I'm going to stick my foot...

[StarsandStripes]

...deep inside a brisket's a**. Dude, I simply cannot come to grips with this nonsense.

Every brisket I've cooked has come out like leather. I need some help.

Yesterday I cooked it to 165 then double wrapped in heavy duty foil. Before I closed everything up I put in 1/3 cup JD and 1/3 cup apple juice. I cooked it to 205 then put inside a cooler wrapped in towels. I sliced it against the grain an hour later. Juice just poured out of the fat when I sliced it but the meat was dry as a bone. WTF???!!!

This was my fourth one. I've cooked each one to 165. Then I've cooked to 185, 190, and 195. Last night the toothpick went in easily at 205 so I pulled it.

ARG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pete]

What temperature did you use?

[Ts BBQ]

what was your pit temp?
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[StarsandStripes]

Oops - 225 degrees.

After I wrapped it I ran to the post office. When I got back 30 minutes later it had spiked to 275. It couldn't have been there for any longer than 30-40 minutes.

My pit is an upright. I used the water pan if that matters.

[mds2]

Are you cooking packers or flats?
_________________


The Saucy Lads BBQ Team

[StarsandStripes]

Packers. 10.5 pounds.

[Frank19]

Are you using dry rub at all? I use quite a bit on mine and I find that it seals the outside up rather well helping to trap the juices in.
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[Roy]

IMHO foil just dries the damn thing out. I've had the best results low and slow at least 10 hours and 190 or so internal and fork test for tenderness and pull and cover for a half hour. Nothin fancy but it seems to work.

[3970010]

I have not had any trouble with foil drying my briskets out. However, I had to be taught to cut my briskets WITH THE GRAIN not against it. If not, they will seem tough. Good luck to ya.

[Harry Nutczak]

[mr bbq]

So how long did you have it in the smoker?

That kinda happened to me a few weeks ago and I never have problems with my brisket. But I had it on the smoker for 6 hours...it was about 6-7lbs. I plugged it and it read 165 and I wrapped it in foil for 1/2 hour and took it off. I was rushing too, but after about an hour 1/2 rest I cut it and it was really tough. No matter what angle, against the grain with the grain...tough. So I cut it anyway and put it in the oven It cooked in there for about 2 hours at like 225 and it came out soft as could be.

Soooooo, maybe it could have been the cut of meat and simply leaving it on a little longer? And next time I won't use foil. Don't know if that had anything to do with it, but foil for ME is not important. Alot of folks have great success with it on ribs, butts, brisket, whatever, but me? Ehh, no biggie. As long as they are cooked slow and low, I think you get the same results....of course that's just me...lol.

[StarsandStripes]

It was in the smoker for 10 hours...almost to the minute.

Foil seems to be the common denominator here. I will not foil it next time and see what happens. It's just frustrating as all heck with this thing.

[jib]

Is there a fat cap on the meat?

Did all the meat come from the same vendor? If so, buy somewhere else as a test case.

Check your thermometer in boiling water to verify it's close to 205-212 at full boil. Yeah, it should be 212F, but altitude makes a difference.

Jack

[Jeff T]

Are you cooking select cut brisket? Select will always be more tuff to make tender. See if you can find Choise cut packers or Certified Angus Beef or "CAB" brisket as they call it. You`ll have better luck with Choise cut packers or Cab`s.

[StarsandStripes]

All of the briskets came from HEB - our local grocer here in South Texas. Didn't check if it was CAB or not. All did have a fat cap and I was sure not to get one that was trimmed.

[adolpho]

[JamesB]

Have you calibrated your meat thermometer? Sounds like an undercooked brisket to me...

Having said that, some briskets are just tougher than others. Maybe you just lucked out and bought some beef of of some old milk cows or something... Don't give up! You'll hit it just right one of these trys...

If the brisket is too dry to serve alone, chop it up and add some BBQ sauce to it and have chopped beef sandwiches.

Oh and cut AGAINST the grain!

James.
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[BBQMAN]

Foil is definetly not your problem. Brisket, flank steak, and the like need to be cut against the grain.

I cook my briskets with a bacon layer across the top at about 250 for 8 hours. Then remove the bacon (save for baked beans) and foil for another 4 hours or so.

I also suspect that the temp at your cooking grate is off in comparison to what the gage in the door reads. Some type of probe temp gage would probably be a good investment.
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[Roy]

When you see those big beautiful old smokers in Texas with people lined up to eat off butcher paper and everybody's drooling...do you see any of that meat wrapped in foil? NO.
When you foil your meat on the heat for hours, and why it's on a BBQ I have no idea, and you get a cup or more of juice when you unwrap it, where did all that juice come from?
If you want to braise meat why not get some short ribs and braise a classic dish rather than braising your BBQ.
Food for thought. Each to their own.

[roxy]