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smoking Need advice on Brisket

C

Carito

OK. I just tried my 1st brisket and well I need some help. I tried to follow some basic instructions online so I dont know what happened other than to say it was tasty and tough. LOL

I bought a nice 4.5lb brisket from the local Winn Dixie which had a fat cap on one side. I seasoned it up well with a dry rub then layed it inside an aluminum disposable tray and set on the off side of gas grill on low rack not upper with the fat cap up. The other side I had the burner set to low. This made a temp on the inside around 250. according to the needle guage on the hood.

Now I cooked it like this for 4.5 hours. It was well done on the inside. Now from what I have read, brisket needs to be cooked till its between 190 and 205 on the inside in order to make it tender. I checked it with a meat therm and it was only at 165 when I removed it. Is that the only thing that I did wrong??? I needed to just keep cooking it? Should I have put it on the upper rack of the grill with the lid cracked if this temp was too high?? This is my first time and just me and the wife so didnt want to buy like an 8-12 pound piece of meat.

Any suggestions? I would like to try it again. Apparantly when done right you should be able to easily insert a form into it and almost pull it apart with your fingers. LOL Yeah no where near that with this one. Was tasty though. Just tough....

Thx
Carito
 
Carlito....we've all been there. Love that brisket long time by moving it to to the upper rack and cooking longer. I usually smoke brisket for about 8 hours minimum. Obviously a gas grill is not the ideal weapon of choice when going up against brisket, but it can be done. Think not in terms of cooking the meat but rather, cooking slow to break down the fat which is the key in tender brisket. You might consider finishing the brisket in foil for the last coupla' hours if all else fails. Cheers and good luck with your next brisket. TB
 
Hmmm/ Ok. After reading some of the other posts, do you recommend only cooking it like I did half the time on the top rack and then wrapping it in foil or would I cook it like I did except on top rack until a meat therm reads about 190 and then wrap it in foil?

I guess if its the first way, Id just have to stick the therm throught he foil to get a temp reading? Not trying to make this harder than it is, but wanna do a good job :lol:
 
You pulled it off when it was in the plateau phase. 160ish is where the fat and connective tissues start to dissolve. It can take hours to get through that step (never done one on a grill though). If you don't let that step happen, then Yeah, you got some tough meat. 195-200 is when I use a fork to determine when it's REALLY done, it should go in like BUTTA. Wrap in foil and let it rest in a warm cooler for at least 2 hours.
 
You wrap in foil when you have reached a sticking point -- you can also wrap after to let cool... DO NOT THROW AWAY THE LIQUID OUT OF THE FOIL
you can use it on top to keep moist once its cut --

Be aware that the actual grill level temp is not the same as the hood temp (the upper gauge on the hood) you did everything ok -- it takes a few times to get it right and trust yourself -- both Texas Blues and Scotty are correct -- once you've reached a plateau where the temp is just staying there for a long time usually around 160 - 170 and you dont have much time -- Remove gauge and (and I turn it over on the fat cap you left the fat on as well right? if not you can lay bacon on top I have also seen sausage and pepperoni in order to keep moist) wrap in foil with your mopping liquid -- you did use a mop right? -- and seal back up reinsert gauge in same hole and wait till 190 - 200 -- let cool and CUT ACROSS THE GRAIN and Voilà

It takes time to figure it out and once you do you will be hooked -- I like brisket more than pork butt. Write what your doing down and make notes ...


Here is a good site for help as well
http://www.cookshack.com/barbeque_guide/101/Brisket101.html
 
Hmmm. Remove the guage once reaching 160 or so. Well I didnt cook it with the guage in. I guess I need a different one. Mines got plastic around it that would melt. Anyways, yeah I left the fat cap on. Didn't cut anything off. I just cooked it on a tinfoil pan for 4.5 hours 3.5 of which I cooked it with the fat up then turned over.

I didnt use a mop or any kinda liquid. What do you use for that?? I guess I was under the impression that that was the reason you left the fat up was so that it would baste the meat itself.

Ok so here is what I have so far so just correct me.
1)Cook brisket like I did but on top rack and on side of grill not heated
2)Baste as it cooks with a mop and some liquid?
3)Monitor the internal temp as it cooks around 225 or so until it gets to 190
4)Once at 190 wrap in foil and mop again and set to the side for an hour or two
5)ORRRR is it when it reaches around 160 thennn wrap in foil and place back in grill until it reaches 200. I'm guessing 5

I cant wait to try this again. Thanks for the help!
 
I just did a 12.5 pounder and it took damn near 18 hours @ 200F. I bought a remote meat thermometer (one with a long wire attached to the probe) so I could keep an eye on the internal temp of the meat during the whole process. When the meat got to 180F, I removed it from the smoker and wrapped it in foil and threw it in a warm cooler for about 2 hours. The thing just fell apart.

Now, my smoker uses propane for a heat source. Much easier to keep a level temperature and you don't have to screw with things as much.

Another thing you may want to do is get a smaller foil pan and put some water in it to keep a good moisture level going during the process. You can place it under the meat or over the flame (on the grate).
 
Ok thanks. I'll do that. Yeah even with the grill on low the coolest I could get it was around 250 or so. I think the water might help. Gonna try another one this coming weekend. Thanks!
 
The fat will keep drip and keep the meat moist but too help it from drying out out and getting burnt ends I mop with a mixture of a 1TBS of rub, about a cup of oil, a dash of Worcheshire (sp?), a 1/4 or so cider vinedar and 1/2 to a full beer -- it'll foam up cause of the salt in the rub it soon dissapates, After the first hour it goes on I will mop I dont lift the hood and check on it ..just wait and everytime I throw a chunck of wood on I will mop -- every 1/2 hr 45min for at least a couple of hours --just a steady smoke not a billowing mass -- too much smoke is not good -- Maverick has nice gauges like the one DD mentioned --- looks like you got it -- just take your time relax BS with some friends mow the lawn it'll get there -- and putting it in a cooler for a bit is a good idea too
definitly keep a drip pan underneath with some water to keep moist as well
 
Thanks! I'm gonna try another one this coming weekend. I'll use a drip pan and mop etc like everyone has recommended along with the other stuff. May check into one of them remote temp probes as well.
 
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