ok, probably going to restart some big argument here, but what internal temp
should I shoot for when smoking brisket. I will cook at about 250 degrees
for as long as it takes (12-14 hours I think was my last one). My first I
went to 160 internal, but that seemed a bit tough. My notes are not clear on
the next attempt, but I recall wanting to go to a higher internal temp, and
the result was better. I use a dry rub, and none of this wrapping or
putting into an oven or thermos stuff.

thanks.

Gil Faver wrote:
> ok, probably going to restart some big argument here, but what internal temp
> should I shoot for when smoking brisket. I will cook at about 250 degrees
> for as long as it takes (12-14 hours I think was my last one). My first I
> went to 160 internal, but that seemed a bit tough. My notes are not clear on
> the next attempt, but I recall wanting to go to a higher internal temp, and
> the result was better. I use a dry rub, and none of this wrapping or
> putting into an oven or thermos stuff.

I am of the opinion that it's done when it's done, as measured by the resistance
to probe insertion, not the reading on the thermometer. When it glides right in
it's done, period.

Next time, though, I'm going to try foiling just the tip of the flat, which
tends to dry out.

GWE

"Gil Faver" > wrote in message
...
> ok, probably going to restart some big argument here, but what internal
> temp should I shoot for when smoking brisket. I will cook at about 250
> degrees for as long as it takes (12-14 hours I think was my last one). My
> first I went to 160 internal, but that seemed a bit tough. My notes are
> not clear on the next attempt, but I recall wanting to go to a higher
> internal temp, and the result was better. I use a dry rub, and none of
> this wrapping or putting into an oven or thermos stuff.
>
> thanks.
>

Between 190° and 200°
--
James A. "Big Jim" Whitten

On Apr 8, 4:25*pm, "Big Jim" > wrote:
> "Gil Faver" > wrote in message
>> *I use a dry rub, and none of
> > this wrapping or putting into an oven or thermos stuff.

Good for you! I personally never even heard of foiling anything
except vegetables until I started reading about barbecue a few years
ago. If I want meat braised or steamed I usually put it in the oven
like a roast.

> * Between 190 and 200

Always my target point!

I try to pull at 195, it will creep up 5,6,7 degrees, then start to
slowly cool. It takes me about thirty to forty minutes to get out all
the sides and round up the eaters, get fresh beverages, etc. That
seems to be about the right amount of cooling time every time.

Robert

On 8-Apr-2009, " > wrote:

> On Apr 8, 4:25*pm, "Big Jim" > wrote:
> > "Gil Faver" > wrote in message
> >> *I use a dry rub, and none of
> > > this wrapping or putting into an oven or thermos stuff.
>
> Good for you! I personally never even heard of foiling anything
> except vegetables until I started reading about barbecue a few years
> ago. If I want meat braised or steamed I usually put it in the oven
> like a roast.
>
> > * Between 190 and 200
>
> Always my target point!
>
> I try to pull at 195, it will creep up 5,6,7 degrees, then start to
> slowly cool. It takes me about thirty to forty minutes to get out all
> the sides and round up the eaters, get fresh beverages, etc. That
> seems to be about the right amount of cooling time every time.
>
> Robert

Dang me, I got off track somehow. Agreed about 190 to 200°F. I
got to thinking about smoking corned beef to make pastrami. Haven't
done that. Are the same numbers appropriate?

--
Brick WA7ERO (Youth is wasted on young people)

"Brick" > wrote in message
>
> Dang me, I got off track somehow. Agreed about 190 to 200°F. I
> got to thinking about smoking corned beef to make pastrami. Haven't
> done that. Are the same numbers appropriate?

Yep, works for me. If you have a real deli slicer and can near shave the
meat you can go less.

"Brick" > wrote in message
...
>
> On 8-Apr-2009, " > wrote:
>
>> On Apr 8, 4:25 pm, "Big Jim" > wrote:
>> > "Gil Faver" > wrote in message
>> >> I use a dry rub, and none of
>> > > this wrapping or putting into an oven or thermos stuff.
>>
>> Good for you! I personally never even heard of foiling anything
>> except vegetables until I started reading about barbecue a few years
>> ago. If I want meat braised or steamed I usually put it in the oven
>> like a roast.
>>
>> > Between 190 and 200
>>
>> Always my target point!
>>
>> I try to pull at 195, it will creep up 5,6,7 degrees, then start to
>> slowly cool. It takes me about thirty to forty minutes to get out all
>> the sides and round up the eaters, get fresh beverages, etc. That
>> seems to be about the right amount of cooling time every time.
>>
>> Robert
>
> Dang me, I got off track somehow. Agreed about 190 to 200°F. I
> got to thinking about smoking corned beef to make pastrami. Haven't
> done that. Are the same numbers appropriate?
>
> --
> Brick WA7ERO (Youth is wasted on young people)

Unless you want pulled Pastrami there is no need to bring pastrami up to
those temps.

