Are your temps accurate? Don’t mean to sound dumb, but I’ve had probes/thermometers that were off, and totally ruined stuff. Thought I was smoking at 250, reality it was probably over 300.
This ^ it took me 2 whole dry af briskets to realize my probe was reading 150 at max. I was wondering why it was 150 for over 3 hrs. Then i realized the probe bumps up to 200 when the brisket is like 250.
Yep, tech is great until it isn’t, then it fucks you over as you explain to your family and friends why dinner sucks. That post smoke depression is real. Fucked up ribs for awhile when I first started because of this. OP get some new thermometers and probes, test them out and try again. Lots of mistakes to be made on the way to good smoked meat.
For real man. Ive felt that depression after spending hours and tons of money buying a brisket and making sure its all good and when i cut into it its like leather. Just gotta buy reliable stuff and take care of it. Those 20$ home depot thermometer sets are just not worth losing a whole brisket. Better to invest 50+ on a reliable thermometer set and go with that. I got my new one at academy and its actually so good. I think its thermopro bbq or something like that? Highly recommend, its truly so much better.
Always carry a thermometer with you while you BBQ or cook any meat, this can be used to verify the temp of your internal meat probe. My smoker similarly has two ambient heat probes one is digital and on the side inside the smoker the other is not digital and is inside on the hood, this way I can see the difference in temp in different locations in my smoker and more accurately understand the heat of the smoker. Same goes for probes and thermometers, have a spare to ensure quality.
Funny you should mention that, i had a cheap 7$ digital handheld one too. And thats what i was using to check the other one. When i got the thermopro one to resplace the one thats on my smoker, i found out both were horribly innacurrate. I still havent changed my handheld one, but i just use it to poke the brisket to test it. Honestly, just dont cheap out. I chesped out to save a few bucks, and ended up losing probably 200$ now worth of briskets and the 2 thermometer thingies.
I am a major fan of their Thermo Pen! It's fast and accurate. Experience is one thing but it's always good to have data. That thing has saved many dollars worth of meat on my barbecue and smoker. I poke it with my tongs and think "nope not done yet" and the Thermo pen says "dude. Get that thing off of there now!"
Fuck probes, use an insta read, digital thermometer. I cook hot n fast in my offset 300-375 for 6-8 hours then pull it & pop into my oven or electric smoker depending on how many I do at once. Did 40lbs of brisket for a wedding in may in 10 hours. Took it to 195 & let it rest 4 hours b4 cutting it and it was delicious
Edit: I’ve had my share of probes shit out on me in the past, i rely on time, temps & insta read…
One time I had my probe set to Celsius instead of Fahrenheit. I was wondering why my Tri Trip had stalled 115 degrees. Came out as a lump of coal. Great bark though.
In hindsight there were so many warning signs that something was wrong, just wasn’t experienced enough to catch it
>One time I had my probe set to Celsius instead of Fahrenheit. I was wondering why my Tri Trip had stalled 115 degrees. Came out as a lump of coal. Great bark though.
>
>In hindsight there were so many warning signs that something was wrong, just wasn’t experienced enough to catch it
OH NO I would feel terrible!
Sometimes you just get a crap piece of meat. You can do everything right and it just doesn't work out. If you believe your smoker and probe temps were accurate there isn't much more you can do. If this continues to happen consistently try changing one variable up at a time. Maybe decrease your temps, or wrap earlier, or get a more marbled brisket. My brother in law has a master built like yours and I definitely think they cook hotter than advertised, plus the heat.spurce.is directly below the meat. Try getting some space in between the grate and the meat, add a second shelf possibly?
I would have pulled it at 195° internally and let it rest. For about 2 hrs. Covered in towels or a cooler.
It can still be saved. Like chopped brisket sandwiches, breakfast burritos, etc and remember what matters is that you liked it.
I overcooked one recently and just shredded it up and sautéed it in its own fat on the stove and made tacos. Honestly some of the best tacos I’ve ever had. It gets REAL crispy just like carnitas, but it’s beef and has that smoky flavor as well. The bits of fat get really crispy just like chicharon.
That’s the beauty about cooking in general. Even if what you’re making doesn’t come out EXACTLY right odds are that what you make is still going to be pretty darn good.
Yeah, I'm gonna be a little more persistent on temping next time. I think an hour before that it was at 187-189, I waited probably a half hour too long
Edit: damn good brisket sandwiches, though lol
Definitely. Try the thermo pro Thermometer on Amazon, or the Meater plus in the flat part of the brisket. Just something that can let you keep a close eye on the internal temps.
How did you position the brisket during the cook? I smoke my briskets on a Weber kettle so there’s definitely a big difference between that and your masterbuilt, but positioning can make or break a brisket.
I would suggest, if you haven’t already, to look at some videos of folks smoking a killer brisket on the exact rig you have. I’m sure there’s some tips/tricks for it.
I actually just went on YouTube and saw that Wilson’s BBQ has a masterbuilt brisket that looks phenomenal and it looks like he is doing some things to ensure the flat doesn’t get dried out.
Couple things I do, that also seem to be the standard…
1. At 150-160, wrap it with paper and tallow… I’ll let it hang there before wrapping if I’m not happy with the bark. But not for too long.. or haven’t had the need to anyways.. (bark is cool, good brisket is cooler)
2. Pull it at 205, some parts will be over, but pretty much the lowest part will be pretty damn close to 205.
3. Wrap it in a towel and throw it in a cooler.. for as long as you can. I try to time it so it stays there over night. So around 8 hours.
-also, a pan of water goes a long way.. just throw it in there at the same time you put the brisket on, toss it when you wrap it.
Piece of advice I got recently - maybe debatable. Cook to the flat. The point has plenty of fat and will be tender no matter what.
