Brisket help needed

[calebp]

Hey folks,

been smoking meats for about a year now on a stick burner, traeger, and Kamodo joe. Gotten butts, beef and pork ribs, chicken wings and thighs and jerky all down quite well. Also turned the two briskets I have attempted (both on the traeger) into expensive pieces of jerky. I’ve done a flat and a packer so far and both we’re pretty disappointing. Parts of the packer weren’t too bad but the flat was a train wreck. Looking to give a flat another go because I didn’t want to burn more money than necessary on another packer just to be let down. I need any tips advice or suggestions. The previous two I have cooked we’re both smoked unwrapped the whole way. Planning on doing this flat in the Kamodo joe and wrapping at about 160. I have been reading brisket is more feel than temp when you get the probe into butter feel but just don’t really know how to proceed or what mixture I should add when foiling.

thanks for the help guys!
Caleb

 

[Horsehat]

Have cooked a few briskets with some success but am by no means an expert on this cut. The protein sets at 150 and will not take smoke beyond this point so you can wrap at any point past that. The earlier the more moisture it will retain. Yes on the feel verses temp but this will probably happen between 205-212 degrees. You can certainly cook all the way unwrapped, you must keep a water pan under the meat in my experience to get a decently moist brisket. Good luck

 

[joel2000]

I’ve done both packers and flats in the Egg and all have been great.
I do a dry rub and in-direct cook at 250degrees till the meat internal is 150 then drop the Egg temp to 200-225 till the meat temps at 180. This temp can take awhile depending on how long the stall lasts and that is determined by how much collagen the meat has. I really start checking for tenderness at 170-175 with a fork. When the fork twists and tears the meat easy that meat is DONE! Some have been ready in 10-12 hours and others have gone as long as 14. SIZE matters.
Pull it and and coat it with beef broth and foil it. Drop it in a warm cooler for a couple hours.
The rest time in the cooler is what makes the brisket in my opinion. YMMV

 

[Dice]

Have cooked a few briskets with some success but am by no means an expert on this cut. The protein sets at 150 and will not take smoke beyond this point so you can wrap at any point past that. The earlier the more moisture it will retain. Yes on the feel verses temp but this will probably happen between 205-212 degrees. You can certainly cook all the way unwrapped, you must keep a water pan under the meat in my experience to get a decently moist brisket. Good luck

You are closer to an expert than some of the experts I've seen giving instructions. I wrap my Briskets in foil when the IT gets to 155 and take the brisket off the smoker at 205-210. Slice thinly across grain. In my opinion, when I buy a packer brisket I check it for flexibility by putting my hand in the middle of the meat and see if the meat tries to flop over my knife edge hand. If it lays straight as a board put it back in the showcase and move on to the next one.

 

[DADI03]

How long do you typically cook it for. I've been wanting to try one

 

[thorn]

All the ones I've smoked have ended up in the crock pot the next day. Makes for a helluva good potroast meal tomorrow after the disaster of smoking today.

 

[KitCarson]

My process is similar to those above. I like to add a little beef broth when foiling. As others stated resting in a cooler a couple of hours and slicing across the grain are key. An auto temp control is a huge help when cooking. I've used a BBQ Guru for many years, figured something invented by a guy named "Shotgun Fred" had to be good and it's been a great investment. If nothing else set it and get a good night's sleep. In the end each brisket is different and will cook how it wants to cook.

 

[NewLeaf]

All i know is that those cooking shows LIE haha , those Texans I saw on tv said they were smoking briskets for 3 days. I had smoked some good briskets but i thought , maybe it'll be even better?? , NO , 195 degrees for three days makes beefPudding . It tasted great but couldn't swallow due to texture .

 

[NewLeaf]

Leftover brisket makes some KILLER shepherds pie if you're into shepherds pie like we are?

 

[Horsehat]

How long do you typically cook it for. I've been wanting to try one

Cook to temp and tenderness, not to time. At 250* can be 6 hours can be 14 hours depending on size, moisture content, who knows what else. Sometimes they stall and just don’t seem to want to get going again.