Brisket Cook
Brisket Cook Temp. The cook temp of your brisket will determine how tender it is. The USDA recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees for safe consumption.
After a few hours of cooking, you’ll see water begin to puddle on top of your brisket. This is called the “stall.”[1]
Smoked Brisket
Brisket is a cut of beef that needs to be cooked slow for it to dissolve a lot of collagen into gelatin for tenderness. This is different than other cuts of meat that break down more quickly and easily during long cooking periods.
Cooking brisket in a smoker is an excellent way to achieve that melt-in-your-mouth texture of tenderness. Because brisket is a large piece of meat, it can take a while to reach the ideal internal temperature.
To prevent over-cooking, use a smoked meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature of your brisket as it cooks. The internal temperature should be around 165- 170 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure that your meat is cooked thoroughly but not too dry or tough.
You should also try to maintain the temperature of your smoker during the cook process. Electric and gas smokers are fantastic for regulating consistent temperatures, but traditional smoking methods like barrel and pit smokers tend to have more variance in cooking times.[2]
The best way to monitor the temperature of your brisket is by inserting a thermometer probe into the fat seam between the point and flat portions. This will allow you to monitor the temp of your brisket without having to open the lid of the smoker every time you want to check the temperature.
When your brisket reaches the desired temperature, remove it from the smoker and let it rest for about 20 minutes to help the natural juices seep into the meat. After that, thinly slice the brisket and serve it along with your favorite sides.[3]
THE TEXAS CRUTCH
Most brisket recipes suggest cooking the meat at around 250 degrees Fahrenheit (121 Celsius) for five hours. Chefs should use a thermometer to take frequent readings from the grill and adjust the heat if necessary.
Cooking brisket at low and slow temperatures helps to break down more collagen, which makes the meat more tender. It also allows the brisket to cook longer, which results in a more moist and flavorful final product.
In Texas barbecue, a method of cooking that combines these methods is called the “Texas CRUTCH.” Most chefs wrap brisket in foil, which prevents them from penetrating too much smoke into the meat and helps preserve the brisket’s moisture.[4]
The Texas CRUTCH is often used in combination with the “slow and low” technique. During the first few hours of cooking, the meat should be cooked at a high temperature to develop a strong crust, but the meat should then be reduced in temperature until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit (68 Celsius) or more.
Once the meat reaches 170 degrees, it should be wrapped in foil and placed in the smoker or oven at about 250 degrees for a few more hours to develop a rich, flavorful crust. This is an excellent way to cook a large brisket.
When the brisket is fully cooked, it should be removed from the smoker or oven and wrapped in butcher paper to retain its moisture. Some chefs even put a cup of beef stock into the paper before sealing it. However, wrapping brisket in butcher paper may affect its texture and flavor in some ways, so it’s best to experiment with this technique before cooking your own brisket.[5]
LOW AND SLOW
Brisket is a tougher cut of beef, which means that it requires to be slow cooked for a longer period of time to break down its connective tissues. As a result, the meat is often more moist and tender than other types of BBQ meat such as ribs or pork butt.
To ensure a tender and juicy finish, the brisket should be slowly cooked to an internal temperature of between 195 – 205 degrees. The fats start to melt and the collagen starts to break down around this temperature, which will make the meat tender.[6]
It can take as little as 1 hour to cook a brisket in the oven at this heat. However, it is best to use a thermometer to check the internal temperature before taking it out of the oven so that you can ensure that it is cooked through.
The best way to determine doneness is to use a meat thermometer, but it can also be tested by feeling the texture of the brisket and checking its color. The colour should be a light red to dark orange, which indicates that the meat is done.
Once the brisket reaches this final cooking stage, remove it from the barbecue and wrap in foil. Give it a few minutes to reheat on the counter, then transfer it to an oven tray and pour any cooking juices over the top. This should help to prevent the meat from drying out too much after reheating in the oven.[7]
KEEP THE COOKER HUMID
If you’re a professional BBQ chef, like Aaron Franklin of Franklin BBQ in Austin, Texas, you know that keeping your brisket moist is one of the most important aspects of the cooking process. In order to maintain moisture and tenderness, you need to let your meat rest for a long time after it’s cooked.
Pros wrap their brisket in aluminum foil or pink butcher paper, and then place it in an empty cooler for a few hours before serving to customers. This gives the brisket more time to retain its moisture, as well as improve its texture and tenderness.[8]
Aside from wrapping, you can also increase your brisket’s cook temp by placing some lava rocks in the cooker. Lava rocks are porous and help keep the air in the smoker’s chamber humid, which will reduce evaporation and make your brisket tender.
