Internal temp on a Brisket???

[Neighbor_guy]

Well, after doing a pork shoulder a couple weekends ago with fantastic results, I am going to do some Beef Brisket this weekend. Should be good, I have the rub almost exactly how I want it, I just have a couple of questions for the guys in the know. I am planing/counting on an all day cook but...

What box temp?

What internal temp?

Any help from those who have made the mistakes before, or perfected a good Smoked Brisket?

[birdswacker]

I did my first one a couple weeks ago and I used this as a guide.

Smoke this beef brisket fat side up, at 200-225 degrees for approximately one hour per pound (untrimmed weight). When the internal temperature reaches 180-185, remove it from the smoker and wrap it in foil. I let it go to 180 then the foil and cooked for another hour.It turned out very juicy and tasty. I was always scared to ruin a nice chunk of meat like that. But I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

[McGurk]

The last write up is good, but I foiled at 165 internal temp. FYI; it will take a LONG time to get there, and then maybe a couple more hours to get to 190 int temp. I leave it wrapped tight in foil and let it rest for another hour or so, wrapped in towels in a cooler. Don't hesitate to try it. Good Luck!

[Neighbor_guy]

So about an hour/lb @about 210... tent at 165internal, cook to between 185-190deg and rest an hour....

Sound about right?????

I guess if a guy wants good homemade brisket he has to get up early.

[MNmikew]

Neighbor_guy, what type of smoker are you cooking this on?

[McGurk]

A link to a writeup on my first...

Brisket smoke

[Neighbor_guy]

Neighbor_guy, what type of smoker are you cooking this on?

Homemade "redneck" smoker. Basicaly it is a converted/salvaged gas grill carcas that I turned into an electric element smoker.

I am still looking for a few good briskets. That and I was just way to busy last weekend to put the effort in. With any luck I will give it a go on sunday.

[archerystud]

I usually shoot for a 11-12 hour cook time. The resting is good especially if you have an old cooler to use.

Wrapping in foil is the key. You need to cook it a long time to get it nice and tender. However, if you cook it too long uncovered it will dry out. I don't monitor the temp, I go by sight and just cover it when it is getting a nice bark on the top of the brisket.

Mop sauces are another option but even when I use them I foil it as well.

I will tell you that I had to do a few bad briskets before I got the technique down.

Good Luck!

[thirdeye]

Neighbor Guy,

What kind of pit temp can you get on your smoker? And what size brisket are you cooking (a flat, or a whole one)?

My thoughts are that 210° is a pretty low pit temp considering your finish temp will be somewhere above 195°. That's almost a 1:1 ratio (pit temp/finish temp) and it will take a long time to get there.

Foil finishes are good for tenderizing. However, the steaming will soften the bark a bit. i do a foil finish on all flats, and about 50% of the time when I cook a whole one.

Some folks inject them when raw, I like to inject later on in the cook. Injecting is an option for keeping them moist and flavorful as injections work from the inside out.

Judging final doneness is a combination of internal temperature and feel by probing. I put more trust in probing than I do in internal temps because all briskets are different, and you have to cook them tender. Sometimes this happens at 190°, or you might have to take them over 200°. An ice pick works fine, I avoid using a fork as it pokes more holes.

Plan on a long rest as the final part of your cook. I take the foiled brisket and put in in a cooler with a bunch of wadded up newspaper for insulation, and hold for several hours. They will still be extremely hot when removed for slicing. Oh, and wait until you are ready to plate before slicing, brisket can dry out quickly.

[Neighbor_guy]

I am planing on setting my t-stat at 225deg and figure I am looking at a 10-12 hour smoke/cook time plus an hour rest. I picked up a couple of "flats" a little more than 6lbs each. My plan is to half them and use a piece or two for Pastrami and smoke the rest on Sunday. Saturday will be the rub/marinade day.

Thanks for your help guys.