What am I doing wrong with brisket?

[mmq13]

I have a Brinkman offset which is very similar to your Horizon. Bought 1/8" thick steel plate scrap from Lowe's and cut them to fit the bottom grate of the smoking chamber, as well as one in a Trapezoid shape messured to rest on an angle against the hole leading to the firebox. This brings the heat neaerer to the center of the smoking chamber. I have on ~15f drgree difference from one end to the other of the smoker. This enables me to cook multiple slabs/butts/briskets without worrying TOO much about hot spots and how they affect the smoking. (I can not not worry =])

Oh, after cutting the steel, I painted all sides with a couple coats of Rustoleum's interior/exterioir grill paint, good to 500 degrees.

Hope this helps. Feel free to DM me (if that's possible) if you have questions. I can take pics of what I have done when I get home.

Happy smokin'!

Scott

 

[nopigleftbehind]

I posted on this as well.  What everyone is saying is that mine was undercooked as well.  Your second one looks much better to me personally than your first one.  Everyone claims to do the toothpick test (which I will try next time).  My understanding is you do it BEFORE pulling it out the second time, not the first time when you foil it.  I have found the ice chest procedure, while odd, works wonders on not only breaking it down (did it for both pork and chicken but the chicken was a test) but juiciness. So advice I continually read - Get temp to base numbers but end cook with probe test!!!!

 

[gary s]

Here are a couple of my old post that may help

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...r-the-misconception-of-the-1-to-1-5-hour-rule

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...st-on-misconception-of-the-1-to-1-5-hour-rule

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/243295/texas-style-brisket

Gary

 

[sqwib]

Looks like these guys got you covered so I wont go into methods or cooking times etc....

With that said, there may be something else to consider, what are you expecting? Do you have something to compare to, like brisket you have had before and liked?

For me, Brisket is over rated and it's not on my top list of meats, the same with chuckies.

 

[gr0uch0]

One thing came to mind while looking at your photos: looks like you kept slicing the same direction throughout the briskets. Did you change direction as the grain of the meat changed? Make sure you are always cutting across the grain, otherwise you will get tough, rubbery texture. Just a thought.

 

[sxfxz]

I would not expect good results with a Costco brisket..I learned my lesson buying from Gordons...very tough and dry

Weird, I've always had extremely good luck with Costco's briskets...I swear by them.

http://s10.photobucket.com/user/SxFxZ/media/14A35CF3-AEAD-4495-945A-6B05A3D022F9.jpg.html
http://s10.photobucket.com/user/SxFxZ/media/B84733D9-7AEA-4D24-A341-1DFD478BC5AD.jpg.html

 

[nopigleftbehind]

SXFX.  LOOKS GOOD!  I think that looks perfect.  I want the meat to just "fall apart" with a light pull.  Thats what I understand brisket to be.