First Brisket. [Where did I screw up (or did I)?

[Rockinar]

Says no top competition cook or top pitmaster ever

I just spent 12 hours with Dylan Taylor at his house in Austin. He personally showed me how he cooks brisket. Dylan was pitmaster at LaBarbecue and Truth Barbecue. Undeniably two of Texas best.

No foil, no braising, no broth and no injections were involved.

I dont hear anyone complaining his briskets are dry.

 

[Pig_Farmer]

I will usually vent until IT is about 170-175. Wrap it tight and hold for a minimum of 2hrs. I feel that venting is the key here. Whether you crutch or not.

 

[el luchador]

I just spent 12 hours with Dylan Taylor at his house in Austin. He personally showed me how he cooks brisket. Dylan was pitmaster at LaBarbecue and Truth Barbecue. Undeniably two of Texas best.

No foil, no braising, no broth and no injections were involved.

I dont hear anyone complaining his briskets are dry.

So he wrapped in butcher paper right? Right.

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

Says no top competition cook or top pitmaster ever

https://amazingribs.com/tested-reci...ket-texas-style-ultimate-technique-and-recipe

Follow these steps as a starting point

I looked at that article and can you explain to me down under the Texas crutch part, this paragraph, I didn't quite understand it?

"You do not need to do this. If you don't you'll end up with a firmer crust, but you risk slightly drier and tougher meat. Brisket is the only meat I crutch. In competitions, all the teams crutch their brisket as well as pork shoulder and ribs. I think the impact of wrapping is major on brisket, minor on the other meats."

 

[el luchador]

I looked at that article and can you explain to me down under the Texas crutch part, this paragraph, I didn't quite understand it?

"You do not need to do this. If you don't you'll end up with a firmer crust, but you risk slightly drier and tougher meat. Brisket is the only meat I crutch. In competitions, all the teams crutch their brisket as well as pork shoulder and ribs. I think the impact of wrapping is major on brisket, minor on the other meats."

Which part do you need clarification on?

 

[Rockinar]

So he wrapped in butcher paper right? Right.

Butcher paper, yes. Foil, braise, broth....no.

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

Which part do you need clarification on?

"You do not need this."

"you risk"


"I think"

 

[el luchador]

Butcher paper, yes. Foil, braise, broth....no.

How disingenuous

 

[el luchador]

"

You do not need this."

you risk slightly drier and tougher meat.

"you risk"

you risk slightly drier and tougher meat.

"I think"

the impact of wrapping is major on brisket

 

[aawa]

you risk slightly drier and tougher meat.




you risk slightly drier and tougher meat.


the impact of wrapping is major on brisket

It all depends on the texture of the meat that you want to achieve. Some people like the roasted meat texture, while some prefer the texture to something similar to pot roast, while some like something in the middle.

It is all about preference.

 

[PhilB]

Well, I will confess the over-cooked one did make decent chopped beef sandwiches.

I chopped up the overcooked bits real fine, fried them in bacon fat, and made a hash with some eggs. It was delicious. But I still don't like overcooked beef!

 

[PhilB]

why did you separate the point n flat.? My flats have Never turned out as well Solo as when cooked as whole packers............

It was a tip from Andy. It made sense, since you can then a) butterfly the point so it cooks evenly, and b) pull whichever one is done first before it's overdone.

I got b) correct for the point, anyway

 

[PhilB]

https://amazingribs.com/tested-reci...ket-texas-style-ultimate-technique-and-recipe

Follow these steps as a starting point

Meathead's is always my first step. His site is what got me into Q and led to me discovering this place. I'm a paid member there too.

He does advocate cooking at 225 when starting out, so I figured I'd do that. He does like the crutch a lot for brisket but, unless I'm mistaken, did mention it more for timing purposes.

I'll have to decide with the next one I cook. I will definitely be more mindful of making sure I don't overcook (and venting, so I don't keep cooking), but I may indeed foil sooner. I just always felt you should learn to do everything first without any "gimmicks". I cooked lots of ribs unfoiled before I figured I could then try some of the cool tricks to make them extra good.

But, in this case, looks like it may help the consistency. I was just trying to replicate the "authentic" experience, and failed miserably at part of it (on the other hand, is anything more authentic than screwing up your first brisket )

I also knew this might turn into another Holy War, but I was more concerned with the potential reason for this dry meat, and seems it's unanimous: I overcooked it.