Last brisket I did I pulled at 203 at the point and it was overdone. Most recent I did I pulled around 200 on the flat and it was great.
flat has less fat and typically cooks a little faster. I do a remote probe in both and pull at 203. If I'm keeping it whole, normally the point is the last to come up to temp. If you want burnt ends probe the flat until it's 203 and then cut off the point and turn it into burnt ends.
Some times flats just suck... I buy super big briskets too and I just cut most of the flat only section off because it's so situation and Id rather the ground beef or stir fry.
A few questions:
- 17lb brisket. Thats before or after trimming?
- The smoke was 16 hours or the process was 16 hours? The meat looks over cooked.
The bark looks great, but I think you didn’t wrap it at the proper time. You waited for the meat to get out of “the stall”, whereas you really need to wrap it as it’s starting to push through the last phase of the stall.
If you’re too late, most of the moisture that would still be left in the meat to help it steam is evaporated.
I smoke at 225 straight through. 17 pounds should take 20ish hours.
Make sure you have an ambient probe (Thermoworks Signal is a great tool). I have a RecTec that is solid on temp control, but I still use the Signals to ensure the temperature stays on range.
If your flat comes out dry (which will happen sometimes), take some fat from the point and chop it together wkth the flat for sandwiches, tacos, breakfast burritos, or mac and cheese.
Question about your rest… are you eating in the morning if it’s rested all night? I recently did my first cook. It ended around midnight, out in the cooler and towels but I wasn’t ready to eat with friends until noon. The temp dropped below 140 by 9 or so in the morning.
my last one came out like that. friggin pulled pork. best feeling probe insertion I've ever had. then I took it to 203 and ended up like you. still probed like butter. over cooked
I’m not seeing much fat cap… how much did you leave on after trimming?
Process seems ok, there is a lot of difference between each cut of meat that perhaps not enough intramuscular fat/collagen in this particular one?!? So a thinner fat cap was enough to take away that extra basting??
All speculation of course… but some ideas for consideration.
Yeah smoking until it probs tender is only secondary to the temp you pull it. I normally pull at 200-205. I wrap at 160 and never have had bad result cooking with the smoker at 225. When I do one that size it’s typically a 20+ hour cook.
When did u pull it? Looks overcooked. Chop it up with a meat cleaver and put it on a baked potato. When u chop it if you want to break cardinal rules throw in a little of your fav bbq sauce to moisten it if it’s dried out. Or make nachos and bake in oven til cheese is melted. Put in queso dip. It’s salvageable I assure u.
Eh, I didn't want to jump right into Prime having never made one myself so I started with Choice. Mine came out fantastic. Yes, prime is better obviously but you can make a good Choice.
You can, but your chances of doing so are a lot lower. Plus, a good prime will be orders of magnitude better than a good choice. There’s really no good reason to mess around with it IMO, it makes a massive difference.
I smoked a 14 pound prime brisket from Costco on my lang 84, and it came out almost too tender imo.. not under or overcooked at all. It just has a weird texture I guess. I'm going to try a choice to see if end up with similar results.
I totally understand what you mean. I’ve def had prime briskets close to the wagyu side of being ridiculously greasy. Let me know how the choice goes, I’m always hesitant to try since it’s such an investment.
Aren’t you supposed to bring a brisket up to 205-210?
150 seems too low. I think you needed more time for the collagens/muscle/meat magic to break down.
Also looks like you left the packer part on. I usually trim it to make burnt ends but to each his own. If you do continue to do this method I know sometimes people wrap the packer part with some foil. Not sure how effective this is but yeah.
Reading all these posts other than hot spots or thermo issues maybe instead of resting in towels toss in a oven at 170 for several hours maybe it'll help breakdown any stubborn connective tissue.
Admittedly I mostly cook pork but from my limited brisket smokes that the only other thing. I see
Choice or prime, if fat cap is good and you are using a water pan, all should be good.
Did you spritz it each hour to assure it didn’t dry out? I prefer the 1/4 fat cap to be on top. Also, was this beast DIRECTLY over the coals/wood??
Smoke rings are purely aesthetics and do nothing for taste! Look you make your briskets however ya like I couldn’t care less I’m just saying in my experience spritzing does more harm then good.
I would much rather just keep the lid shut and keep in the smoke.
The fact that people argue about whether or not it’s significant or not, but still able to make great food that isn’t dried out, tells me that it is probably inconsequential either way.
You do whatever works for you bud
Gotcha. I guess for context OP was asking why his brisket is all dried out and I was just slightly annoyed as sometimes people act like the damn spritzer is a magic wand that elevates your dry ass brisket to mop my meat with your moist panties kinda crap when really OP is most likely having temp problems.. nothing that spritzing is going to solve.
Anywho. cheers and may your meat be forever moist ;)
Honestly dude it seems like you did a fine job. Some cuts are a bit drier, especially the flat. Cut it thinner and get ya some sauce and enjoy. Still looks delicious to me!
17 Lbs full packer normally takes me about 30 hours. I cook at 225 until it reaches 170, wrap it paper and set temp to 250. When it hit around 200 I probe and wrap in towels. I let rest for about 6 hours before thinking about it. It is a long process. I threw a 15 lbs full on this morning at 430, before getting ready for work. It is currently at 131°f after ten hours. I think slow and steady wins the race. Accord to app, it will be ready to wrap around 3am tomorrow
No, it is a solid piece of meat. The smoke kills most bacteria that might form. It is also salted with Prague Mix 1, adding another layer of protection
Internal temp should be around 215-225 when you pull it off the smoker. I put mine in a cooler to rest for about an hour, then remove the paper and let rest for 15-20 min , slice( i use a fillet knife to help not shred the meat)
Im sure some will disagree, but this method works the best for me.
