First Brisket

Good luck on your first brisket.-it'll be worth the wait! The plateau happens between 160 and 165. I actually have had the temp drop back a few degrees from there.

While you are waiting for that first brisket to cook, you could do what I did when I did mine. Do a search here for brisket or plateau. There is a lot of valuable info. I was glad I did. Otherwise, I would have been spooked when the meat temperature started going the wrong way while my cooking temp stayed the same.

Post some pics.

Jim

Let us know how it goes...pictures please.

Wishing you great luck with your first!

good luck. what kind or rub did you use?

Q Addict,

Good luck and enjoy. Man as hot as it is here in the Mid Atlantic, I don't think I am going to building a fire today at all.

Addict, Brisket & ribs. Great pictures.

It seems two of ya'll have cooked briskets to 195* today and reported it to be not as tender as you'd like. Did you get a good feel for how the temperature probe felt as you placed it in the meat or removed it. How easily the probe glides is an indication of it's tenderness. Some briskets are tender before 195* but some may need to cook a little longer.

I may have to slip to the kitchen for something to nibble on now.

looks tasty. great job!

You shouldn't be making me this hungry, this early, while I'm having my first cuppa coffee.

Thanks for sharing!

Longmill

That is one great looking spread! Nice smoke ring on the brisket. You sure ate well yesterday. I'm amazed how much food fit in one of those CG's.

I have an embarassing story about my first brisket not being as tender as I hoped.It was 5lb and rather squarish shape. I was so eager for the brisket to finish up I could barely wait for it to hit 195. I cut some slices and sat down to eat. I wasn't at all happy with the tenderness. My wife likes the end pieces so I cut a piece for her on each end. A few minutes later my wife came back from the kitchen with a "3rd end"-she'd turned the meat 90 degrees and cut off a side.. I was about to gently scold her and tell her about grain direction. When I looked at her new piece, I realized i'd cut the meat wrong. Sure enough when I cut a piece next to the one she'd just done, it was as tender as I'd expected. In woodworking they say measure twice cut once-there's something to that.

Jim

jfm0830 wrote:

That is one great looking spread! Nice smoke ring on the brisket. You sure ate well yesterday. I'm amazed how much food fit in one of those CG's.

I have an embarassing story about my first brisket not being as tender as I hoped.It was 5lb and rather squarish shape. I was so eager for the brisket to finish up I could barely wait for it to hit 195. I cut some slices and sat down to eat. I wasn't at all happy with the tenderness. My wife likes the end pieces so I cut a piece for her on each end. A few minutes later my wife came back from the kitchen with a "3rd end"-she'd turned the meat 90 degrees and cut off a side.. I was about to gently scold her and tell her about grain direction. When I looked at her new piece, I realized i'd cut the meat wrong. Sure enough when I cut a piece next to the one she'd just done, it was as tender as I'd expected. In woodworking they say measure twice cut once-there's something to that.

Jim

Paul Kirk in one of his books (can't recall which one) talks about making an orientation mark on the brisket before you rub or cook it to give you a reference point for the grain once it's done. Now there is a helpful hint! I know myself that after the meat comes off the smoker you can't tell which way the grain is running just by looking at it.

He mentions it in "Championship Barbecue"...I was going to post the same thing but you beat me to it.

Brad

Sometimes it's hard to get those smaller briskies to turn out tender unless you foil 'em or stick 'em in a foil pan. The big guys are much easier to cook right.