Smoking a Brisket

[JustChip]

Longtime griller, but fairly new to smoking. I just did my 3rd brisket using a MasterBuilt Electric Smoker. It turned out fine, better than fine, actually, as did the previous one. That said, there’s something that’s perplexing me and looking for some input.

I started with s 13.5 # puppy and separated the flat and point. I didn’t do any injection, just a rub of course salt, pepper and smoked paprika. My wife and I like “wetter” brisket so I trimmed minimal fat, mainly just the hard fat.

The smoker was set for 225 and both pieces were put in unwrapped at 8:30 a.m. fat side up. I used a CloudBBQ with separate probes for each.

Both pieces hit the stall at 158. I took them off, wrapped in pink butcher paper, and put back in. I didn’t note the time, but after some time, the meat pushed through the stall and the internal started rising again. But this is where the issue comes.

I expected the total cooking time to be around 16 hours to get to 195 F. But both pieces were only 187 F after 20 hours and had only raised 2 degrees the last 3 hours. Basically, they had plateaued at 17 hours nowhere near the 195 to 205 most say the final internal temp should be. I started worrying the meat was being overcooked so I took it off. And, like I said at the top, it was very good.

So, my issue is why did they seemingly stop cooking prior to the normal target temp? Maybe something about the cut of meat?

 

[Tabascocat]

The stall can last several hours, I’ve seen it hit six or seven. Did you use a water pan and spritz the meat often? The higher humidity pushes the brisket through the stall faster.

FWIW, I don’t wrap until it pushes through the stall. I like the extra bark it produces.

 

[Rockport]

Could be your temperature gauge. I put a probe a couple inches from the meat. Also using a water pan is a good idea but never spritz. As soon as you open the lid you lose the temperature and it's up and down from there.

 

[NorthoftheRedRiver]

Brisket is hard.

 

[JustChip]

The stall can last several hours, I’ve seen it hit six or seven. Did you use a water pan and spritz the meat often? The higher humidity pushes the brisket through the stall faster.

FWIW, I don’t wrap until it pushes through the stall. I like the extra bark it produces.

I did use a water pan with a 50/50 mixture of apple cider vinegar. I didn’t spritz, mainly because it was wrapped after it hit the stall & I didn’t want to unwrap.

I thought the idea of wrapping was to get it through the stall quicker as well as maintain moisture. But you’re right, the 2 briskets I’ve wrapped had minimal bark. The didn’t wrap the very first one and it had good bark, but the flat was dry. I also didn’t separate the flat and point so that’s probably partly why the flat was dry.

 

[JustChip]

Could be your temperature gauge. I put a probe a couple inches from the meat. Also using a water pan is a good idea but never spritz. As soon as you open the lid you lose the temperature and it's up and down from there.

I thought about the gauge being off so I checked it also with a instant read ThermoPen I use for grilling. It checked within 2 degrees of the CloudBBQ probes so I’m pretty confident the temp probes were ok.

The only time I opened the door was to take out & wrap. They lost about 7 degrees of temp just in the time it took me to wrap & put back in.

I might’ve just been impatient and should’ve left it on until it hit 195. But I didn’t want it over cooked. They turned out very good, it’s just the temp plateauing and taking way longer than I expected bothers me.

 

[JustChip]

Brisket is hard.

I’m learning that. I’ve done a couple of pork butts and they’re relatively easy. I also did a pork belly and it turned out outstanding. As did a spatchcock pheasant.

 

[Rockport]

I thought about the gauge being off so I checked it also with a instant read ThermoPen I use for grilling. It checked within 2 degrees of the CloudBBQ probes so I’m pretty confident the temp probes were ok.

The only time I opened the door was to take out & wrap. They lost about 7 degrees of temp just in the time it took me to wrap & put back in.

I might’ve just been impatient and should’ve left it on until it hit 195. But I didn’t want it over cooked. They turned out very good, it’s just the temp plateauing and taking way longer than I expected bothers me.

Cooking a really fabulous brisket just takes practice. There are so many variables the smoker being the biggest. Just have to get use to it's intricacies. Weather, the wood, the brisket all play a part as you well know. The fun part is practicing over and over again. I love it too.

 

[JustChip]

The stall can last several hours, I’ve seen it hit six or seven. Did you use a water pan and spritz the meat often? The higher humidity pushes the brisket through the stall faster.

FWIW, I don’t wrap until it pushes through the stall. I like the extra bark it produces.

I think I’ll do what you do next time; wrap it after the stall. I’m also going to geek out and plot time & temp for the whole duration.

 

[Tabascocat]

I think I’ll do what you do next time; wrap it after the stall. I’m also going to geek out and plot time & temp for the whole duration.