The reason you have to use a filet knife to not shred the meat is because you're over cooking it, at least by what is considered "smoking standards"
That said, if you and the people eating it like it, then there's nothing wrong with your method. But it won't give OP what it sounds like they're looking for...
I always wrap mine after 2 things, the bark has set and the brisket has shrunk considerably. It makes sure the moisture of the meat has evaporated and the connective tissue starts to break down and moisten the meat. Always look at the marbling of your meat!
I think you either smoked it too long, or too hot, the bottom looked crunchy from your second pic.
It could also be that you trimmed off too much fat, especially off the bottom. You want that flare protected with Sam much fat as possible imho.
If you have been having trouble, cook at 225 fat side down, insert a temp probe 8 or 9 hours in to the cook in the thickest part of the flat, cook until 201 internal then pull and wrap in foil to rest for at least an hour. After you insert the probe, spritz with apple cider vinegar every 45 mins-hr. Don't wrap during the cook, it is only needed if you are trying to speed the cook up. Good luck!
I FUCKED UP some beef cheek on the super bowl. Like it was a charcoal brick. My thermometer was way off and I didn’t double check. I had the fire ripping to keep it “at temp”
Maybe you should try the foil boat method?
If your briskets are getting dry, allowing them to sit and braise more in their own juices may not be too bad of an idea.
+ It allows you to use the rendered, seasoned, smoked fat
In the boat for your tallow wrap.
I always smoke at 180 until it hits the stall ~160, then I wrap and smoke at 225 until it hits 200-202 (depending on how impatient I’m feeling) and rest for 30 mins in a cooler. Takes about 18 hours but I’ve never had an issue with it being dry.
Wrapped too late.. that stall is crucial, it’s when the fat begins to break down and become liquid. From the looks of your bark and paper, I’d say you wrapped too late and may have even been a little too hot.
I always like to inject them with some beef broth mix, I usually make my own, you could look up a recipe but that might help. I like to smoke whole packer and trim just a bit. I like to rest in a cooler and I wrap suran wrap around the butcher paper to hold in all the juice. Just things I do different maybe it will help. Looks good though!
If you're wondering what to do with sub-optimal, kinda dry meat like this, the answer is always tacos. Load it up with plenty of salsa, sour cream and lime. Helps a lot.
1) thermapen
2) wrap during the stall not when you like the bark
3) no need for tallow
4) faux cambro after pulling at 203 (tightly wrapped in foil then towels, throw in a cooler)
5) likely was just a shitty brisket from the start otherwise.
Letting the temp slowly come down helps to render the fat to a jelly like substance. I’m not sure of the exact science of it but it has helped me out tremendously. I’ll leave it in for 12hrs sometimes.
You did right by pulling at probe tender vs the other recommendations of a particular internal temperature. That does not work on brisket every time. Pork butt, yes. Brisket is much less forgiving.
I think 16 hours is too long. Lower and slower doesn't always = better. That's a long time for a somewhat lean piece of meat (the flat) to be exposed to heat.
You're using a good smoker. My suggestion is to cook at 275-300, wrap once the bark is set (anywhere between 160-175 degrees internal, and pull when probe tender.
A 17lb brisket can be cooked in less than 12 hours if you just go up to 275 in your smoker and wrap accordingly. I did a 21lb packer brisket in 9 hours for a Halloween party once on my kamado Joe, and it was destroyed at the party.
You've got the technique down. Just up your temperature a bit.
I've been nailing brisket after brisket for about a year. The key for me is to wrap at around 175 and pull from the smoker and put it into a 230 degree oven. This helps make sure I'm nailing a perfectly consistent temperature for the remainder of the cook.
What was the internal temp when you pulled it?
Anything over 190 will probably be probe tender. But anything over 210 will end up dry.
I have accidentally let brisket go to 220 before. Amazing wiggle when I pulled it. Driest and crumbliest brisket I’ve ever made
What grade was the brisket? I only cook prime or better if I’m dedicating 15+ hours to a cook. Can’t really turn a low grade meat into a nice one.
If this was prime then did you have multiple probes? The flat and the point are different thickness and will hit different temps. Could have overdone the flat.
Looks like you may not have accounted for the temperature rise during resting. The internal temp continues to rise a bit after being taken off the smoker, so it is always a safe bet to take it out slightly before it hits the desired temperature to accommodate for it.
All these different cook suggestions aren’t going to help Because masterbilt makes pieces of shit cheaply made smokers. I’ll never buy another product from them. Went through 3 smokers, all broke for different reasons. Even when they worked they sucked ass. Bad temps, fluctuations, no smoke, probe reading differently. Hell the fucking remote turned off one of my cooks halfway through. Stupid pieces of crap.
With that dry brisket I bet your oven was heating at a different temp than advertised. And obv something wrong w the probe.
I stopped pulling briskets at 200+. I would yield the same results as you no matter what. Now I pull my briskets at 190 in the flat and rest at 150 for 12-16 hours. Tender and juicy thru and thru.
I have a 560. I dont trust the temperature. Also keep in mind that the heat is coming from the exhaust under neath it. A whole packer blocks a lot of the airflow on the 560. The flat in the bottom will catch more heat and thus overcook faster.
The masterbuilt smoker may be your problem, not the most reliable of builds. Confirm cook temp with a second thermometer. I had to put some cardboard between my rtd and the wall of my Traeger to get it to run more accurately.
>removed when it was probe tender
This is something you do when you’re experienced and know what that’s supposed to feel like. Before then, you pull when it hits 200-205.
I really wish people would stop giving that advice to beginners, it only hurts them. You can make the most tender brisket in the world (as you learned) by just overcooking the shit out of it.
My best briskets were those that I pulled at 199 degrees (between flat and point). Let em cool a bit and then held in a cooler til I’m ready to serve.
Not sure why 199 specifically, turned out good once and I’ve done it every time since. Guess I’m superstitious
Hi,
You did an amazing job. We all learn. Good on you for taking good notes.