 

[PhilB]

I totally agree with your approach of figuring out how to cook a brisket plain before introducing other variables. Thus, I humbly suggest you cook your next packer whole, naked, without injection and using only the rub of your choice. Cook it low and slow, at 225, which will draw out the cook and widen your margin of error in terms of pulling it when it’s done. Measure that by probing the flat, not the point, but it should be ready at about 203 in my experience.

Won't that then overcook the point? The point was ready a few hours before the flat (then again, maybe not, if I overcooked the flat!)

Figure 1.25-1.5 hrs per pound and try to time it so you’ll be ready to eat when it’s done. Don’t wrap or hold, just let it sit loosely tented on your counter until it’s cool enough to slice and serve.

I had warned the missus and the few guests: I'm experimenting. It'll be ready when it's done, and I can't guarantee it won't be totally wrecked.

Once you get the cooking down then you can play around with whether you prefer to inject or no, wrap or no, foil or butcher paper, hold and for how long or no, etc. For me, I don’t separate flat from point, don’t inject, don’t wrap, and hold only if I need to keep it warm until eatin time.

Good luck, I’m sure you’ll figure it out and have fun in the process. . . .

It's only money (and a lot of time). I'll print more!

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

why did you separate the point n flat.? My flats have Never turned out as well Solo as when cooked as whole packers............

I too like to cook them whole, but if I do split, I make sure I leave a layer of fat on the flat.

 

[PhilB]

I will usually vent until IT is about 170-175. Wrap it tight and hold for a minimum of 2hrs. I feel that venting is the key here. Whether you crutch or not.

Yeah, definitely sounds like it may or may not have been at the right temp when I pulled it (perhaps a little over?), but that not venting it and letting it carryover cook for an hour was the final nail in the coffin.

I definitely won't do that again.

 

[bwram1]

Try foiling earlier. You'll like it.
https://youtu.be/DK2ugDR-G2I


I don't vent before I hold.

I prefer butcher paper over foil...and I wrap when the color and bark is about where I want it. I vent for about 20 minutes before tossing in the cooler.
Also, I think I read that you separated the flat from the point? I never do that til it's done...separate, wrap the flat and hold and cube the point for burnt ends...I also have never fried the cubed point. Not sure I've ever met anyone that did that...won't knock it til Ive tried it though...

 

[el luchador]

I'll have to decide with the next one I cook. I will definitely be more mindful of making sure I don't overcook (and venting, so I don't keep cooking), but I may indeed foil sooner. I just always felt you should learn to do everything first without any "gimmicks". I cooked lots of ribs unfoiled before I figured I could then try some of the cool tricks to make them extra good.

im just trying to help shorten the learning curve for you. there is a reason most good pitmasters and all top competitors wrap.

I also knew this might turn into another Holy War, but I was more concerned with the potential reason for this dry meat, and seems it's unanimous: I overcooked it.

that is not unanimous sorry. I dont think you overcooked it - you dried it out by letting the meat cook too long in the stall. a lean piece of meat that is not increasing in temp to allow the collagen to break down, but is rapidly losing moisture, is going to be a dry piece of meat.

 

[BigKing]

I've been "overcooking" my briskets since a Christmas party because I pulled the meat for ease of eating for my guests. Easier to eat when standing up.


I'm wrapping it around 170 IT, pulling it at 205-210 IT and then wrapping it more and sticking it in the cooler for at least two hours without venting. Comes out extremely juicy every time without the flat being dry.


I kind of agree with the issue being the separation of the flat from the point and then just having the flat riding out there for a good amount of time unwrapped. I'm taking the flat past your temp while also not venting but I'm getting the benefit of the wrap trapping the juices for a "braise" with the fatty point contributing a good amount of this juice, I suspect.

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

im just trying to help shorten the learning curve for you. there is a reason most good pitmasters and all top competitors wrap.



that is not unanimous sorry. I dont think you overcooked it - you dried it out by letting the meat cook too long in the stall. a lean piece of meat that is not increasing in temp to allow the collagen to break down, but is rapidly losing moisture, is going to be a dry piece of meat.

I'm a competitor or use to be, about 50K worth of contests. Yes I have a few calls in brisket, so here goes nothing......:razz:
1. We wrap to layer flavors.
2. We wrap to speed up the cook.
3... and the most important, I need the juices for the last 15 minutes, for slices of brisket that dry out do to air exposure and adding a little more flavor to the individual slices.


Now the second part of your claim, you are even father off base, moist meat is due to collagen turned to gelatin thru denaturization. Moisture loss has nothing to do with that, or at least cooking briskets have lead me to believe that.


rant over......:mrgreen: