# Brisket question



## Patcar (Apr 17, 2022)

Just smoked my first brisket and it finished 3 hrs early.  Cooked on a traeger at 220 degrees until IT was 165. Bumped up to about 240 for 3 more hrs and cooked until IT was at 203 degrees in both flat amd tip. it took 12.5 hrs instead of 15.5 hrs total time. I was planning on resting it an hr or 2 wrapped in foil and towels in a cooler. My question is. Will wrapping it in foil, 4 towels and placing in a cooler for 5 to 6 hrs a bag thing? Will this dry out the meat.
Thanks 
Pat


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## TNJAKE (Apr 17, 2022)

That will be fine. Let the brisket cool a few degrees before you wrap it in foil so it doesn't continue cooking. At 5-6hr you will still have a hot and juicy brisket out of the cooler.......also we like pics


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## normanaj (Apr 17, 2022)

What 

 TNJAKE
 said.

I've kept well wrapped and insulated briskets in the cooler for over 5hrs with no issues.I think it comes out better when its in for an extended amount of time.


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## indaswamp (Apr 17, 2022)

Yep. what Jake said. I leave the temp. probe in so I can monitor the INT of the brisket. Yours should be perfect after a rest.


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## noboundaries (Apr 17, 2022)

For the OP: Brisket is not steak, but both are beef. Steak muscles are lazy and will get dry if cooked too long. Brisket is a tough, hard-worked, weight-bearing muscle that is filled with connective collagen. It will taste tough and dry if not cooked long enough to melt the collagen. Melted collagen gives brisket its juiciness. Briskets cooked too long will not be dry. They will fall apart because all the collagen will have melted, but it will still be juicy unless you allow all the collagen to seep away. (If you've ever seen gel in a pan of meat that has been refrigerated, you are looking at melted collagen. It is FULL of flavor).

Don't confuse steak with brisket.  A long rest (3‐5 hours) of a wrapped brisket in an insulated environment or an oven set at a 140°-170°F will give you a melt-in-the-mouth brisket that retains its juiciness and structure.


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## chopsaw (Apr 17, 2022)

Cooking to temp and saying it's done 3 hours early worries me . 

Did it probe tender ?


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## Patcar (Apr 18, 2022)

chopsaw said:


> Cooking to temp and saying it's done 3 hours early worries me .
> 
> Did it probe tender ?


Yes. That worried me also but it turned out amazing. Let it rest for 5 hrs wrapped in towels in a cooler. The temp only went down to I65 when I took it out to cut. Was insane. So good. Can't wait to try another.


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## Patcar (Apr 18, 2022)

TNJAKE said:


> That will be fine. Let the brisket cool a few degrees before you wrap it in foil so it doesn't continue cooking. At 5-6hr you will still have a hot and juicy brisket out of the cooler.......also we like pics


Thanks for the tip. That is exactly  what I did. Let it cool to 195. Wrapped it up,  and 5 hrs later it was still 165 in the cooler. Turned out amazing. Thanks again


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## SmokeyBarks (Apr 21, 2022)

Patcar said:


> Just smoked my first brisket and it finished 3 hrs early.  Cooked on a traeger at 220 degrees until IT was 165. Bumped up to about 240 for 3 more hrs and cooked until IT was at 203 degrees in both flat amd tip. it took 12.5 hrs instead of 15.5 hrs total time. I was planning on resting it an hr or 2 wrapped in foil and towels in a cooler. My question is. Will wrapping it in foil, 4 towels and placing in a cooler for 5 to 6 hrs a bag thing? Will this dry out the meat.
> Thanks
> Pat


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## Ringer (Apr 21, 2022)

Patcar said:


> Thanks for the tip. That is exactly  what I did. Let it cool to 195. Wrapped it up,  and 5 hrs later it was still 165 in the cooler. Turned out amazing. Thanks again


Pics!!


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