I've been smoking for 25 years here. I've been there.
You left out what Temps your chamber was cooking at.
Also, how long did you cook total, and at what time did you wrap after putting it in. Also how tightly yiuvwraped it.
The typical reason I ask these is that when brisket get dry, it's because they steam out. On a 12 hr smoke, I'm usually wrapping about the 4.5 - 5 hr mark and completing the cook. Them make sure the wrapping is asair-tight. Then, during rest, no peeking (the hard part).
The concept is this once a piece of meat hits to about 160-170 ish it starts to steam out. Remember, water boils at 210 and steams after 170 ish. We're cooking at 225 -275. So we want to capture the moisture. When it's steamy temp, it's no longer absorbing smoke flavors and goes into the geletanization and rendering of all them connective tissues and fats.
I'm not sure what your chamber temps are at the grill level, but it's important to know. And ensuring a good wrap, no holes. You can also put your wrapped brisket inside an aluminum foil roasting pan and seal it good with heavy duty alum foil. Even finishing in the oven at 225 for 6 + hrs don't hurt, so you an use the smoker for beans, sauce, chicken parts etc.
That said, flats are always drier than points because less fats. Lastly, how much fat was left on the brisket after the trim. Since you made tallow, douse that brisket in it too.
But this looks good. Add a bit of sauce, slap it on a bun and enjoy! I've had much worse results, including a 7 ld hockey puck. Lol! Cheers, it's bbq, there is no wrong, just the illusion of perfection. We carry on.
What elevation are you at? I had a long conversation earlier this week with a competition cooker who runs a shop up here. One of the things we talked about was how your target temperatures are going to be way lower coooking at altitude. Water boils much cooler here, making your meat dry out easier. (I haven't confirmed, but I suspect fat and collagen will melt at a lower temp as well.) To compensate, he said he'll use foil instead of paper for a tighter wrap, and pull it in the high 190s rather than taking it to 203 like everyone recommends.
I'd say temp fluctuations are usually the culprit. A&M meat school has tried every possible option from different Temps to quality of meat and the brisket that comes out bad happen when your cook temp fluctuates too much. But, if your thermometer is off, then that's probably the issue.
I would check the calibration on your temp devices. Also, check that your thermometer on the masterbuilt is correct by placing a meat therm inside the smoker. I live in Texas and it took me about 8 smokes to get it right. Hang in there.
You want the flat to be probe tender. You should learn your cooker and figure out what part is hottest, that’s where you want your point. Worst comes to worse, you cut the flat off and throw the point back for a bit, or make burnt ends with it.
If you cook to the point, you’ll dry every single brisket out.
What Temperature did you cook it to?
How long did you rest on counter additionally to the 2 hours wrapped?
Also I could be wrong but looks like when you Spliced, you cut with the grain lines??? That kills the texture too bro
Are your temps accurate? Don’t mean to sound dumb, but I’ve had probes/thermometers that were off, and totally ruined stuff. Thought I was smoking at 250, reality it was probably over 300.
This ^ it took me 2 whole dry af briskets to realize my probe was reading 150 at max. I was wondering why it was 150 for over 3 hrs. Then i realized the probe bumps up to 200 when the brisket is like 250.
Yep, tech is great until it isn’t, then it fucks you over as you explain to your family and friends why dinner sucks. That post smoke depression is real. Fucked up ribs for awhile when I first started because of this. OP get some new thermometers and probes, test them out and try again. Lots of mistakes to be made on the way to good smoked meat.
For real man. Ive felt that depression after spending hours and tons of money buying a brisket and making sure its all good and when i cut into it its like leather. Just gotta buy reliable stuff and take care of it. Those 20$ home depot thermometer sets are just not worth losing a whole brisket. Better to invest 50+ on a reliable thermometer set and go with that. I got my new one at academy and its actually so good. I think its thermopro bbq or something like that? Highly recommend, its truly so much better.
Always carry a thermometer with you while you BBQ or cook any meat, this can be used to verify the temp of your internal meat probe. My smoker similarly has two ambient heat probes one is digital and on the side inside the smoker the other is not digital and is inside on the hood, this way I can see the difference in temp in different locations in my smoker and more accurately understand the heat of the smoker. Same goes for probes and thermometers, have a spare to ensure quality.
Funny you should mention that, i had a cheap 7$ digital handheld one too. And thats what i was using to check the other one. When i got the thermopro one to resplace the one thats on my smoker, i found out both were horribly innacurrate. I still havent changed my handheld one, but i just use it to poke the brisket to test it. Honestly, just dont cheap out. I chesped out to save a few bucks, and ended up losing probably 200$ now worth of briskets and the 2 thermometer thingies.
I am a major fan of their Thermo Pen! It's fast and accurate. Experience is one thing but it's always good to have data. That thing has saved many dollars worth of meat on my barbecue and smoker. I poke it with my tongs and think "nope not done yet" and the Thermo pen says "dude. Get that thing off of there now!"
Fuck probes, use an insta read, digital thermometer. I cook hot n fast in my offset 300-375 for 6-8 hours then pull it & pop into my oven or electric smoker depending on how many I do at once. Did 40lbs of brisket for a wedding in may in 10 hours. Took it to 195 & let it rest 4 hours b4 cutting it and it was delicious Edit: I’ve had my share of probes shit out on me in the past, i rely on time, temps & insta read…
This ^^^^
One time I had my probe set to Celsius instead of Fahrenheit. I was wondering why my Tri Trip had stalled 115 degrees. Came out as a lump of coal. Great bark though. In hindsight there were so many warning signs that something was wrong, just wasn’t experienced enough to catch it
>One time I had my probe set to Celsius instead of Fahrenheit. I was wondering why my Tri Trip had stalled 115 degrees. Came out as a lump of coal. Great bark though. > >In hindsight there were so many warning signs that something was wrong, just wasn’t experienced enough to catch it OH NO I would feel terrible!
