How to get a fall apart brisket

[boogiewithstu]

I have tried several times, but never got a brisket that I could pull apart with my hands.  So I am not sure what I am doing wrong.

This is how I prepare and smoke.

I marinate for at least 24 hours, in a plastic bag, and flip every few hours.  This is what I use for the marinade:

Soy sauce

Red wine vinegar
Lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce
Cloves garlic; crushed
Dry mustard
Coarsely ground pepper
Salt
Chopped fresh parsley

I also inject the brisket with the marinade.  I have a electric cajun injection smoker, and I use mesquite chips.  I soak the chips for a day and use this water for the water pan and add some of the marinade to it as well.   It keeps the temp very stable, I smoke about 180 degrees.  I pull the brisket off when it reaches 180.  

From what I have been reading perhaps I should foil at 165, and take the brisket to 210 - 220?  Then pull it off and wrap it up and put it in a cooler for an hour?

Any advise is greatly appreciated!!

I really want to make a fall apart brisket.  Every place I go that has smoked brisket, I always get it to see how it is.  The best one so far was at the Thrival music festival and was done by Bad Azz BBQ.  The guy said 170 - 180 for 13 hours.  He said he does not foil or anything like that.

 

[kc5tpy]

Hello.  Welcome.  I see this is your first post.  Please take some time and swing over to Roll Call and introduce yourself so that we may give you a proper "Hello".  All info you can provide us with such as smoker type, location and so on will help us answer any questions you may have, and pictures help a bunch.  As for your question: Start reading the link below.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/181613/lets-talk-brisket

 

[redheelerdog]

Pulled pork starts to pull ~190F-195F internal, 205F IT will pull no problemo.

Brisket will be close to the same, take it to 205F IT, pull it off, wrap it in a cooler for an hour and it will be pretty damn tender.

 

[boogiewithstu]

So I should set the temperature on my smoker at 205?

 

[bigtrain74]

You should cook the brisket until you get an internal temp of 205 if you are looking for "fall apart" brisket. Then let is rest in foil for a few hours before slicing it.

And smoke it at 225-235 degrees.

Good luck

 

[boogiewithstu]

Fat cap up or down?  To flip or not to flip?  There seems to be a lot of debate about this.  My smokers heat source is on the bottom right.  

How have you guys placed your briskets, and do you flip?

 

[bmaddox]

 
So I should set the temperature on my smoker at 205?

No. It should be 225 or higher. If your target temp is 205 and you smoke it at 205 it will take forever to reach the target temp and will dry it out. 

 

[bmaddox]

 
Fat cap up or down?  To flip or not to flip?  There seems to be a lot of debate about this.  My smokers heat source is on the bottom right.  

How have you guys placed your briskets, and do you flip?

I do fat cap up and never flip. If you notice that the side that faces the heat source is cooking too fast then you could flip it. 

 

[bigtrain74]

I also do not flip and I have personally not found a difference in fat cap up or down but others will swear to you on their way of doing it.

 

[boogiewithstu]

I always put my brisket on the top rack.  Where should I place my water pan, the rack just above the fire box?  Can I place the drippings pan below on the rack below the brisket, or should I do the brisket in a pan?

On a side note I stopped at the local grocery store and asked the butcher if they had any brisket.  They did it was CAB for $8.15 a pound.  I about dropped over.  I was just at Walmart and it was $2.45 a pound, but they were out.  Most likely Walmart would be choice,

smoker.JPG

• boogiewithstu
• Oct 26, 2015

 

[daveomak]

So I should set the temperature on my smoker at 205?

That what I use for a smoker temp.... Keep from boiling out the moisture in the meat... Foiling the meat after the smoke is added is fine... That way you will avoid the stall.... the brisket will probably take 24 hours or so to get to temperature... Once above 185, the meat will start to tenderize... it takes time... lots of time... You can finish it in the oven if you wish... still around 210 ish oven temp...
You might think about changing from Mesquite to a fruit wood to see how you like the flavor... Mesquite is a very pronounced flavor wood .... Soaking the chips is not necessary.. If you want to add water to the smoker, I recommend only for the smoking portion... I use a tuna can with water in it just to add a small bit of moisture....

 

[boogiewithstu]

Thanks Dave.  I love the mesquite flavor.  I tried cherry once and it was very sweet, to much for my taste.