Brisket Questions

[Jason_Florida]

I am doing my second attempt at Brisket this weekend. My first attempt had great flavor, but was a little tough, and I think I know in general how to fix that. But I do have a few questions.

1. The recipe books I have are all cooking 10 to 12 pound whole briskets, but my butcher only carries flats that run about 6 pounds. How much should I reduce the cooking time? I would rather have a good estimate before I start checking the meat rather than opening the smoker too often.

2. I want to use wood chunks as a heat source, but don't have an extensive amount. Is it better to start with wood or finish? I assume I don't want to soak if I am using wood like charcoal.

Thanks.

[bigabyte]

Start with wood, it's more important to apply smoke early on in the process as opposed to later. As for the cooking time, brisket needs to cook by temp as the rule, not time. cook that flat to 185 minimum, some like it up around 190, 195 for tender fall apart beef. 185 is for slicing. I don;t cook flats, so I can't really help you for how long it should take. What temps you gonna cook it at?
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--Mad BBQ Scientist
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[Jason_Florida]

I'm going to try to stay around 225 to 250.

[allsmokenofire]

At 225-250 a flat should take about 1-1.25 hrs/lb. Cook it to 165-170 internal, then double wrap it in heavy duty foil and put it back on the smoker til it hits 190 internal. Pull it off the smoker and let it sit in an empty ice chest for an hour. Unwrap it carefully so you can save the juices in the foil, slice against the grain, and you're ready to eat!

Your mileage may vary...
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Mike
Team Enoserv

[Jason_Florida]

Thanks guys. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Jason_Florida]

I went with real sugar. I wound up cooking it around 212 most of the time, and it wound up taking about 11 hours. It was much more tender than my previous brisket. Not quite the melt in your mouth I was hoping for, but still very nice.

[Alien BBQ]

Don't forget that once you cook it, you have to slice it correctly also.
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[Oz]

How long did you let it rest in the cooler? Just did a 6+ lb in a stump clone with pecan and lump to 195 and let it rest for 2 hrs. Turned out nice and tender, but not melt in your mouth either. I did not foil except for the time in the cooler.

[zilla]

As the fellas said above, cook to a specific temperature not a specific time.

Cooking flats is fine too you just have to be careful to watch your temps. Try to find one with some fat still on it, That can help insulate the meat.

There are many techniques you can use so get out a notebook and start trying them out. When you hit one you like stick with it and keep notes.

Remember that "melt in your mouth" brisket is probably overcooked brisket. It should have some substance left when your done.

I follow a method similar to Allsmokes but don't pull until 201 Then a nice rest on a towel in a cooler for at least an hour. When the brisket cools a bit it slices real nice. Don't forget to save the drippings in the foil for your BBQ sauce.
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Zilla

GIANT BBQ

[skybob]

Yep, when I want melt in your mouth tender, I take it up to about 205 internal. It's so tender then that you can't slice it worth a darn. Just falls apart.
If I want it sliced, I pull it out at 195. There again, slice it across the grain or it'll get tough and stringy on you.
Good luck with it

[Jason_Florida]

By the time it was done, it was after 8:30pm, so having it for dinner that night was out of the question. I let it sit in a cooler for an hour or so, then put it in the fridge. The next evening I took it out of the fridge and put it in the oven at 350 for about 40 minutes, still in the foil.