You should also monitor your brisket’s cook temp with a probe thermometer to ensure that it’s reached at least 160degF. This is the temperature that will trigger a “stall.”
The stall is when water begins to drip from the brisket’s internal fat. When this happens, the brisket’s temperature will stall and won’t rise until the water has evaporated. This stall can take up to 4-6 hours, so it’s best to wrap the meat as soon as it reaches this temperature. This way, you’ll be able to tenderize it and power it through the stall.[9]
WHEN TO WRAP
If you’re going to wrap your brisket, it should be done well before the cook temp has reached 160degF (71degC). The reason is because the meat will begin to sweat at that point and this will cause the proteins inside to constrict and squeeze out their inner water reserves. This process will stop the brisket from cooking further for a long time.
The best way to determine whether your brisket is ready for wrapping or not is by using a meat thermometer. You can find an inexpensive one at the grocery store or online.[10]
Once the brisket reaches 160degF, you’ll need to remove it and wrap it up in foil. This will slow down the cooking process and keep the brisket tender and juicy.
However, this method can also create an overly moist environment that threatens the bark. So, if you’re using this technique, be sure to check on it every couple of hours and take it out for resting.
Another option is to use butcher paper instead of foil. Unlike foil, butcher paper is more breathable so it can trap less steam. It’s also a good idea to put cold tallow under the brisket before wrapping it to keep it moist.
The final step is to hold the brisket for two to four hours. This will give the meat time to reabsorb all of its juices and soften up its bark.[11]
TO TRIM OR NOT TO TRIM?
Whether or not you trim your brisket can make a big difference in the cook temp. Generally, you want to trim excess fat off of the brisket before you cook it in order to keep it from falling apart during the smoker.
Once you’ve removed the excess fat, you should see the brisket’s surface looking thin and smooth. Using the flat side of your knife, carefully work down from the edge of the hump fat all the way to the point side.[12]
This can be a challenging part of the trimming process as you’re going to be working with two different types of meat: the fatty surface of the brisket and the meat itself. The goal is to split the brisket into the flat and the point, which takes some practice with a sharp knife.
Next, you’re going to need a deep cut into the meat that will remove the deckle fat and silverskin. Once you’ve got all that removed, you’ll see that there is a natural seam where the point and flat meet.
Finally, you’re going to need to use the same deep cuts to remove another hunk of fat that sits between the point and flat. This will be easier to do on the other side of the brisket because there is already a natural seam there.
The question of whether or not to trim your brisket can be difficult, especially when it comes to the debate between dry trimming and wet trimming. Both methods have their pros and cons, and it is best to consider all the options before deciding which one is better for you.[13]
Using a Pellet Smoker to Smoke a Brisket
A brisket is a large cut of meat that takes a long time to cook. Using a low and slow technique to cook a brisket will help break down the collagen within the meat, which will make it tender.
The ideal brisket cook temperature is between 180 and 190 degrees. A brisket that is overcooked will become dry and tough.[14]
DRY RUB
The best way to get a tender, melt in your mouth brisket is to smoke it at low heat for an extended period of time in the 225 degrees Farhenheit to 275 range. That low heat allows the tough connective tissue in brisket to slowly melt and convert into gelatin.
This process takes a long time, and in the middle of it there’s a period when the meat temperature will stop rising. This is called a “stall” and is normal, especially if you’ve been smoking your brisket for a while.[15]
To help get through the stall you can inject the brisket with water or beef broth, which will help the rub stick to the surface of the meat. However, I recommend that you do not wrap the brisket during this period because it can slow down the cook and make your brisket less tasty.
To prepare your brisket for cooking, first trim away the excess fat. This is a tough task that can be difficult to do properly, so wear food-safe nitrile gloves for extra protection. Once the fat is removed, pat the brisket dry with a paper towel.
FIRE UP YOUR SMOKER
When cooking brisket on a pellet smoker, it’s important to make sure the cook is consistent throughout. For this reason, I recommend doing a dry trial run before loading the smoker with meat.
For a dry trial run, simply place some wood chunks on the fire and leave it alone for a few hours to get the smoker up to temperature and the smoke to build up. This will also help you figure out how long the smoker takes to warm up, how much fuel you’ll need to keep it at a steady temp and how well your vents work.[16]
After three hours, open your smoker and check on the brisket; it should have a consistent bark and be a nice mahogany hue. You can spritz it with apple cider vinegar every two hours to maintain the temperature and ensure the meat stays moist during the entire cook.