Wrapping when stalled does help the brisket get through it faster but I don’t notice a huge difference. I am patient and prefer more bark

 

[CouchCoach]

You might try what Aaron Frankin and John Mueller brought to the party on brisket and cook at a higher temp. They've shot the 225 to hell and go to 275-300 and the last time I was at Mueller's, he was finishing his at 350. They do not let it take over 12 hours and all Frankin uses his Dalmation rub, 50/50 salt and pepper. He also trims his briskets closer than what was the norm for years. Fat is like smoke and once it gives up what it has to give, it's done. The closer trimmed brisket soaks up more of the smoke because the texture of the meat is more absorbent than the fat. But after 3 hours, the smoke is a waste and can make the meat taste ashy.

If you are going to separate the point and the flat before cooking, try trimming the flat closer and wrap it in bacon and put it in a rectangular pan. I saw Steve Raichlen do this and tried it and it's really good; however, need to pull the bacon and let it form a bark the last couple of hours or just use it for sandwiches. Or run it under a broiler as I did and it was really good.

Chip, I like it that you admitted to using an electric smoker. Most men aren't comfortable enough in their caveman masculinity to admit that. I'm kidding, I've used a gas one for years. I had one of those hardwood offset time gluttons and used it twice and gave it to my nephew and he hasn't forgiven me yet.

 

[JustChip]

You might try what Aaron Frankin and John Mueller brought to the party on brisket and cook at a higher temp. They've shot the 225 to hell and go to 275-300 and the last time I was at Mueller's, he was finishing his at 350. They do not let it take over 12 hours and all Frankin uses his Dalmation rub, 50/50 salt and pepper. He also trims his briskets closer than what was the norm for years. Fat is like smoke and once it gives up what it has to give, it's done. The closer trimmed brisket soaks up more of the smoke because the texture of the meat is more absorbent than the fat. But after 3 hours, the smoke is a waste and can make the meat taste ashy.

If you are going to separate the point and the flat before cooking, try trimming the flat closer and wrap it in bacon and put it in a rectangular pan. I saw Steve Raichlen do this and tried it and it's really good; however, need to pull the bacon and let it form a bark the last couple of hours or just use it for sandwiches. Or run it under a broiler as I did and it was really good.

Chip, I like it that you admitted to using an electric smoker. Most men aren't comfortable enough in their caveman masculinity to admit that. I'm kidding, I've used a gas one for years. I had one of those hardwood offset time gluttons and used it twice and gave it to my nephew and he hasn't forgiven me yet.

Interesting about Franklin’s and Mueller. We hit Franklin every time we’re in Austin. Just recently hit Heim’s in Ft. Worth and it’s up there with Franklin’s.

I knew that about the smoke and 3 hours. I don’t add wood chips after then and the smoke, but there’s still smoke from the “seasoning” of the box. That was a lesson from my first attempt at smoking. I’m a clean freak and spent hours getting that Masterbuilt back to look virtually new.

I didn’t know about the fat and smoke saturation. Thank you for ghat tidbit.

I considered running under s broiler yo get some bark, as well as hit it with my propane torch. But was afraid I’d do more harm than good.

 

[shabazz]

You might try what Aaron Frankin and John Mueller brought to the party on brisket and cook at a higher temp. They've shot the 225 to hell and go to 275-300 and the last time I was at Mueller's, he was finishing his at 350. They do not let it take over 12 hours and all Frankin uses his Dalmation rub, 50/50 salt and pepper. He also trims his briskets closer than what was the norm for years. Fat is like smoke and once it gives up what it has to give, it's done. The closer trimmed brisket soaks up more of the smoke because the texture of the meat is more absorbent than the fat. But after 3 hours, the smoke is a waste and can make the meat taste ashy.

If you are going to separate the point and the flat before cooking, try trimming the flat closer and wrap it in bacon and put it in a rectangular pan. I saw Steve Raichlen do this and tried it and it's really good; however, need to pull the bacon and let it form a bark the last couple of hours or just use it for sandwiches. Or run it under a broiler as I did and it was really good.

Chip, I like it that you admitted to using an electric smoker. Most men aren't comfortable enough in their caveman masculinity to admit that. I'm kidding, I've used a gas one for years. I had one of those hardwood offset time gluttons and used it twice and gave it to my nephew and he hasn't forgiven me yet.

Just a flat out great explanation of the processes. I have never been more frustrated at cooking anything in the world like I am with Brisket. I made the mistake of recognizing that Franklins is the blue chip standard of brisket and anything else less is failure

I used a home made 5 drawer file cabinet as my smoker for many years until upgrading to the Masterbuilt vertical propane/charcoal smoker.......I know it’s narrow minded but I view electric and pellet smokers the same as a Chef using a crock pot.....I just can’t do it....I already feel like using the propane is already enough to allow me to browse in the Tampax aisle....

 

[Denim Chicken]

.I already feel like using the propane is already enough to allow me to browse in the Tampax aisle

 

[speedkilz88]

There is a guy on YouTube who believes Franklin wraps with extra rendered fat for more moisture. He's also tried wagyu rendered fat and claims it takes it up another notch.

 

[Duane]

I really like this guy's channel:

https://www.youtube.com/c/SmokinJoesPitBBQ

 

[Hardline]

You aren't going to get a great brisket until you use real wood on a real smoker.