Correct me if I'm wrong but, IIRC 160 should be good

Gil Faver wrote:
>
> ok, probably going to restart some big argument here, but what internal temp
> should I shoot for when smoking brisket. I will cook at about 250 degrees
> for as long as it takes (12-14 hours I think was my last one). My first I
> went to 160 internal, but that seemed a bit tough. My notes are not clear on
> the next attempt, but I recall wanting to go to a higher internal temp, and
> the result was better. I use a dry rub, and none of this wrapping or
> putting into an oven or thermos stuff.
>
> thanks.

It's generally done when the internal temp climbs past 190. It tends to
hold at 190 for some time while the collagen breaks down, once it climbs
again it should be done.

Gil Faver > wrote:

> ok, probably going to restart some big argument here, but what internal temp
> should I shoot for when smoking brisket.

268-270 in the flat, 285-290 in the point. **** whatever
everybody else says!

-sw

Sqwertz wrote:
> Gil Faver > wrote:
>
>> ok, probably going to restart some big argument here, but what internal temp
>> should I shoot for when smoking brisket.
>
> 268-270 in the flat, 285-290 in the point. **** whatever
> everybody else says!

I should have noted that I only cook one piece at a time Point + flat
part underneath it, or just the flat.

-sw

On Apr 9, 7:32*am, Sqwertz > wrote:
> Sqwertz wrote:
> > Gil Faver > wrote:
>
> >> ok, probably going to restart some big argument here, but what internal temp
> >> should I shoot for when smoking brisket.
>
> > 268-270 in the flat, 285-290 in the point. ***** whatever
> > everybody else says!
>
> I should have noted that I only cook one piece at a time *Point + flat
> part underneath it, or just the flat.
>
> -sw

Is that mainly because of the size of your cooker, or because they
cook at different rates?

Wonder how common is it to cook them separately?

Duwop wrote:
> On Apr 9, 7:32 am, Sqwertz > wrote:
>> Sqwertz wrote:
>>> Gil Faver > wrote:
>>>> ok, probably going to restart some big argument here, but what internal temp
>>>> should I shoot for when smoking brisket.
>>> 268-270 in the flat, 285-290 in the point. **** whatever
>>> everybody else says!
>> I should have noted that I only cook one piece at a time Point + flat
>> part underneath it, or just the flat.
>>
>> -sw
>
> Is that mainly because of the size of your cooker, or because they
> cook at different rates?
>
> Wonder how common is it to cook them separately?

Both. I've done both pieces at the same time on the ECB. The point goes
on the top rack, flat on bottom rack. Point cooks hotter and drips on
flat. It works out well. Sometimes I'll just do the point and make
hamburger out of large flat portion.

-sw

-zsw

On 11-Apr-2009, "Nunya Bidnits" > wrote:

> In
> ,
> Duwop > typed:
> > On Apr 9, 7:32 am, Sqwertz > wrote:
> >> Sqwertz wrote:
> >>> Gil Faver > wrote:
> >>
> >>>> ok, probably going to restart some big argument here, but what
> >>>> internal temp should I shoot for when smoking brisket.
> >>
> >>> 268-270 in the flat, 285-290 in the point. **** whatever
> >>> everybody else says!
> >>
> >> I should have noted that I only cook one piece at a time Point + flat
> >> part underneath it, or just the flat.
> >>
> >> -sw
> >
> > Is that mainly because of the size of your cooker, or because they
> > cook at different rates?
> >
> > Wonder how common is it to cook them separately?
>
> It's not that uncommon.
>
> There's more fat and collagen in the point so it takes longer to render
> it
> out. If you let the point cook yet a little longer after it's rendered at
> a
> higher temp to crisp it up on the outside and then cube it up you have
> classic burnt ends. Not too high, not too long, you'll know when it's
> right.
>
> MartyB in KC

Just a small adlib here. If you happen to be cooking with an offset
smoker like I am, then you can place the point end closer to the
firebox where it's hotter and you don't really have to separate the
point from the flat. I generally utilize the attributes of my offset
and cook briskets whole. I peek after about two hours into the
cook and adjust the position of the meat "if necessary". Maybe
a "Newbie" should cook them separately to stay on the safe
side. After six years, I pretty much know what my pit is going to
do.
--
Brick WA7ERO (Youth is wasted on young people)