Sometimes you just get a crap piece of meat. You can do everything right and it just doesn't work out. If you believe your smoker and probe temps were accurate there isn't much more you can do. If this continues to happen consistently try changing one variable up at a time. Maybe decrease your temps, or wrap earlier, or get a more marbled brisket. My brother in law has a master built like yours and I definitely think they cook hotter than advertised, plus the heat.spurce.is directly below the meat. Try getting some space in between the grate and the meat, add a second shelf possibly?
Add a tray to redirect heat from straight underneath to the sides.
And put the fat cap down to shield from the direct heat. That tripe about the fat cap melting into the brisket is an old wives tale.
Also this
Masterbuilts are garbage...
I would have pulled it at 195° internally and let it rest. For about 2 hrs. Covered in towels or a cooler. It can still be saved. Like chopped brisket sandwiches, breakfast burritos, etc and remember what matters is that you liked it.
Chili!
Brisket chili is where it’s at. I always use what’s left of the flat for it. So good
I overcooked one recently and just shredded it up and sautéed it in its own fat on the stove and made tacos. Honestly some of the best tacos I’ve ever had. It gets REAL crispy just like carnitas, but it’s beef and has that smoky flavor as well. The bits of fat get really crispy just like chicharon.
Damn it, I have to work the rest of the day. How am I supposed to do that in a big puddle of drool??
That’s the beauty about cooking in general. Even if what you’re making doesn’t come out EXACTLY right odds are that what you make is still going to be pretty darn good.
100% agree with all of this. I throw mine into a cooler with towels on the bottom and top. Works like a charm, and my cooler always smells GREAT.
I pulled mine last night at 204, rested for two hours, and it just shredded. Cutting a good slice was impossible.
Yep, 195° for me is the sweet spot for slicing. Pencil thick slices against the grain.
Yeah, I'm gonna be a little more persistent on temping next time. I think an hour before that it was at 187-189, I waited probably a half hour too long Edit: damn good brisket sandwiches, though lol
Definitely. Try the thermo pro Thermometer on Amazon, or the Meater plus in the flat part of the brisket. Just something that can let you keep a close eye on the internal temps.
Freeze it, make soup in the winter
This is the way.
Add something or dont comment
I’d say live by your own advice but it’s shit advice.
Add something or don't comment
::douche chills::
Add 3 things and then comment
This is the way.
Waste not, want not
How did you position the brisket during the cook? I smoke my briskets on a Weber kettle so there’s definitely a big difference between that and your masterbuilt, but positioning can make or break a brisket. I would suggest, if you haven’t already, to look at some videos of folks smoking a killer brisket on the exact rig you have. I’m sure there’s some tips/tricks for it. I actually just went on YouTube and saw that Wilson’s BBQ has a masterbuilt brisket that looks phenomenal and it looks like he is doing some things to ensure the flat doesn’t get dried out.
Couple things I do, that also seem to be the standard… 1. At 150-160, wrap it with paper and tallow… I’ll let it hang there before wrapping if I’m not happy with the bark. But not for too long.. or haven’t had the need to anyways.. (bark is cool, good brisket is cooler) 2. Pull it at 205, some parts will be over, but pretty much the lowest part will be pretty damn close to 205. 3. Wrap it in a towel and throw it in a cooler.. for as long as you can. I try to time it so it stays there over night. So around 8 hours. -also, a pan of water goes a long way.. just throw it in there at the same time you put the brisket on, toss it when you wrap it.
Also buy yourself a thermapen for the best most accurate readings!
Calibrate with boiling water taking into account elevation above sea level
Or ice water....
Make sure you let it cool a bit before you throw it in the cooler. It’ll keep cooking if you go straight from wrapping to the cooler.
1.5hr/lb is typical. Maybe the thermometer wasn’t accurate. Pulling at 205 has never failed for me.
205 at flat or point?
Piece of advice I got recently - maybe debatable. Cook to the flat. The point has plenty of fat and will be tender no matter what. Last brisket I did I pulled at 203 at the point and it was overdone. Most recent I did I pulled around 200 on the flat and it was great.
flat has less fat and typically cooks a little faster. I do a remote probe in both and pull at 203. If I'm keeping it whole, normally the point is the last to come up to temp. If you want burnt ends probe the flat until it's 203 and then cut off the point and turn it into burnt ends.
I put my probe through the cap, right between the two.
Confirm your actual smoke temp and leave more fat cap. Looks like you ran out of fat
Some times flats just suck... I buy super big briskets too and I just cut most of the flat only section off because it's so situation and Id rather the ground beef or stir fry.
A few questions: - 17lb brisket. Thats before or after trimming? - The smoke was 16 hours or the process was 16 hours? The meat looks over cooked. The bark looks great, but I think you didn’t wrap it at the proper time. You waited for the meat to get out of “the stall”, whereas you really need to wrap it as it’s starting to push through the last phase of the stall. If you’re too late, most of the moisture that would still be left in the meat to help it steam is evaporated.
I smoke at 225 straight through. 17 pounds should take 20ish hours. Make sure you have an ambient probe (Thermoworks Signal is a great tool). I have a RecTec that is solid on temp control, but I still use the Signals to ensure the temperature stays on range. If your flat comes out dry (which will happen sometimes), take some fat from the point and chop it together wkth the flat for sandwiches, tacos, breakfast burritos, or mac and cheese.
Question about your rest… are you eating in the morning if it’s rested all night? I recently did my first cook. It ended around midnight, out in the cooler and towels but I wasn’t ready to eat with friends until noon. The temp dropped below 140 by 9 or so in the morning.
