Brisket

[Joe Smoker]

OK guy's, I am a new owner of a 1400 smoker. I have always been a "pit guy" and seem to have had success cooking briskets the old fashion way. I need some advice on keeping briskets moist and tender. I just finished my first brisket. The flavor was good but the moisture and texture are a little less than perfect.

Thanks

[Wurst]

I inject my briskets and just cook 'em to about 185F. internal, then double wrap in foil. for about an hour.

[smokin-tnpete]

Mine comes out so juicy its unread on my 1500. Are you opening the door a lot? That is the only way I could think of drying meat out on these smokers.
Pete

[txkevin]

Received my 1400 for Fathersday with plans to BBQ for wife's B-day party.

For my trial run before the B-day party I prepared a Brisket for a family reunion. Seasoned outside with rub, inserted garlic with a knife and let set overnight.

Try #1....Cut in half to make it fit and put in smoker at about 225 with dual thermometers in each half set to cook to "Medium". Cooked about 8 hrs or so and removed when the thermometers said it had achieved Medium temp (I think about 160 degrees if I recall correctly). Meat came out with a nice smokey taste but quite dry and not very tender. I was expecting it to be difficult to even pick up with a BBQ fork. Not the case. I did not wrap this meat in foil during cooking. Never opened the door during cooking except to remove when internal med temp was achieved.

For the B-day party -
Try #2... Put halves of brisket in smoker at 200 with dual thermometers set to Medium. Cooked for about 6 hrs unwrapped from foil. REmoved, wrapped in foil to retain moisture and continued cooking another 6 hrs. REmoved at the upper "medium" range. Again, nice flavor, but not nearly as tender as I expected and have been used too producing in my previous setup.

I cant help but think I am doing something wrong. Cook at lower temp? Cook less time to Med Rare? include water pan in the smoker? Wrap with foil at a different time? Any hint on what steps you take to produce moist and tender brisket?

[txkevin]

I think the internal temp may be the problem. Seems like most info I am coming across states you must get an internal temp of around 180+ and then wrap and let sit in cooler or in smoker with low or no heat or an hour or so.

So try #3.....(to be continued.)