Interpret brisket scores

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enasnidx

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Sorry for the markings, I always take notes after a comp and circle stuff all over the score sheet (circled my highest score and my lowest score). I'm pretty weak at brisket. I haven't gotten a consistent result I like yet so I've been tweaking things and trying to get better at nailing tenderness. This was my fourth KCBS comp and I feel like it was my best brisket yet, but the score says otherwise.

How do you interpret tenderness scores like this? 6's, 7, 8, and 9's.
I had the 2nd ranked brisket at the table, but it only managed a 156.5028...




 
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I suspect you turned in burnt ends that were not good and some judges held you to what you tuned in. Or vice verse. Not knowing, that is my best guess
 
Jeff, I thought both my burnt ends and slices were good. But then again, I haven't gotten to judge a contest yet (still hoping to this summer) so I honestly don't know how it should have stacked up against others.

Most of you guys turn in both slices and burnt ends, assuming both turn out, right?
 
If they are good. I did not last time because after one, I wasn't craving a other. At least that took out any wonder what I screwed up with what I did turn in
 
I would agree with Jeff. It seems that there was a difference in tenderness between the slices and the chunks. Looks like some folks had good ones and others didn't. Considering the consistency in scoring in appearance and taste, that's my educated guess.
 
A wise man once told me that he never cooks burnt ends so he never has to be tempted to use them. With that being said, we usually do cook burnt ends, but only put them in the box if we think they'll help the score. If our slices are dead up on tenderness, then we don't put burnt ends in.
 
cpw said:
A wise man once told me that he never cooks burnt ends so he never has to be tempted to use them. With that being said, we usually do cook burnt ends, but only put them in the box if we think they'll help the score. If our slices are dead up on tenderness, then we don't put burnt ends in.
Click to expand...

What's the best you've scored in brisket with "just" slices out of curiosity?
 
I'm far from a brisket expert, but it appears to me that the judges on the right got the first pieces of brisket slices. It looks like your slices get more tender the farther back in the box you go?
 
Burnt at Both Endz said:
I'm far from a brisket expert, but it appears to me that the judges on the right got the first pieces of brisket slices. It looks like your slices get more tender the farther back in the box you go?
Click to expand...

Maybe? I guess I don't know. Would the first two slices be so much different from the next two? All the slices are stacked as I cut them from the flat.

Must be the burnt endz...?
 
enasnidx said:
Maybe? I guess I don't know. Would the first two slices be so much different from the next two? All the slices are stacked as I cut them from the flat.

Must be the burnt ends...?
Click to expand...

The slices closes to us are from deeper in the flat and the slices farther away is from the point area, they tend to be a little more tender and your right the first few judges are gonna pick the best BE's.

As a cook, I try slices from all parts of the flat to see what the tenderness is in those areas. It will change from spot to spot if I didn't get the brisket cooked correctly.
 
big brother smoke said:
Nice Greens :p
Click to expand...

Thanks! Man, "I'm a kale convert!"

Burnt at Both Endz said:
The slices closes to us are from deeper in the flat and the slices farther away is from the point area, they tend to be a little more tender and your right the first few judges are gonna pick the best BE's.

As a cook, I try slices from all parts of the flat to see what the tenderness is in those areas. It will change from spot to spot if I didn't get the brisket cooked correctly.
Click to expand...

You're right on the slices, but again, in my inexperience, I thought they were all pretty similar in tenderness as we're talking about a 3" section from the middle of the flat that all the slices came from. That's the area I thought had the right tenderness. I just can't imagine the tenderness changed much from first slice to last slice in that small sample area. BUT if the first two judges got a couple decent BE's and the next two didn't....

Thanks to all for the feedback! This gives me a lot to think about and practice on before next turn ins.
 
jasonjax said:
What's the best you've scored in brisket with "just" slices out of curiosity?
Click to expand...
I don't feel that "just" slices puts you at any disadvantage. In my opinion, more times than not putting in burnt ends can hurt you more than it can help. They need to be absolute perfection otherwise they don't go in my box. If your slices are nines, where else can you go from there?
 
For the most part, I believe KCBS has morphed into a 3 PT scoring system of 9-8-7 with 7=fair, 8=good and 9=excellent. Anything below 7 is just bad. Therefore those 6's meant bad BBQ and those 7's just fair BBQ. You have to get 8's & 9's to get calls and the 9's need to outnumber the 8's.
 
tduffy said:
I don't feel that "just" slices puts you at any disadvantage. In my opinion, more times than not putting in burnt ends can hurt you more than it can help. They need to be absolute perfection otherwise they don't go in my box. If your slices are nines, where else can you go from there?
Click to expand...

That's something I was wondering about ... do some judges score you down for NOT putting burnt ends in when they taste your slices.
 
In my limited experience, I decided to only turn in slices until I get comfortable with brisket. I decided this because when I look at my scores I don't want to be guessing if it was the slices or the burnt ends that were scored down. I know if I didn't get 8s and 9s on tenderness my slices weren't tender.

However, in my last contest (new cooker) my brisket (flat) just wasn't quite done. I put burnt ends in the box for the first time because i figured it would pull the score up. (It did somewhat)
 
jasonjax said:
That's something I was wondering about ... do some judges score you down for NOT putting burnt ends in when they taste your slices.
Click to expand...
That's a matter of opinion and it may even change by region. My opinion is that it doesn't hurt you. My opinion is that judges have tasted enough crap burnt ends over the years that they don't necessarily expect them but more have the expectation that if they are in the box they better be good.
 
Pappy Q said:
For the most part, I believe KCBS has morphed into a 3 PT scoring system of 9-8-7 with 7=fair, 8=good and 9=excellent. Anything below 7 is just bad. Therefore those 6's meant bad BBQ and those 7's just fair BBQ. You have to get 8's & 9's to get calls and the 9's need to outnumber the 8's.
Click to expand...

I've been told by one Rep, that will remain nameless, that the range is closer to 8-9.
 
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