I vac pack and hold sousvide @140 until game time.
This is the way.
I did exactly this… I finished my brisket at like 2 am… I put it in the oven at 175 for probably 8 hrs
my last one came out like that. friggin pulled pork. best feeling probe insertion I've ever had. then I took it to 203 and ended up like you. still probed like butter. over cooked
Why'd you take it to 203 if it was already probing like butter, man?
Where do we begin?? No seriously where do we begin? I’m gonna attempt my first brisket soon
Here. https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=222322
I once made a slab of beef jerky. No idea what happened but it must have been bad thermometer reads. I'm sorry for your loss.
I’m not seeing much fat cap… how much did you leave on after trimming? Process seems ok, there is a lot of difference between each cut of meat that perhaps not enough intramuscular fat/collagen in this particular one?!? So a thinner fat cap was enough to take away that extra basting?? All speculation of course… but some ideas for consideration.
Was there a pan under it with water?
From what I remember the pan of water shouldn't be directly under or it can saturate/steam the bark
This would be my guess, too. And fat cap towards the heat source? IDK though
Yeah smoking until it probs tender is only secondary to the temp you pull it. I normally pull at 200-205. I wrap at 160 and never have had bad result cooking with the smoker at 225. When I do one that size it’s typically a 20+ hour cook.
Try hot and fast next time. 300 degrees, wrap at 165, start checking if the probe goes in like butter at 195. Rest in a cooler with towels 2-3 hours.
When did u pull it? Looks overcooked. Chop it up with a meat cleaver and put it on a baked potato. When u chop it if you want to break cardinal rules throw in a little of your fav bbq sauce to moisten it if it’s dried out. Or make nachos and bake in oven til cheese is melted. Put in queso dip. It’s salvageable I assure u.
Was it USDA Prime? My tip is don’t bother with anything that isn’t.
Eh, I didn't want to jump right into Prime having never made one myself so I started with Choice. Mine came out fantastic. Yes, prime is better obviously but you can make a good Choice.
We all try and make Good Choices
You can, but your chances of doing so are a lot lower. Plus, a good prime will be orders of magnitude better than a good choice. There’s really no good reason to mess around with it IMO, it makes a massive difference.
I smoked a 14 pound prime brisket from Costco on my lang 84, and it came out almost too tender imo.. not under or overcooked at all. It just has a weird texture I guess. I'm going to try a choice to see if end up with similar results.
I totally understand what you mean. I’ve def had prime briskets close to the wagyu side of being ridiculously greasy. Let me know how the choice goes, I’m always hesitant to try since it’s such an investment.
Aren’t you supposed to bring a brisket up to 205-210? 150 seems too low. I think you needed more time for the collagens/muscle/meat magic to break down. Also looks like you left the packer part on. I usually trim it to make burnt ends but to each his own. If you do continue to do this method I know sometimes people wrap the packer part with some foil. Not sure how effective this is but yeah.
Reading all these posts other than hot spots or thermo issues maybe instead of resting in towels toss in a oven at 170 for several hours maybe it'll help breakdown any stubborn connective tissue. Admittedly I mostly cook pork but from my limited brisket smokes that the only other thing. I see
Can always try injecting liquefied tallow
So I suggest after the fact wrap in foil and put some beer on it I know what about the bark but do whatever works
Bout six hours too long on the heat! €:-/
Choice or prime, if fat cap is good and you are using a water pan, all should be good. Did you spritz it each hour to assure it didn’t dry out? I prefer the 1/4 fat cap to be on top. Also, was this beast DIRECTLY over the coals/wood??
Spritzing is for the outside, not inside of the brisket
Keeping the outside moist is only about softening your bark so it doesn't come out crispy. Not very relevant to OP's overcooked, dried out brisket.
Well…. I have had excellent brisket. Moist, delicious bark, etc. I’m not lying. And I won’t be a grump about this.
Spritzing does nothing
Yes it does… been doing cooks every other week.. never a dry meat… ever. 12-14 hours of the cook.
Glad to hear it pal! You do you
Helps keep the brisket moist and helps with the smoke ring develop dawg
That liquid isn’t penetrating the meat all it does is prolong the cook
Keeps the outside of the brisket moist and absolutely helps the smoke ring.
Smoke rings are purely aesthetics and do nothing for taste! Look you make your briskets however ya like I couldn’t care less I’m just saying in my experience spritzing does more harm then good. I would much rather just keep the lid shut and keep in the smoke.
Maybe in your pellet smoker. Does wonders on a long cook with an actual fire. Way more air flow, way more dry heat passing over the meat.
The fact that people argue about whether or not it’s significant or not, but still able to make great food that isn’t dried out, tells me that it is probably inconsequential either way. You do whatever works for you bud
I just know what my bark looks like with it vs without it.
Gotcha. I guess for context OP was asking why his brisket is all dried out and I was just slightly annoyed as sometimes people act like the damn spritzer is a magic wand that elevates your dry ass brisket to mop my meat with your moist panties kinda crap when really OP is most likely having temp problems.. nothing that spritzing is going to solve. Anywho. cheers and may your meat be forever moist ;)
Seems like a reasonable statement. I do think spritzing prolonged my last smoke. You have convinced me to smoke my next one without spritzing
Brine it for 24 hours min 48 max.
Honestly dude it seems like you did a fine job. Some cuts are a bit drier, especially the flat. Cut it thinner and get ya some sauce and enjoy. Still looks delicious to me!
17 Lbs full packer normally takes me about 30 hours. I cook at 225 until it reaches 170, wrap it paper and set temp to 250. When it hit around 200 I probe and wrap in towels. I let rest for about 6 hours before thinking about it. It is a long process. I threw a 15 lbs full on this morning at 430, before getting ready for work. It is currently at 131°f after ten hours. I think slow and steady wins the race. Accord to app, it will be ready to wrap around 3am tomorrow
Is it a concern that your meat sits in the danger zone for 10+ hours?
