First time Brisket

[kaptn35]

OK finally found a brisket at Albertsons...8 lb too!

I have a jenn aire grill (the big one) and wouldn't mind smoking it. I have a meat thermo as well. Now from this forum it says to get the temp up to 160 and foil til 190 temp.

1. need a good moping sauce as I just did a shoulder pork and it came out a little dry on the edges. how often to mop?

2. how long can i look to do an 8 lb brisket on a grill at about 220 temp?

any other suggestions is appreciated

Thanks
The Kaptn

 

[msmith]

Kaptn usually figure on a hour and a half per pound of meat. I mostly rub my brisket the night before cooking. Since I use wood only I put it on the grill fat side down for 2 hrs then flip over for 2 hrs. This gives me a good smoke ring then I foil it until it reaches 190*. I dont mop mine but thats personal prefrence after its cooked Ill use the juice from the foil with some of the fat from the briskett, add a little sauce and boil for 30 min, remove the fat and pour the juice over the cut up brisket. I do this while the brisket is cooling down. Keeps the meat from getting dry. Only thing about foiling is it does cut down on the cooking time but will keep juices in the brisket.

 

[meowey]

The 1 1/2 hour per pound is just a guideline. Be sure to use a thermo.

Hope this helps.

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey

 

[kaptn35]

Brisket came out to tough and dry. cooked internally to 190 and then let set for about 1 hour....sliced and it was too dry. wife said it was done at 170 after her pinching it!

about 5 lbs for 5 hours....started smoking then finished it off in the oven to regulate the temps better.

 

[jminion]

It wasn't done, 5 pounder will take about 8 hours maybe longer.
BBQ is about how the meat feels when done. Temp can be a guide but not the final one.

 

[kaptn35]

It was actually on for about 6 1/2 hours. It was cooked all the way thru...and not very moist inside.

I used a pork rub with some mustard and a little bit of brown sugar but the smoke was as effective (remember It wasn't in a GOSM but my Jenn Aire Grill). The meat was bad but we tend to like our beef a little more juicier. Would taking it off at 170 deg been a little more juicer? I hear the breakdown of the collagen being around 190 so I cooked it to that and took it off and wrapped it for an 1 hour.

I still have the other half of the brisket to do so any tips would be appreciated.....thanks! Nothing like the wife telling you she told you so to make you want to prove her wrong!

LOL

 

[ultramag]

The other half? Man, you hacked it up and threw all physics off. ;) How did you cut the brisket to make the two halves?

I'd say Jim is right. Don't let your wife prance around and brag about being right just yet, I bet whatever it was when you pulled it was worse at her pinch time. It goes against logic sort of, but up to 212° (where the juices will start to boil) briskets seem to only get better. The main reason for the pulling at around 190° is so the nice thin brisket slices will stay together.

I'm gonna tag this on here and consider it only a partial hi-jack since dry brisket is pretty well where we're headed. Jim, and everyone else for that matter, what if any are the chances of ending up with a brisket that just won't be juicy and tender?

The reason I ask is because I had a dry one as well Christmas Eve weekend. It was cooked one rack below one that was perfect. The dry one was pulled @ 192° for slicing to be used by me and my wife as leftovers and the good one cooked about an hour longer to 200° to be pulled for the in-laws Christmas Eve get together. Both rested foiled in a cooler for over an hour, the dry one actually 6 hours until returning home from the in-laws. I don't just go by temp. alone and tested my slicer doneness by a twist and a poke and it seemed ready. Both were prepared identically and side by side. They were 10 and 11 lbs. with the 11 lb. one being the dry one. The fat-cap and the marbling were pretty well equal.

kaptn35, I hope you don't mind me tagging along on your thread. Maybe we'll both learn something. ;)

 

[jminion]

What we don't know is the grade of brisket was cooked, a select brisket won't be as juicy as a correctly cooked choice brisket. Also a select brisket may not be done at 190, again that's why the feel is the test.

Briskets are not created equal that is one of the reasons they can be tough to cook. During the six hour rest the internal continued to climb and it couild have taken the brisket beyond the sweet spot.

Jim

 

[kaptn35]

Don't mind you tagging along at all!

I cut the brisket in half....It orginally was about a 9lb brisket. I cooked the flat end thinking we wouldn't be able to go thru all that meat. Boy, was I wrong! Kids liked it too. Even though it was over cooked and meat was both dry the little ones loved dipping it into some BBQ sauce.
I just perfer my beef meat more pinker like in a steak color. I know that brisket is different and a tougher meat but I was hoping for some color in the center.
After I pulled it at 190 I wrapped it in foil and a towel and put it in a ice chest for an hour. Next time maybe I will do a 180 degree and check it before wrapping it.

 

[jminion]

Kaptn35
Brisket pink in the center you'd be able to let the the little one chew on it for a while to tenderize it for you before serving.
Jim