On Apr 11, 5:01*pm, "Brick" > wrote:
> On 11-Apr-2009, "Nunya Bidnits" > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > In
> ,
> > Duwop > typed:
> > > On Apr 9, 7:32 am, Sqwertz > wrote:
> > >> Sqwertz wrote:
> > >>> Gil Faver > wrote:
>
> > >>>> ok, probably going to restart some big argument here, but what
> > >>>> internal temp should I shoot for when smoking brisket.
>
> > >>> 268-270 in the flat, 285-290 in the point. **** whatever
> > >>> everybody else says!
>
> > >> I should have noted that I only cook one piece at a time Point + flat
> > >> part underneath it, or just the flat.
>
> > >> -sw
>
> > > Is that mainly because of the size of your cooker, or because they
> > > cook at different rates?
>
> > > Wonder how common is it to cook them separately?
>
> > It's not that uncommon.
>
> > There's more fat and collagen in the point so it takes longer to render
> > it
> > out. If you let the point cook yet a little longer after it's rendered at
> > a
> > higher temp to crisp it up on the outside and then cube it up you have
> > classic burnt ends. Not too high, not too long, you'll know when it's
> > right.
>
> > MartyB in KC
>
> Just a small adlib here. If you happen to be cooking with an offset
> smoker like I am, then you can place the point end closer to the
> firebox where it's hotter and you don't really have to separate the
> point from the flat. I generally utilize the attributes of my offset
> and cook briskets whole. I peek after about two hours into the
> cook and adjust the position of the meat "if necessary". Maybe
> a "Newbie" should cook them separately to stay on the safe
> side. After six years, I pretty much know what my pit is going to
> do.
> --
> Brick WA7ERO (Youth is wasted on young people)- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Ahh, thanks to both of youse. SWMBO was in Texas last year and got a
taste for Brisket, go figger eh? So gonna try one again. This is a
very good tip as I've found a good source for a whole brisket locally.

On Apr 12, 12:06*pm, "Nunya Bidnits" > wrote:

> It's amazing how often I hear people referring to all sorts of other meat
> from other places as burnt ends, as if it refers to the edge of any meat
> that stayed too close to the heat for too long.

Burns your butt doesn't it?

" Sometimes if the flat seems ready I pull off the brisket and let it rest a
bit, then separate the point, (and maybe baste with Lea and Perrins and
melted butter and juice runoff from the brisket) and put it back in for a
while."

Unnecessary. Wet mopping or basting a brisket is criminal IMHO.

Use a good dry rub and keep the temp twixt 260-275 and you are golden.
Unless you are using something other than an offset smoker.

If so, why even bother with BBQ?

My two cents.

Da b


On 4/12/09 3:06 PM, in article ,
"Nunya Bidnits" > wrote:

>
> Sometimes if the flat seems ready I pull off the brisket and let it rest a
> bit, then separate the point, (and maybe baste with Lea and Perrins and
> melted butter and juice runoff from the brisket) and put it back in for a
> while.

On Apr 8, 5:58*pm, Sqwertz > wrote:
> Gil Faver > wrote:
> > ok, probably going to restart some big argument here, but what internal temp
> > should I shoot for when smoking brisket.
>
> 268-270 in the flat, 285-290 in the point. ***** whatever
> everybody else says!
>
> -sw

Don't you mean 168-170 / 185 - 190 ?

Aloha,

Nate Lau
San Jose, CA

#include <std.disclaimer>

Nate Lau wrote:
> On Apr 8, 5:58 pm, Sqwertz > wrote:
>> Gil Faver > wrote:
>>> ok, probably going to restart some big argument here, but what internal temp
>>> should I shoot for when smoking brisket.
>> 268-270 in the flat, 285-290 in the point. **** whatever
>> everybody else says!
>>
>> -sw
>
> Don't you mean 168-170 / 185 - 190 ?

Uhh, yeah. Duh. I guess everybody thought I was being a wiseass, but
yeah - subtract 100. from that.

-sw (The Brisket Expert!)

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> Nate Lau wrote:
>> On Apr 8, 5:58 pm, Sqwertz > wrote:
>>> Gil Faver > wrote:
>>>> ok, probably going to restart some big argument here, but what internal
>>>> temp
>>>> should I shoot for when smoking brisket.
>>> 268-270 in the flat, 285-290 in the point. **** whatever
>>> everybody else says!
>>>
>>> -sw
>>
>> Don't you mean 168-170 / 185 - 190 ?
>
> Uhh, yeah. Duh. I guess everybody thought I was being a wiseass, but
> yeah - subtract 100. from that.


I never take cooking advice from a man who designs shitters.

TFM®

TFM® > wrote:

> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> Uhh, yeah. Duh. I guess everybody thought I was being a wiseass, but
>> yeah - subtract 100. from that.
>
> I never take cooking advice from a man who designs shitters.

I design ADA accessible public bathrooms. Somebody else designs the
shitters; I think his name is Eljer the Elder.

-sw