# Brisket Toothpick Test Help



## rankamateur (Jan 5, 2013)

Hey folks! I've read a lot of posts wherein it's been alleged that the best guide for determining the doneness of a brisket is to insert a round toothpick into the brisket--if it slides in like a hot knife through butter, you're done.  However, I can't seem to find a thread that states where I should be inserting the toothpick.  Mine's a packer and I have not separated, so I'm not sure if the toothpick test is applicable to the flat or the point.  Any hints?  Also, does the same principal apply to temperature, i.e. when I pull it at 195 degrees, is that 195 in the flat or the point?

Thank you ahead of time for your responses, and my apology if this post is redundant.  I was unable to find the information in my searches.


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## mdboatbum (Jan 5, 2013)

It's an average. Check your temps in several different places. Same with the probe test. You're looking for it to be pliable and for the connective tissue to have broken down. There is no magic temperature where this happens, hence the many posts saying to cook to tenderness, not temp. Start checking at 185˚ or so. This will give you a feel for how the meat feels before it's done. Then when it is done, you'll notice the change.


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## bruno994 (Jan 5, 2013)

You should be probing the brisket in the flat portion with the toothpick to check tenderness.  All over, in numerous places.  I cook only whole packers myself.  When probing a brisket for temp, you should probe it in the flat portion, from the side. Find the thickest part of the flat, usually about halfway back and halfway up the side. I have found that probing in the point can give you a not so tender flat, since the point has such a high fat content, it will read higher than the flat and in my opinion, the point really needs to cook a bit longer to continue to break down the fat, unless your a big fan of fat, which I am not.  Typically after the flat has reached toothpick tenderness, I will wrap the whole packer up, place it in a cooler for it's rest, an hour or 2, then pull it out, separate the flat and point then put the point in the oven at 300 for a couple of hours and slice the flat.  If my wife has anything to say about it, I'll just cube up the point and make burnt ends, then throw it back in the oven.  I like ends, but I prefer sliced brisket sandwiches all week at work.


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## rankamateur (Jan 5, 2013)

bruno994 said:


> You should be probing the brisket in the flat portion with the toothpick to check tenderness.  All over, in numerous places.  I cook only whole packers myself.  When probing a brisket for temp, you should probe it in the flat portion, from the side. Find the thickest part of the flat, usually about halfway back and halfway up the side. I have found that probing in the point can give you a not so tender flat, since the point has such a high fat content, it will read higher than the flat and in my opinion, the point really needs to cook a bit longer to continue to break down the fat, unless your a big fan of fat, which I am not.  Typically after the flat has reached toothpick tenderness, I will wrap the whole packer up, place it in a cooler for it's rest, an hour or 2, then pull it out, separate the flat and point then put the point in the oven at 300 for a couple of hours and slice the flat.  If my wife has anything to say about it, I'll just cube up the point and make burnt ends, then throw it back in the oven.  I like ends, but I prefer sliced brisket sandwiches all week at work.


I got both of these replies after I pulled it; however, it was reading about 195 in the flat.  I don't know that it was the thickest part of the flat like you mentioned, bruno994, however, hopefully it will be a bit more tender and moist than my first brisket was.  I will post q-view later.


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## rankamateur (Jan 5, 2013)

Okay; q-view:













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Better than the first one I did!  Far end of the flat was pretty dry, but as it inched back towards the point it become more and more moist.  All in all, a pretty good smoke.


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