Need Brisket smoking advice.

[Neffarious]

I bought a 17 lb brisket from costco. They had USDA prime for 2.99/LB!!!!! I couldn't pass it up. The dilemma I have is the my brisket has been sub par in the past. I have a MasterBuilt Gas smoker. I have put lava rocks over the burner so they simulate coals when they are hot. I use a mixture of Cherry, apple and pecan. I foil wrap the wood. The smoke part works well. I also have bluetooth digital temp probes so i can monitor everything. Now the bad part. It came out tougher and drier than we like. The whole thing. I smoked it at a constant 225 til it was around 190*. I have a water pan. I wrapped it in foil somewhere along the way, probably about 160, when it stops taking smoke. It stalled hard though. The thing I didn't do was spray it along the way. Is that important? Any other advice or technique suggestions are welcome as I want this try to be perfect.

Also, I was thinking of separating it into smaller pieces, vacuum sealing and freezing it for later cooking. Where is the best place to make the cuts so you don't lose anything flavor wise. Publix typically has smaller cuts, I just don't know where to cut it. Thanks everyone!

 

[simon1]

Sounds like you did everything right. The cow may have been upset and thrashing around when it was killed...like a deer shot when it's running is not as tender as one shot while it's grazing.

I usually take my briskets to 200 or 205 though. I've never sprayed mine.

To slice it for freezing, once you separate the flat from the point just slice it across the grain into how big of pieces you want...for slices serving size slice diagonally against the grain. I usually just use the point for pulled sandwiches.

 

[kelbro]

Take it to 200 or 205. No need to spray. Ditch the water pan.

You want a probe or toothpick to slide in like it's warm butter. You want it to jiggle. Jiggle is subjective and that determination comes with many briskets so just start off with taking it to 200-205 and make sure that it's probe tender.

Wrap it up and let it rest for at least an hour. Slice across the grain. Slices about the thickness of a #2 pencil.

 

[DoctorShavegood]

First off a gas grill may be the problem. Foil packs and such just can't replace real wood. I'm not saying it can't be done but brisket is very difficult to get right even when you are a BBQ professional with a stick burner. I respect your effort though and would like to see you succeed. Youtube has a number of videos on how to separate the flat from the point and other techniques for a better brisket.

 

[Neffarious]

the foil packs have wood in them. I have a charcoal one as well, but I have had the same luck with either. @kelbro, why ditch the water pan?

 

[simon1]

First off a gas grill may be the problem. Foil packs and such just can't replace real wood. I'm not saying it can't be done but brisket is very difficult to get right even when you are a BBQ professional with a stick burner.

That is interesting, Aaron. I've never used a gas smoker so I have zero experience with one. And it seems, just thinking, that the foil packs wouldn't have anything to do with how tender it was if it was cooked at the right temp. for the right amount of time and to the right internal temp.

I respect your effort though and would like to see you succeed. Youtube has a number of videos on how to separate the flat from the point and other techniques for a better brisket.

Here's one way of slicing it. It's not a do-all end-all, but that way works good. It's really personal preference.

 

[simon1]

Also, I was thinking of separating it into smaller pieces, vacuum sealing and freezing it for later cooking. Where is the best place to make the cuts so you don't lose anything flavor wise. Publix typically has smaller cuts, I just don't know where to cut it. Thanks everyone!

Separate the point from the flat. That's about as small as I'd cut it to freeze for later cooking.

 

[kelbro]

the foil packs have wood in them. I have a charcoal one as well, but I have had the same luck with either. @kelbro, why ditch the water pan?

No need for it. Doesn't hurt anything on brisket but it can hold your temps down. I've done it both ways and cannot see any difference. One less thing to mess with

 

[Neffarious]

That is interesting, Aaron. I've never used a gas smoker so I have zero experience with one. And it seems, just thinking, that the foil packs wouldn't have anything to do with how tender it was if it was cooked at the right temp. for the right amount of time and to the right internal temp.



