Un-Natural Brisket, that just aint right!

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addertooth

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
I picked up a 15 pound brisket to do on the Akorn Kamado cooker.  Trimmed the fat to a quarter inch, scored it, rubbed it, stored it in the fridge overnight.  Now it is on the cook.  After 11 hours it is in the foil and at 165 (expected), however, when I put the maverick probe in, it has a tender texture like it is done, very, very strange.  I will probably only cook it to 190.  I have never had one feel this butter-soft tender at 165 before. 


After overnight in the fridge.


Barely fit on the 19.75 inch grill surface.
 
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 , waiting for finished shots . . .
 
It turned out tender, very tender.  The thinnest end of the packer brisket turned out dryer than I liked, but that was my fault.  I over trimmed the fat layer, in much of the thin part, down to the meat.  This provided very little fat to baste the meat while cooking.  Kamado style cookers are a very moist environment, much like an electric in that regard.  As a consequence, the bark did not consolidate as much as I prefer.  The next time the top vent will be more open to reduce the moisture level inside the Akorn.  The brisket was cut into 4 equal sections and vacuum sealed while still over 150 degrees.  Three sections were put in the freezer, the last section was put in the fridge for eating in the next couple days. 

The finished brisket before cutting.

 
looking really good... but If I may... the reason there was no bark to speak off is.... foiling ... when you foil like that your are actually braising... which in turn turns what bark that was starting to form into mush (so to speak) ...
 
I have foiled before on other cooks, after the bark was set, and did not end up with such a soft texture.  The meat was not foiled until 11 hours into the smoke, and the bark was not set.  Normally I have a well-set bark around the 8 hour mark on my other charcoal smokers.
 
looking really good... but If I may... the reason there was no bark to speak off is.... foiling ... when you foil like that your are actually braising... which in turn turns what bark that was starting to form into mush (so to speak) ...

I'm wondering on the small 3lb brisket flat I'm doing next weekend if I should wrap in butchers paper instead of foil? Cause I still want a good bark.
 
looking really good... but If I may... the reason there was no bark to speak off is.... foiling ... when you foil like that your are actually braising... which in turn turns what bark that was starting to form into mush (so to speak) ...

I'm wondering on the small 3lb brisket flat I'm doing next weekend if I should wrap in butchers paper instead of foil? Cause I still want a good bark.

I'll have to let someone else answer this one as I have never used butchers paper.. I'll be watching for the answer as I am interested as well...
 
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