# Brisket - There is no reason to cook over 8 hrs



## j4165y

I have been cooking briskets (6 lb) at 250* full dry rub both sides of brisket.. 1hr smoke time.. 2 hrs cook time exposed.. then 3.5 hours wraped in foil until internal temp is 180*.  I think you waste alot of time and money going any longer at lower temps. Yes you can cook 200 - 225 for 10 hrs... But why. It does not come out any better or tender... It has almost become this thing who can cook meat the longest....Try this method at least once before you comment  250* 6.5 hrs and you are done. I have tried to cook brisket at 220* for 10hrs I just dont get it.


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## rbranstner

So do you go 6.5 hours and that's it or go by internal temp once you get around  the 6.5 mark? Are you slicing your brisket? I would think you must be because I don't see how you would be able to pull it at that low of an internal temp. You usually need to get the internal temp up around 200+ before it wants to pull very good.

I personally go by internal temp to tell me when its time to take the meat off.


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## j4165y

At 250* it will get to 180* in 6.5 hours all the time. I dont like 190 to 200 internal temp its just way too dried out. At 180* it has tenderness and good moisture.


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## alblancher

That's the glory of cooking at lower temps,  it doesn't dry out with the long cook times plus it picks up more smoke flavor and a better smoke ring.  I'll never tell you that your method is wrong, just that in my 35 years of smoking brisket I like the way I do it.

Al


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## rbranstner

Just goes to show you there is no right or wrong way to smoke a piece of meat. If you take 10 guys and have them smoke something you will probably have 9 or 10 different ways to  do it. The main thing I have learned is most of it is a personal preference thing. If you like it one way do it. The next guy may not like it that way but if you you do then who cares. To each its own I guess. Welcome to the forum. You should stop by roll call so we can give you a proper welcome.


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## forluvofsmoke

Must be a baby-packer. 250* for a 14-18lbr will get your beef out to rest in @ about 1.25 hrs/lb in my smokers. I've run several @ 240-250...wasn't worth picking up the pace, IMO.

Eric


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## j4165y

Yes I dont really go over 6 pound brisket at 250* and I see your point. Its all personal taste. Kinda like people who boil ribs (Yuck) then put on grill. But some people like it this way. Thank you for the welcome.


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## rbranstner

Yea good point. If you have a smaller brisket then I can see  it getting done in 6.5 hours but if you had a big guy then it wouldn't get done in that amount of time unless you kicked it up to around 300 degrees which some people do as well and have great  success. Do many different options.


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## jirodriguez

j4165y said:


> At 250* it will get to 180* in 6.5 hours all the time. I dont like 190 to 200 internal temp its just way too dried out. At 180* it has tenderness and good moisture.


If you run that same brisket at 200°, low, slow, and steady using the same method you already do it will stay moist at 195°-200° internal temp. Had a friend point out something to me couple years back on brisket - water boils at 212°, so the higher temp. you run your brisket at the more liquids you boil/stem out of the meat as it cooks.

I personally live by the motto "It's done, when it's done", be that 10 hrs. or 20 hrs. I do two checks on my brisket starting at about 185° IT: 1) look at the internal temp, 2) poke it with a toothpick or fork. When the toothpick or fork can slide in like it's butter it is done.  I have had briskets done anywhere between 185° to 210° depending on the piece of meat, but I have learned to be patient and don't rush it.


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## SmokinAl

I agree with Johnny on this one. Plus you get a great bark formation in a long slow cook.


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## lookwow

250 is not that crazy high over the normal smoking temp. What im not so sure of are all the people that are doing brisket at 300+ and say its turning out good.


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## i is a moose

I can't see any way on earth a whole packer's coming off the smoke in anywhere near 6 hours. Yeah, a 6 LB HOF in 6-ish hours is reasonable, but the shortest time span on a whole packer I've ever seen was 12 hours.

That said, I think you make a sound argument for a brisket cut, but I only smoke whole packers, and my experience says otherwise. Keep up the crusade, though; food needs revolutionaries!


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## raptor700

> I have had briskets done anywhere between 185° to 210° depending on the piece of meat, but I have learned to be patient and don't rush it.


  Well said Johnny


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## jirodriguez

I is a moose said:


> I can't see any way on earth a whole packer's coming off the smoke in anywhere near 6 hours. Yeah, a 6 LB HOF in 6-ish hours is reasonable, but the shortest time span on a whole packer I've ever seen was 12 hours.
> 
> That said, I think you make a sound argument for a brisket cut, but I only smoke whole packers, and my experience says otherwise. Keep up the crusade, though; food needs revolutionaries!


LOL.... sorry Moose I had to laugh. I had a 12.5 lb. full packer finish in 10 hrs. one time - shocked the hell out of me! I probed it with three differant therms to make sure I wasn't getting a bad reading (or eyes were to blurry from the beer!).


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## i is a moose

JIRodriguez said:


> LOL.... sorry Moose I had to laugh. I had a 12.5 lb. full packer finish in 10 hrs. one time - shocked the hell out of me! I probed it with three differant therms to make sure I wasn't getting a bad reading (or eyes were to blurry from the beer!).


Ha! that's what happened to me with the that 12 hour packer! it was 17 something pounds, and I probed the snot out of the thing just making sure my eyes weren't being decieved.

It's awesome when your timetable's just spot-on, but confusing and frightening when it's done early!


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## cwalk

I get a 12pk of my favorite beer whenever I smoke, and almost always my meat is usually done at the end of that 12pk. Be it brisket, ribs, chicken. It just seems to play out that way. lol. I prefer long low smokes so I can sit out back with my beer in one hand and tongs in the other.