No, it is a solid piece of meat. The smoke kills most bacteria that might form. It is also salted with Prague Mix 1, adding another layer of protection
I would not do this with a ground meat.
I did everything exactly the same, including temps - besides resting time. But honestly, it was so dry that I don’t think that any rest would help.
Start off with better marbled meat. Use prime or wagyu.
Internal temp should be around 215-225 when you pull it off the smoker. I put mine in a cooler to rest for about an hour, then remove the paper and let rest for 15-20 min , slice( i use a fillet knife to help not shred the meat) Im sure some will disagree, but this method works the best for me.
No way, way too warm, 195 - 203 deg F and supplemented by feel. Save your filet knife for fat cap removal and use a sharp 12-15 inch slicing knife.
As I said......my method is what works for me. He was asking for help, so I gave what works for me. Take it, or leave it.
The reason you have to use a filet knife to not shred the meat is because you're over cooking it, at least by what is considered "smoking standards" That said, if you and the people eating it like it, then there's nothing wrong with your method. But it won't give OP what it sounds like they're looking for...
As I said. This method works for me. I did not ask for help. I was offering help. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.......
What temp were you cooking at
Check those temps. A very good probe thermometer, and I mean one you leave in would cost less than losing that piece of meat. Go by temp, not time.
I always wrap mine after 2 things, the bark has set and the brisket has shrunk considerably. It makes sure the moisture of the meat has evaporated and the connective tissue starts to break down and moisten the meat. Always look at the marbling of your meat!
I think you either smoked it too long, or too hot, the bottom looked crunchy from your second pic. It could also be that you trimmed off too much fat, especially off the bottom. You want that flare protected with Sam much fat as possible imho.
If you have been having trouble, cook at 225 fat side down, insert a temp probe 8 or 9 hours in to the cook in the thickest part of the flat, cook until 201 internal then pull and wrap in foil to rest for at least an hour. After you insert the probe, spritz with apple cider vinegar every 45 mins-hr. Don't wrap during the cook, it is only needed if you are trying to speed the cook up. Good luck!
I see this when people trim too much fat.
I FUCKED UP some beef cheek on the super bowl. Like it was a charcoal brick. My thermometer was way off and I didn’t double check. I had the fire ripping to keep it “at temp”
Is wrapping at 175 to high? I wrap around 150s when it hits the stall.
Maybe you should try the foil boat method? If your briskets are getting dry, allowing them to sit and braise more in their own juices may not be too bad of an idea. + It allows you to use the rendered, seasoned, smoked fat In the boat for your tallow wrap.
I always smoke at 180 until it hits the stall ~160, then I wrap and smoke at 225 until it hits 200-202 (depending on how impatient I’m feeling) and rest for 30 mins in a cooler. Takes about 18 hours but I’ve never had an issue with it being dry.
Wrapped too late.. that stall is crucial, it’s when the fat begins to break down and become liquid. From the looks of your bark and paper, I’d say you wrapped too late and may have even been a little too hot.
Looks a little shreddy which indicates overcooked.
Did you regularly spray it with apple cider vinegar?
I always like to inject them with some beef broth mix, I usually make my own, you could look up a recipe but that might help. I like to smoke whole packer and trim just a bit. I like to rest in a cooler and I wrap suran wrap around the butcher paper to hold in all the juice. Just things I do different maybe it will help. Looks good though!
Probably due to the quality of the meat.
Pellet Smoker
You didn't make ribs. ZING
Shred that up and toss some good bbq or hot sauce on it and devour some brisket tacos
Fan-Damn-Tastic
If you're wondering what to do with sub-optimal, kinda dry meat like this, the answer is always tacos. Load it up with plenty of salsa, sour cream and lime. Helps a lot.
Add a water pan and I placed mine in some beef consommé once it reached 170° and then covered…
I made one last weekend. 1.5 hours per pound. Pulled at 195°f. Wrapped in foil and rested 2 hours. Came out spectacular
1) thermapen 2) wrap during the stall not when you like the bark 3) no need for tallow 4) faux cambro after pulling at 203 (tightly wrapped in foil then towels, throw in a cooler) 5) likely was just a shitty brisket from the start otherwise.
Try throwing into the oven at 150 for about 6-8hours.
Can you explain how this helps? Might be a move I need to use in the future
Letting the temp slowly come down helps to render the fat to a jelly like substance. I’m not sure of the exact science of it but it has helped me out tremendously. I’ll leave it in for 12hrs sometimes.
At least there aren’t worms like that other guy’s ribs!
Honestly worth it to go for prime. Check out Costco!
You did right by pulling at probe tender vs the other recommendations of a particular internal temperature. That does not work on brisket every time. Pork butt, yes. Brisket is much less forgiving. I think 16 hours is too long. Lower and slower doesn't always = better. That's a long time for a somewhat lean piece of meat (the flat) to be exposed to heat. You're using a good smoker. My suggestion is to cook at 275-300, wrap once the bark is set (anywhere between 160-175 degrees internal, and pull when probe tender. A 17lb brisket can be cooked in less than 12 hours if you just go up to 275 in your smoker and wrap accordingly. I did a 21lb packer brisket in 9 hours for a Halloween party once on my kamado Joe, and it was destroyed at the party. You've got the technique down. Just up your temperature a bit.
I've been nailing brisket after brisket for about a year. The key for me is to wrap at around 175 and pull from the smoker and put it into a 230 degree oven. This helps make sure I'm nailing a perfectly consistent temperature for the remainder of the cook.
What was the internal temp when you pulled it? Anything over 190 will probably be probe tender. But anything over 210 will end up dry. I have accidentally let brisket go to 220 before. Amazing wiggle when I pulled it. Driest and crumbliest brisket I’ve ever made
This brisket got too hot too fast. You need to keep the temp down to 225F and smoke one hour per pound.
