question about brisket on the wsm

[learning in kc]

hi guys.. i am still new looking for advice.. i have a new wsm. been doing brisket for years on a cheap smoker, where i have to finish it in the oven because the ups and down in temp are too much too handle.. the wsm held the temp all night long.. pulled it off at 180 internal.. and put in a cooler for easter.. obviously the hour and a half in the cooler was too much.. just fell apart.. which i was embarrassed. my family loved it.. but the bottom sixteenth of an inch was hard as a brick.. what did i do wrong.. any suggestions would help. should i flip a brisket half way through the cook?? never done it before..
thanks jay

[bigwheel]

Well you got to realize that "real" low and slow..mostly accompanied by a rapid air exchange and low moisture environment produces a pronounced drying effect. You turned the brisket into a mummy. Quit listening to dumb yankees giving advice on how to cook brisket. I bees glad to teach you how to cook brisket for free by email..only take twenty bucks to cover shipping and handling. Let me know by PM. Thanks.

bigwheel

[Larry Wolfe]

Originally Posted by learning in kc

hi guys.. i am still new looking for advice.. i have a new wsm. been doing brisket for years on a cheap smoker, where i have to finish it in the oven because the ups and down in temp are too much too handle.. the wsm held the temp all night long.. pulled it off at 180 internal.. and put in a cooler for easter.. obviously the hour and a half in the cooler was too much.. just fell apart.. which i was embarrassed. my family loved it.. but the bottom sixteenth of an inch was hard as a brick.. what did i do wrong.. any suggestions would help. should i flip a brisket half way through the cook?? never done it before..
thanks jay

Brisket doneness is not determined by temperature, temperature is a guide, 'done' is determined by tenderness. I have had briskets completely done at 180º like yours, so I know it's possible. My point is, you need to probe the meat and determine the amount of doneness before you let it rest in a cooler for several hours. If the probe goes into the meat like a hot knife through butter, you can't let it rest in a cooler or it will fall apart as yours did. If there is a slight bit of resistance, then you're good to go by letting it rest in a cooler for a long time.

Now, "the bottom sixteenth of an inch was hard as a brick..", this means it just dried out. I'm assuming by this that you did not foil during the cook, just when you put it into the cooler? How big was this brisket and how long did you cook it? It actually sounds like the long rest possibly saved your brisket even though it fell apart!

[learning in kc]

about a 11 1/2 lb.. i cooked it for almost 14 hrs. between 225 and 250. fat side up. and the water pan was filled with water. i know now to pull it off earlier for the long drives to my brothers.. but should i cook it fat down?? that doesn't sound right?

[learning in kc]

sorry , yeah, no foil..

[monty3777]

Originally Posted by bigwheel

Well you got to realize that "real" low and slow..mostly accompanied by a rapid air exchange and low moisture environment produces a pronounced drying effect. You turned the brisket into a mummy. Quit listening to dumb yankees giving advice on how to cook brisket. I bees glad to teach you how to cook brisket for free by email..only take twenty bucks to cover shipping and handling. Let me know by PM. Thanks.

bigwheel

Are you kidding??? Texas folk don't even inject their briskets. What would he be able to teach you????

[bigwheel]

Well aint sure how the non-injecting story got started. Back when we was comp cooking I always injected the snot out em. My favorite was FAB P mixed to specs with water reduced by the volume of one can of Pineapple juice. Started out with FAB B but it turn the brisket tan and sometimes leave pecker tracks if it aint allowed to set long enough. Now I don't mess with all that marlarky for backyard cooking..which is all we do nowadays. Might get cranked up again. Warden claims by next summer (not this summer) I am going to be retired. Hope she aint fibbing

bigwheel

[smokaholic]

Originally Posted by bigwheel

Well aint sure how the non-injecting story got started. Back when we was comp cooking I always injected the snot out em. My favorite was FAB P mixed to specs with water reduced by the volume of one can of Pineapple juice. Started out with FAB B but it turn the brisket tan and sometimes leave pecker tracks if it aint allowed to set long enough. Now I don't mess with all that marlarky for backyard cooking..which is all we do nowadays. Might get cranked up again. Warden claims by next summer (not this summer) I am going to be retired. Hope she aint fibbing

bigwheel

Alot of people are using fab b lite and even thin that out a bit either with water or apple juice. I havent tried the fab b lite yet but want to. Im sure this has been mentioned else where but eh oh well my .02

[bigwheel]

Great point on the B lite. Think I tried it and may even have some out in the camper. Who knows? I find kewlish stuff in there all the time Now I must confess to something. Once upon a time I did not have no FABS and I shot it up with Boston Market brand canned beef broth. Now aint seen it in the past few years but that was some very good stuff in case nobody bothered to try it but me. At any rate you could tic off the ingredient list and you would swear you was reading the same label on FAB B (maybe B Lite) at any rate it worked real similar to FAB. Turned it to a pleasing shade of tan..tightened up the grain into mo like steak and took a lot longer to finish in the foil. That is also a trait of the FABs in case aint nobody noticed. Swear I have had to bring some up to 210 in order to be able to stick a fork in the gravy.

bigwheel (sure enjoy chatting with all you nice folks by the way)