Brisket temp

[Keeton's Casino]

Good results on a brisket this Saturday but a little dry.

I was using a Maverick wireless thermometer (recommended by a post in Rusty's grill) to check both chamber and food temp. Love having the smoker temp at grill level at a moment's notice and the food temp, but I don't really know what is the 'ideal' food temp for a brisket?

My brisket ended up at about 180 before I pulled it off for a 30-45 minute rest before cutting.

I used to just keep the meat in the smoker for a set period of time but I think that the temp would be the most reliable way to monitor whether the brisket is done.

Any opinions on the meat temp?

 

[mcmike1492]

I got this paragraph from a newsletter that I get from a guy here locally in Sugar Land. His website is The Link

Here's what Bill says,

"The brisket will be done when a food thermometer reads 195 degrees internal meat temp and is usually done before the above cooking times but you need to cook it long and slow. The longer it cooks the more tender it gets so if you want to take the brisket to an internal meat temp of 205 degrees that is fine."

I've done a grand total of two briskets. The first I took to almost 200 degrees internally and it was incredible. I rushed the second and took it off at 180 and it was dry and not so good. Nothing that a little sauce didn't cure, it's just that it was a lot like the brisket you get from most BBQ places.

 

[Beau Vine]

IMO, getting it up over 200 and letting it rest (wrapped in towels) in a cooler for two hours is pretty much the Holy Grail of brisket cooking.

 

[Luke Duke]

In reply to:

---

---

 

[Uncle Rico]

In reply to:

---

---

 

[alden]

Provided you're not using a trimmed brisket, the longer you cook it, the softer it gets. Cook it any beyond 200, and it's hard to slice because it falls apart. At 180 it's easy to slice, but sometimes a little too firm.

Other things:
Fat cap up, right?
What's the chamber temp? (not that this is as critical)

 

[Keeton's Casino]

Fat cap up.

chamber temp was between 220-275 for most of the time that the meat was in the smoker. There was a spike early on when I threw in too much pecan to keep a fire from going out. I used one chimney full of Kingsford with a small pecan log to start and then used pecan logs the rest of the way. A little bit of a challenge to regulate heat, but I kept it around 225-260 on the grill level in the chamber most of the time although there were a few spikes to over 300 when a new log would go in.

 

[Luke Duke]

Next time try wrapping it in foil when it hits 175-180*F, then cook it for another 2 hours. If you leave the brisket wrapped for too long you will have a roast that just falls apart, so you might check it after an hour. Then pull off the pit, unwrap it and let it rest.

 

[Beau Vine]

In reply to:

---

---