When the brisket’s internal temperature is about 165 degrees, remove it from the smoker and wrap it in butcher paper. Return it to the smoker and continue smoking until it’s reached a final internal temperature of 200-205 degrees, at which point it’s ready for the finisher’s cut. It should be tender, floppy and easy to slice against the grain into 1/4″ thick slices.
PLACE THE PROBES
When you’re cooking brisket, it’s important to keep an eye on its internal temperature. This is a vital part of the process, and it’s one of the best ways to tell if your meat is cooked or needs more time.
Temp probes are an excellent way to check the brisket’s internal temperature. They are available in analog and digital versions, which give you instant readings so that you can make sure your meat is cooked to perfection.
The most accurate probes are inserted into the thickest part of the flat, horizontally and across the grain. This way, you’ll get an accurate reading on the whole brisket and not just parts of it that may be warmer or cooler than others.[17]
However, some pitmasters prefer to place their probes in the point instead of the flat. This is because the point gets done much faster than the flat, and it’s also a fattier area of the brisket.
It’s also important to insert your probe in a safe and secure location. Avoid touching bone, which can lead to inaccurate readings. Similarly, don’t put the probe in a hot oven or grill. It can damage your thermometer if it comes into contact with direct heat.
SET THE ALARMS
When it comes to a good brisket, it is important to keep a close eye on the cook temp. If you don’t, you may warp your brisket and lose some flavor.
The best way to ensure a perfectly cooked brisket is by using a smart thermometer. This eliminates the guesswork of knowing when to wrap the brisket and when it is done.
If you don’t have a meat thermometer, there are still many ways to check the temperature of your brisket. One of the most popular methods is to pick up a slice of meat and bend it over both sides of your hand. If it bends over both sides without breaking, it is tender.
Another test is to push down on the thickest part of the brisket with your probe and see how it feels. It should slide in easily. If it feels like a hard poke with your probe, it is not done.[18]
Once the brisket is done, remove it from the smoker and wrap it in butcher paper. This will allow it to cool off and help prevent warping the brisket. It is also a good idea to let the meat rest at room temperature for at least an hour before slicing.
LACE BRISKET IN THE SMOKER
The brisket is the meat of choice for most aficionados of all things beefy. While a trip to the butcher is a must for those in the know, there are plenty of home cooks with enough patience to pull off a well-executed braised beast of a hulk. As with anything smoked in the great outdoors, a little patience and planning goes a long way.
To avoid a soggy bottom o’ the north, start with a quality rub and top it off with a generous helping of liquid smoke. While the best results are achieved by smoking over a low heat, using a higher temp will give your meat that much-needed moisture boost. It also helps if you have a large smoker, so that the whole brisket gets a decent amount of airflow.[19]
WRAP IT
Wrapping your brisket is important to ensure that it cooks evenly and that it doesn’t develop an uneven bark. It also insulates the meat from the heat of the smoker, so it can maintain a more consistent internal temperature while cooking.
One of the most popular ways to wrap your brisket is with aluminum foil. Using this method, all you have to do is measure out two arm-length pieces of foil and wrap the brisket in it.
Another option is to use parchment paper. Parchment paper is a moisture-resistant paper that’s used to wrap vegetables, sandwiches, and other types of food.[20]
Parchment paper allows a little more smoke to get through the brisket, so it’s a good choice if you’re looking for a stronger, smokier flavor than with the other methods. However, it takes a bit longer to cook with this method than with foil.
Some pitmasters prefer to skip the wrapping step, while others will include it in their process. Aaron Franklin of the legendary Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas, uses butcher paper as a step between foil and no wrapping because it still lets the meat “breathe” (140). It doesn’t cut down on cooking time quite as much as foil, but it does allow the meat to be a bit more moist than without.[21]
CARVING YOUR BRISKET
Once your brisket has reached an internal temperature of around 200-205 degrees, it’s time to carve it up. This is a process that takes a bit of practice to master, but once you get the hang of it, it’s easy and fast.
Before carving, it’s important to remove the excess fat from the brisket, leaving only about 1/4 inch of it on the surface so that the flavor can hold up during the smoking process. You can trim off this excess fat yourself, or ask your butcher to do it for you.[22]
Another important aspect of this part of the process is to separate the point and flat muscles. The point is the fattier part of the brisket, and it needs to be cooked at a higher temp than the flat. This is so that the point is tender and doesn’t become chewy during the resting stage.
Once the brisket has reached a desired internal temp, pierce the meat with a digital thermometer in multiple spots. If the probe slides in and out with little resistance, you’re good to go.
