Brisket Isn’t Tender

[JerryM]

Could be the briskets itself. Select versus choice versus prime beef.

 

[JerryM]

I am thinking the same thing it could be the cut of meat I would use no less than choice. The cut of meat definitely makes a difference also.

 

[Tym2Fish]

Cooked one last weekend. Smoked at 230 until 165. Wrapped in butcher paper, back on the heat. Continued at 230 until one probe showed 205 and the other showed 208. Probe when in like butter. Pulled it off, wrapped in towel and rested in cooler for 6 hours. Best I've ever had.

 

[ANT0407]

Cooked one last weekend. Smoked at 230 until 165. Wrapped in butcher paper, back on the heat. Continued at 230 until one probe showed 205 and the other showed 208. Probe when in like butter. Pulled it off, wrapped in towel and rested in cooler for 6 hours. Best I've ever had.

View attachment 2790

Very nice! What did you use for rub and pellets?

 

[Tym2Fish]

I've been using my own rub for over 25 years. Being from South Carolina it's kinda expected when you're growing up to build your own rub. For pellets I mixed competition blend with Bear Mountain gourmet. Did it on my 1150 with a smoke tube. Like some of these other guys say, the key to the whole thing is that probe for doneness. That long rest is a big deal too.

 

[ALK]

I just stopped at 190F internal temperature. Guess I should go by feel instead of internal temperature.

I usually only go to about 165* with grill at 300*. Then double wrap in brown paper. Then with grill moved to 350* go til the magic 205*.

 

[Ranger527]

Hello!
I’ve cooked 2 briskets and they both have been really tough. I smoke at 1-1/2 hours per pound at approximately 250 deg. F with a meat temperature at 190 deg F. I’ve marinated, sprayed apple juice repeatedly, etc without any good results.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!!

The first thing I do is when I buy the brisket I hold it up in the middle and see how flimsy it is. I don't spend the most money on the best briskets but I get about right in the middle or a little above that. I have a pit Boss CS 1250 and all I do is salt and pepper cuz I'm here in Texas and I put it on my pellet at 190 with also a smoke tube containing same pellets so I get the maximum smoke. And then about 160 to 170 I'm really looking at the bark not so much a temperature, I take my butcher paper and douse it in the beef tallow that either I made or bought from Amazon and wrap it up turn my smoker to 225- 250 and usually smoke it till about 195 to 200 and then I put it in a cooler and put a blanket on top of it and let it sit there for about 4 or 5 hours. It has come out perfect every time for the last 2 years not one time have I had a tough brisket. I feed about 15 people every time I cook so that's the same feedback I get from them too. I really quit going by times but my feel how does the probe feel going in to the meat is it tacky is it nice and smooth in one area and then tuggy in the next area. One thing though I have learned one of the most important things is that rest time the longer I let it rest it always seems to come out better. So I've learned the day I cook a brisket is not the day I'm eating it it's the next day.

 

[Redoctapus]

The first thing I do is when I buy the brisket I hold it up in the middle and see how flimsy it is. I don't spend the most money on the best briskets but I get about right in the middle or a little above that. I have a pit Boss CS 1250 and all I do is salt and pepper cuz I'm here in Texas and I put it on my pellet at 190 with also a smoke tube containing same pellets so I get the maximum smoke. And then about 160 to 170 I'm really looking at the bark not so much a temperature, I take my butcher paper and douse it in the beef tallow that either I made or bought from Amazon and wrap it up turn my smoker to 225- 250 and usually smoke it till about 195 to 200 and then I put it in a cooler and put a blanket on top of it and let it sit there for about 4 or 5 hours. It has come out perfect every time for the last 2 years not one time have I had a tough brisket. I feed about 15 people every time I cook so that's the same feedback I get from them too. I really quit going by times but my feel how does the probe feel going in to the meat is it tacky is it nice and smooth in one area and then tuggy in the next area. One thing though I have learned one of the most important things is that rest time the longer I let it rest it always seems to come out better. So I've learned the day I cook a brisket is not the day I'm eating it it's the next day.

Speaking of Brisket, as I was reading my news feed this article popped up...

Why You Need To Repeatedly Check Brisket Towards The End Of Cooking

Why You Need To Repeatedly Check Brisket Towards The End Of Cooking - Tasting Table

When the proper time and handling are applied, brisket can be very delicious. Here is why you need to repeatedly check brisket near the end of cooking it.

www.tastingtable.com

 

[Saul D]

The first thing I do is when I buy the brisket I hold it up in the middle and see how flimsy it is. I don't spend the most money on the best briskets but I get about right in the middle or a little above that. I have a pit Boss CS 1250 and all I do is salt and pepper cuz I'm here in Texas and I put it on my pellet at 190 with also a smoke tube containing same pellets so I get the maximum smoke. And then about 160 to 170 I'm really looking at the bark not so much a temperature, I take my butcher paper and douse it in the beef tallow that either I made or bought from Amazon and wrap it up turn my smoker to 225- 250 and usually smoke it till about 195 to 200 and then I put it in a cooler and put a blanket on top of it and let it sit there for about 4 or 5 hours. It has come out perfect every time for the last 2 years not one time have I had a tough brisket. I feed about 15 people every time I cook so that's the same feedback I get from them too. I really quit going by times but my feel how does the probe feel going in to the meat is it tacky is it nice and smooth in one area and then tuggy in the next area. One thing though I have learned one of the most important things is that rest time the longer I let it rest it always seems to come out better. So I've learned the day I cook a brisket is not the day I'm eating it it's the next day.

We got lots in common: CS1250, Texas, salt/pepper, smoke tubes, tallow, start at 190F. One thing I also do is put my brisket on the smoker straight from the fridge before starting my smoker. I feel it smokes longer at 190 before reaching internal temp of 165. I like to start my cooks before bedtime so it lets me get more sleep before wrapping. I need to learn to rest it longer; I get impatient and want to slice into it.