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## beer-b-q

JIRodriguez said:


> If you run that same brisket at 200°, low, slow, and steady using the same method you already do it will stay moist at 195°-200° internal temp. Had a friend point out something to me couple years back on brisket - water boils at 212°, so the higher temp. you run your brisket at the more liquids you boil/stem out of the meat as it cooks.
> 
> I personally live by the motto "It's done, when it's done", be that 10 hrs. or 20 hrs. I do two checks on my brisket starting at about 185° IT: 1) look at the internal temp, 2) poke it with a toothpick or fork. When the toothpick or fork can slide in like it's butter it is done.  I have had briskets done anywhere between 185° to 210° depending on the piece of meat, but I have learned to be patient and don't rush it.


I agree with Johnny...
 




Cwalk said:


> I* get a 12pk of my favorite beer whenever I smoke, and almost always my meat is usually done at the end of that 12pk. Be it brisket, ribs, chicken. It just seems to play out that way. lol.* I prefer long low smokes so I can sit out back with my beer in one hand and tongs in the other.


Cwalk, you must be an awful slow drinker...LOL


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## jlstout

180 is not a guarantee for moisture or tenderness IMHO.  It depends on the brisket.


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## smokedlover

I run a much longer smoke (and lower- 205-210) and try to pull bet. 195 and 203 (magic number). . I do believe with proper prep you will not lose moistness. The smoke ring on a low 14-18 hour brisket is beautiful. I just put one on at 11:45pm and we're eating at 6:30pm. . If it finishes early (I have held them at low 200's for hours on the smoker- no issue) I'll foil and put in a cooler wrapped in towels. I have read 2-3 hours but I've successfully had one stay above 145 for 6 hours. . different factors from food to water to temp all influence the meat and ultimately the cook time. Trying to peg an exact time is in my opinion, the wrong way to do it. A guide based on temp/ weight is the best you can expect. From there, be ready to let the meat dictate your moves.


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## daveomak

SmokEDLover said:


> I run a much longer smoke (and lower- 205-210) and try to pull bet. 195 and 203 (magic number). ..




SmokinAl suggested smoking meats below the boiling point of water many years ago...   I am a believer in that method...     moist tender meats always follows....


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## demosthenes9

I'd have to have someone show me a brisket that was done when it hit 180 degrees while being cooked at a chamber temp of 250, especially in 6 or so hours.  The numbers just don't add up.  Before anyone jumps up and down, it's definitely possible for a brisket to be done when it hits 180, but it takes a lower chamber temp and a real long time for it to finish.   Basically, it's like doing a sous vide.  

The reasoning is that for brisket to be nice and tender, you have to break down the connective tissues between the muscle fibers.   These tissues start to break down at 140ish degrees, but it's a function of time at temp, or temperature over time.   The lower the chamber temp, the longer it takes, conversely, the higher the chamber temp, the faster it happens.   During a normal cook, the tissues will start breaking down slowly after the IT of the brisket reaches 140.   As the temp goes to 150, the breakdown accelerates a bit.  Same when rising to 160, 170, 180, 190, yada, yada, yada. 

One exception to this would be a somewhat fast braise where you partially submerge the meat in liquid then cover or wrap in foil.   But, the resulting texture and flavor here is more like pot roast than brisket.


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## gary s

My opinion anyone who is worried about cook time and want's stuff done quick, probably should be grilling. I do realize people like different things and if the thread starter likes his brisket at 180 º so be it.  I don't.  To me I sure don't mind a full day of smoking.

Gary


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## Bearcarver

gary s said:


> My opinion anyone who is worried about cook time and want's stuff done quick, probably should be grilling. I do realize people like different things and if the thread starter likes his brisket at 180 º so be it.  I don't.  To me I sure don't mind a full day of smoking.
> 
> Gary


Exactly!!

I think you ought to do a Brisket today, Gary!!!

I might have a little Drool left !!
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Bear


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## gary s

Bearcarver said:


> Exactly!!
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> I think you ought to do a Brisket today, Gary!!!
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> I might have a little Drool left !!
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> Bear


Hey Bear you talked me into it  (Doesn't take much)   Don't know if I can do a 6 hour Brisket though ?  May take me all day, but I'm still a rookie , just 40 years of brisket smoking.

Gary


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## 2bdetermined

I've been cooking at higher temps and have actually been getting meat up to temp in as little as 3-4 hours.  Part of it is still learning and trying to get even heat in my grill, but it has worked better than smoking for 12 hours.  I've also found that it takes longer if you are using a really big brisket as well.


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## elkhorn98

Beer-B-Q said:


> I agree with Johnny...
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> Cwalk, you must be an awful slow drinker...LOL



Or fast if it's chicken thighs or drumsticks.


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## stickyfingers

JIRodriguez said:


> If you run that same brisket at 200°, low, slow, and steady using the same method you already do it will stay moist at 195°-200° internal temp. Had a friend point out something to me couple years back on brisket - water boils at 212°, so the higher temp. *you run your brisket at the more liquids you boil/stem out of the meat as it cooks.*


No, this isn't correct. The cook temp maybe higher than 212, but the internal temp (where your purposed liquids are) is far less. Remember you are stopping the cook when the internal temp is max 200.


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## skipdonohue

Franklin does his briskets at 275 to sometimes 325, and we know how moist they come out.... I guess temperature doesn't really matter when you know what your doing..


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## ron bruce

Got an 11 LB'r going right now @ 300..........indirect heat ,mesquite chips,my personal rub.I guarendamntee it'll be some of the best brisket most my evening guest have ever had.I stopped that 10+ hour crap many years ago.At 4 and a half hours,IT was 155,I wrapped it in foil with about half a cup of hard cider.Should be approaching the 190 mark in 6-8 hours depending on the brisket.


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## Dahammer66

What be be a good starting point if you have an eight pound brisket, cut into two four pounders.


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