Here's one way of slicing it. It's not a do-all end-all, but that way works good. It's really personal preference.

the foil packs are just so the wood doesn't catch on fire and jack up my temps. I am wrapping chunnks of cherry, apple and pecan and setting them on the "coals"/.

Separate the point from the flat. That's about as small as I'd cut it to freeze for later cooking.

Thanks, I found a different one this morning, but it's done. Normally I wouldn't but it to freeze, but it was Prime Brisket for $2.99/ lb. Couldn't pass that up!

No need for it. Doesn't hurt anything on brisket but it can hold your temps down. I've done it both ways and cannot see any difference. One less thing to mess with

All else being equal I will leave it in so my wife doesn't complain that I am deviating from the family method. Not that it worked well for brisket last time, but I digress. That being said I'm going to get a small spray bottle and fill it with some apple cider for the spray downs based on what I have been reading that seems to be very popular.

 

[The Knize]

I agree <Take it to 200 or 205.> I use a water pan, but have not tried without. I would not bother with spray bottle, but it is not going to hurt, except I would not want to be opening the door to the smoker frequently.

I do not have any experience with gas. I use--horrors, I know--electric. As far as I can tell--not living in Texas hill country or anything--I have done very well. I use a peach butcher paper crutch after the stall instead of foil, when I use a crutch at all, but I doubt that is going to affect moisture and toughness. After the brisket hits 200 to 205 I put it wrapped in peach butcher paper in a cooler to stay warm for however many hours there are until we eat. I would go at least an hour or two in a cooler. I would use oak over cherry, apple, and pecan, but that should not affect toughness or moisture. Maybe straight apple.

You could inject it, but I never have. I think your problem is likely that 190 is underdone, although as indicated above, the test is really probe tender/jiggly. I think I have had briskets that were falling apart at 190. I suppose make sure that meat probe is accurate. Toughness to me says it has not been cooked long enough/reached a high enough internal temperature.

You could do a slaver of mustard with various ingredients before putting in the smoker. The Franklin bbq guy on You Tube has me convinced a slaver is not necessary for a brisket. Just salt and pepper. I suppose sufficient salt helps moisture, but I would not over do. I think you are on the right track altogether.

I have no advice re cutting up a brisket for freezing. I do not separate the flat from the point myself. I have had great luck with those Costco packer briskets.

 

[TexLaw]

I agree with all sorts of stuff, here. Take it up to 200 or so, and check tenderness with a skewer. After it comes off, let it rest for at least an hour covered in foil and a bath towel (even better, in a cooler). Still let it cool a bit before slicing.

Dividing a large flat for later works fine but you need to let that flat (or the leftover portion) cool completely before doing so. It's even better if you can wrap it tightly in foil and let it sit in the fridge overnight.

I don't know how that has cooker works. Is the heat directly under the meat?

 

[TexLaw]

By the way, a 17 pound brisket is enormous!

 

[The Knize]

I was a bit unclear. When I put a brisket in a cooler, it is wrapped in peach butcher paper and towels. Besides acting as a "crutch" butcher paper makes the whole thing easier to handle.

In my electric smoker, the water pan is directly over the heat and smoke generating element. I suspect that it physically helps even out the heat and maybe the smoke. I can see how having a heat source directly under the meat would cause uneven cooking.

BTW, I have never seen any difference in what I do in adding charcoal to the smoking unit. There was a suggestion that it would allow an electric unit to create a smoke ring in the meat. But I have never been able to get that with an electric unit. A down side to electric smokers, I suppose, but said to be aesthete only.

 

[paintflinger]

I think the big thing that hasn't been mentioned is that brisket is tough if it is undercooked and tough if it is overcooked. It will jiggle at some point. I'd start looking at 198F.

 

[Neffarious]

I will say i got an awesome smoke ring last time. I saw the jiggle on you tube today. I didn't know that before. I suspect next weekend I will take the plunge. Friday is the 9lbs of pork butt. That I can do. In my smoker, the water pans sit over the coals.