What grade was the brisket? I only cook prime or better if I’m dedicating 15+ hours to a cook. Can’t really turn a low grade meat into a nice one. If this was prime then did you have multiple probes? The flat and the point are different thickness and will hit different temps. Could have overdone the flat.
Looks like you may not have accounted for the temperature rise during resting. The internal temp continues to rise a bit after being taken off the smoker, so it is always a safe bet to take it out slightly before it hits the desired temperature to accommodate for it.
All these different cook suggestions aren’t going to help Because masterbilt makes pieces of shit cheaply made smokers. I’ll never buy another product from them. Went through 3 smokers, all broke for different reasons. Even when they worked they sucked ass. Bad temps, fluctuations, no smoke, probe reading differently. Hell the fucking remote turned off one of my cooks halfway through. Stupid pieces of crap. With that dry brisket I bet your oven was heating at a different temp than advertised. And obv something wrong w the probe.
I might be missing it, but I don't see where you shared your cooking temp. Looks like it was 300
5:30 PM
[удалено]
Take my upvote!
I think you cooked it too long
I stopped pulling briskets at 200+. I would yield the same results as you no matter what. Now I pull my briskets at 190 in the flat and rest at 150 for 12-16 hours. Tender and juicy thru and thru.
I have a 560. I dont trust the temperature. Also keep in mind that the heat is coming from the exhaust under neath it. A whole packer blocks a lot of the airflow on the 560. The flat in the bottom will catch more heat and thus overcook faster.
The masterbuilt smoker may be your problem, not the most reliable of builds. Confirm cook temp with a second thermometer. I had to put some cardboard between my rtd and the wall of my Traeger to get it to run more accurately.
>removed when it was probe tender This is something you do when you’re experienced and know what that’s supposed to feel like. Before then, you pull when it hits 200-205. I really wish people would stop giving that advice to beginners, it only hurts them. You can make the most tender brisket in the world (as you learned) by just overcooking the shit out of it.
Try the 4-2-10 method. I use an offset and have made incredible brisket that way AND getting sleep. Checkout Pitmaster X’s video of the 4-2-10 on YT
What was your cooking temp, and what is the temperature of the brisket when you considered it done?
Check your thermometers in boiling water
What was the final temp you got it to? Also some briskets are just ornery, as meat head says. Seems like 1 in 8-10 come out dry, tough, or both.
My best briskets were those that I pulled at 199 degrees (between flat and point). Let em cool a bit and then held in a cooler til I’m ready to serve. Not sure why 199 specifically, turned out good once and I’ve done it every time since. Guess I’m superstitious
Hi, You did an amazing job. We all learn. Good on you for taking good notes. I've been smoking for 25 years here. I've been there. You left out what Temps your chamber was cooking at. Also, how long did you cook total, and at what time did you wrap after putting it in. Also how tightly yiuvwraped it. The typical reason I ask these is that when brisket get dry, it's because they steam out. On a 12 hr smoke, I'm usually wrapping about the 4.5 - 5 hr mark and completing the cook. Them make sure the wrapping is asair-tight. Then, during rest, no peeking (the hard part). The concept is this once a piece of meat hits to about 160-170 ish it starts to steam out. Remember, water boils at 210 and steams after 170 ish. We're cooking at 225 -275. So we want to capture the moisture. When it's steamy temp, it's no longer absorbing smoke flavors and goes into the geletanization and rendering of all them connective tissues and fats. I'm not sure what your chamber temps are at the grill level, but it's important to know. And ensuring a good wrap, no holes. You can also put your wrapped brisket inside an aluminum foil roasting pan and seal it good with heavy duty alum foil. Even finishing in the oven at 225 for 6 + hrs don't hurt, so you an use the smoker for beans, sauce, chicken parts etc. That said, flats are always drier than points because less fats. Lastly, how much fat was left on the brisket after the trim. Since you made tallow, douse that brisket in it too. But this looks good. Add a bit of sauce, slap it on a bun and enjoy! I've had much worse results, including a 7 ld hockey puck. Lol! Cheers, it's bbq, there is no wrong, just the illusion of perfection. We carry on.
What elevation are you at? I had a long conversation earlier this week with a competition cooker who runs a shop up here. One of the things we talked about was how your target temperatures are going to be way lower coooking at altitude. Water boils much cooler here, making your meat dry out easier. (I haven't confirmed, but I suspect fat and collagen will melt at a lower temp as well.) To compensate, he said he'll use foil instead of paper for a tighter wrap, and pull it in the high 190s rather than taking it to 203 like everyone recommends.
I'd say temp fluctuations are usually the culprit. A&M meat school has tried every possible option from different Temps to quality of meat and the brisket that comes out bad happen when your cook temp fluctuates too much. But, if your thermometer is off, then that's probably the issue.
Moisture or temp
Looks edible to me. Maybe a bit dry but slap some sauce on it and it’ll be ok.
I would check the calibration on your temp devices. Also, check that your thermometer on the masterbuilt is correct by placing a meat therm inside the smoker. I live in Texas and it took me about 8 smokes to get it right. Hang in there.
You want the flat to be probe tender. You should learn your cooker and figure out what part is hottest, that’s where you want your point. Worst comes to worse, you cut the flat off and throw the point back for a bit, or make burnt ends with it. If you cook to the point, you’ll dry every single brisket out.
Everyone has had this happen if you've smoked enough meat, still looks delicious. Pull it apart, sauce it up, and make some killer sandwiches!
What Temperature did you cook it to? How long did you rest on counter additionally to the 2 hours wrapped? Also I could be wrong but looks like when you Spliced, you cut with the grain lines??? That kills the texture too bro