I SUCK at Briskets

[sksmoker]

Here is your problem. Fat cooks meat, in a 4lb flat, there is no fat in the meat to help it cook and make it tender. Ever cooked a really lean roast for 12 hrs? Yeah, it would be tough too.

Get the biggest fattiest piece of meat you can get, and cook away. Your results will transform 180 degrees. I had a pork butt that wasn't cooked after being on the drum smoker for 24 hours @250. Took it off and pulled it apart after giving up on it, and it had no fat or tissue inside. Everything that could melt into the meat was gone. Not sure how it was butchered but I didn't try anymore and I haven't had any problems since. I always get the biggest pork butts I can get, the fattier the better.

Just think about how lean the brisket flat really is. You are relying on a 1/4" piece of fat to keep the flat, which is 1-1.5" thick, over long amounts of time. You want to cook a cut of lean meat, you are going to be cooking it forever because there is nothing to break down.

Follow these good guys advice here and get yourself a 14lb whole packer brisket. Smoke that bad boy for 9hrs @ 250 and your brisket will be a whole world of different! If you want you can even double wrap it in foil once it hits the 150-160 range and your brisket will basically fall apart.

Now, remember, brisket probably has the most variation of any bbq meat out there, so sometimes the saying applies "it's done when it's done!"

I was part of the prep of a 21 lb (after trimming) brisket, and guess what, it was finished before the 16lb brisket! I don't think my arm has since recovered from trimming that beast, but it sure was good!
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Broil King Gasser
BDS Clone
Bradley DBS 6 Rack
Stickburning Offset

[BBQMAN]

When I cook brisket, I normally cover it in bacon.

2/3 of the way through the cook, I remove (and save) the bacon, foil for the remainder of the cook, and they come out great.

Maybe you have just been getting the left side (or is it right side) of the cow?

There is no set time for brisket- when it's done it's done.
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BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.