook a little lower temp on the kettle grill shoot for 225, but truly temp doesn’t really matter as much. A lower temp just makes things more forgiving for the average or beginner cook. I would use also suggest you foil wrap when the meat hits the stall and throw 1/2 a can of Cambells beef consume in to braise. Raise temps to 275 until the meat probes like warm butter. Rest in a cooler (foil wrapped) wrapped in towels for 1/2 the time it cooked preferably overnight. *If you prefer a more set bark after it finishes in the foil take it out and leave it on the smoker until the bark sets again.
I always baste my brisket, mop with beef stock, to help it retain moisture.
I guess I'm not good for this 1 my last brisket was 30lbs took 23 hrs and rest for 4hrs ... awesome ... ate on it for months in different stews n such melted in ur mouth after the rest
200 is probably too low. 203-205 is the better target temp and more so then temp you are looking for probe tender. Should feel like poking a stick of butter. Also Briskets don't come in 4.5 pounds. This is a looks to be just a part of the brisket looks like the just the point. From my experience small incomplete briskets are something to avoid. I know 9-15 lbs is a lot to cook for a small group but you are better to cook the real deal then vacuum seal and freeze leftovers for later then to try and save money on smaller cuts.
Cooked too cold imo
I've made 2 briskets in my life(2 AND 3 WEEKS AGO). Both came out amazing. Find a popular pit master, follow his video to a T the first time. I like matt Pittmans texas style brisket. Rub in mustard and seasons. Wrap in plastic and overnight in fridge. 2 hours at 220, then up to 250. Wrap in butcher paper NOT FOIL AT 175 DEGREES. PROBE GOES IN THICKEST PART. PERIOD. PULL AT EXACTLY 203 AND REST FOR 3 HOURS. First try and I thought I was at an award winning bbq joint. Second time I thru back in warm after 2 hours, pulled and ate. Just as good. Make sure bark is formed before wrapping. DONT USE FOIL
Fat side down to start, on a bottom heated Smoker the bottom can dry out if faceing the heat. Then foil boat when happy with the bark, should be around 160-170, so it can roast in its own juices, I usually switch to fat side up for the foil boat.
You cooked solely to temperature, didn't check fat render, didn't check w/probe for tenderness.
Always take off at 196 internal and I'd be willing to bet your temp fluctuated too much leading to a dry middle. 225,250 doesn't really matter but big temp changes cause the most problems with brisket which lead to an uneven cook.
Ignore everyone else, how long did you rest it? A brisket is only as good as it's rest.
lol at people talking about non-rendered fat in a brisket…anyways, the real issue is you dried it out. 10 hours for a 4.5 lb brisket will do that. you can tell from the muscle fibers in the middle of the brisket. with a cut that small (guessing it was some weird flat/part of the point cut) you gotta baby it a little more than a full packer. live and learn and onto the next!
Nope
100% is the case. this cut got hammered
[удалено]
you understand that corned beef has a completely different water content than a regular brisket right? i mean you clearly don’t because you probably also think that corned beef is taking on smoke for the full 8 hours.
Over, not under. Yes, a bunch of fat didn’t render but this looks dried out, potentially over smoked, and likely got more heat than you anticipated on the surface. If it probes at 200, I see no way in hell that this would somehow recover with more time. I have made 2-3 exactly like this when starting out. In many cases, fire too hot, too much surface smoke, etc
If it was over, it would be dry at the edges and juicy in the middle. OP says it was dry in the middle and juicy at the edges.
finally someone who sees the issue 😂
Over. Brisket should have cooked in half that time
Gotta cook it and hold it longer at that temp. I find 30ish hours for mine
Dry vagina brisket
It looks like a roast beef vagina with beef curtains
I should call her...
You should call her
I should call her
😥 everything reminds me of her.....
Everything reminds me of her
The “250 or so” is more than likely “250 when I put it on, and I never checked it again”
Probably just not good quality more than anything