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Brisket Internal Temp

Higher and longer cook time is better. I take mine off at a min 190 (usually 195), then wrap in foil, put in a cooler and let rest for 2-3 hours. Brisket is a hard meat to get right, patience is rewarded when it comes to brisket.

Also depends on how thick of a fat cap you have. More fat means longer cook. If you take off early, the fat won't get a chance to fully melt off.

You have to make sure it gets over the plateau or it will not be tender.
 
Higher and longer cook time is better. I take mine off at a min 190 (usually 195), then wrap in foil, put in a cooler and let rest for 2-3 hours. Brisket is a hard meat to get right, patience is rewarded when it comes to brisket.

Also depends on how thick of a fat cap you have. More fat means longer cook. If you take off early, the fat won't get a chance to fully melt off.

You have to make sure it gets over the plateau or it will not be tender.

Good stuff.

Do you wrap before it gets to temp, or only when it’s out of the smoker?
 
200-205 then let it rest. Dont slice until ready to eat. Are you cooking the point and flat or just the flat?
 
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Good stuff.

Do you wrap before it gets to temp, or only when it’s out of the smoker?
Depends how long your stall is. Many wrap around 165 in a pan with some beef stock/broth as you want it to taste like beef.
 
Higher and longer cook time is better. I take mine off at a min 190 (usually 195), then wrap in foil, put in a cooler and let rest for 2-3 hours. Brisket is a hard meat to get right, patience is rewarded when it comes to brisket.

Also depends on how thick of a fat cap you have. More fat means longer cook. If you take off early, the fat won't get a chance to fully melt off.

You have to make sure it gets over the plateau or it will not be tender.
Best, and first, brisket I ever had was in Austin. Trust the Texan here.
 
When it hits 180, take it off and wrap it in butcher paper. If you don't have butcher paper, use foil.

Put it back on until internal temp hits 200-205. Take it off and let it rest for a minimum of an hour.
 
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Good stuff.

Do you wrap before it gets to temp, or only when it’s out of the smoker?

I've done both. Wrapping before is common if you're trying to speed up the process to blast through plateau. I've done that one and the brisket came out a little soggy in texture but that's probably because I didn't trim the fat cap very much.

I like wrapping at the end after removing from smoker for a couple reasons. Allows more fat to melt down and increases amount of crispy burnt ends.(my favorite part).

Everyone does brisket a little different and there are a ton of variables, so you'll just have to experiment with it.
 
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Good point, I assumed a whole brisket. Totally changes if you're doing only a point or flat, vs whole.

I bought the whole brisket. Unfortunately my smoker isn’t new big enough for the whole brisket. So I had to cut the flat off.

I put the point on first, cooked it 6 hours, now I have the flat in with, 7 more hours to go for a total of 13 hours.

I’ll chexk temp at the 10 hour mark.

Franklin says only wrap if it looks dry or if you need to speed the cook time up.

I’ll prolly wrap at the 10 hour mark if it’s still not at a good temp.

Appreciate it fellas!!!!
 
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I was just in Austin for business and ate brisket at Terry Black's. I was blown away. I've been talking about it ever since. You could cut it with a fork. It was somewhat pricey but worth every penny.


That's the way good brisket should be. If it isn't cut with a fork tender, don't waste your time.

Central Texas brisket is damn good, so many great choices.
 
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When it hits 180, take it off and wrap it in butcher paper. If you don't have butcher paper, use foil.

Put it back on until internal temp hits 200-205. Take it off and let it rest for a minimum of an hour.
This guy knows his brisket - I'll be enjoying some at his house on New Year's Day.
 
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Exactly. It’s the only real BBQ that takes skill. Any slapdick can cook pork.

I think chicken is more difficult to BBQ well at least based upon the results I’ve gotten. Definitely pork is the easiest, but beef isn’t that much harder. I’ve had great beef (whether called “Texas BBQ”, “pit beef”, “pastrami” or “California-Tribe-tip”, “Barbacoa”, “Machaca”, etc... ) everywhere...California, Texas, Maryland, NYC, Oklahoma, Utah, Phoenix, Kansas, Chicago, Missouri, New Mexico, and heck even Florida.

But BBQ or smoked chicken....I can count on my two hands the number of restaurants that can get it right. Miss Myra’s in Birmingham, Big Bob Gibson in Huntsville, Cozy Corner in Memphis, Biguns BBQ in Brooksville FL, Country BBQ in Greensboro, NC and that’s about it. Everywhere else is dry and/or flavourless. But the rare highly flavoured and yet juicy chicken is worth it when you can find it.
 
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When it hits 180, take it off and wrap it in butcher paper. If you don't have butcher paper, use foil.

Put it back on until internal temp hits 200-205. Take it off and let it rest for a minimum of an hour.

Just wrapped...it’s at 180.

I’m assuming the climb to 200 will take an hour or two?
 
Exactly. It’s the only real BBQ that takes skill. Any slapdick can cook pork.

Agreed. Any moron with a Walmart closet smoker can cook pork. Brisket takes skill.

Chicken isn't all that challenging but I rarely ever cook it because it lacks flavor to me. I'm not a huge fan of chicken no matter how its cooked.
 
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That's the way good brisket should be. If it isn't cut with a fork tender, don't waste your time.

Central Texas brisket is damn good, so many great choices.
I can honestly say I've never had brisket anywhere in Florida that you could cut with a fork, if anyone knows of anywhere in Central Florida please let me know!
 
205 plus for wagyu. I cook mine hot. 300 to 325. A whole lot faster and just as good as low and slow. Wrap it about 2 hours in when internal temp is 140 degrees or so.
 
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Ray Lampe’s new BBQ restaurant in St Pete, Dr BBQ, has THE best brisket in Florida and the best bbq beef ribs next to Micklethwait’s in Austin.( down the road from Franklin’s).
 
One thing I wished someone would have told me ages ago about smoking meat is the stall at 165 degrees. I once over cooked because I made the fire too hot to compensate. I did not know, at the time, it was just part of the process.
 
4 Rivers is good brisket but they have consistency issues at the ones I've been to in JAX. Like dmm, I don't typically go looking for brisket here in FL.

Mission BBQ makes pretty good brisket. Bearded Pig in JAX and Woodpeckers in Orangedale both make decent brisket.
 
I'm trying something today I have never done with brisket. I'm smoking at 300 degrees. I've always done it around 225-250 but got a late start today. We'll see if there is a difference.
 
I'm trying something today I have never done with brisket. I'm smoking at 300 degrees. I've always done it around 225-250 but got a late start today. We'll see if there is a difference.

It'll probably dry out because you are going to render all the fat
 
Was a hit!

Wrapped at 180, cooked another 2 hours and it climbed to 195.

Let sit an hour once it was at 195.

Sliced and served...I was getting high fives. Will have to admit even I was impressed.

Thanks fellas!

and now you have become a.......

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4 Rivers is good brisket but they have consistency issues at the ones I've been to in JAX. Like dmm, I don't typically go looking for brisket here in FL.

Mission BBQ makes pretty good brisket. Bearded Pig in JAX and Woodpeckers in Orangedale both make decent brisket.

I did like Bearded Pig in Jax, thanks for that rec again.

As far as Four Rivers goes both here in Tally and at the locations I’ve had in Jax and Orlando, I think their brisket is typically better than the brisket at Salt Lick and at all of the Dallas, Houston, Beaumont and San Antonio places I’ve tried, but it’s nowhere as good or as consistent as Kreuz Market, Smitty’s or Black’s.

My main complaint (and it’s a relatively small one as my favorite Texas BBQ is Kreuz Market and they have no sauce and very few nonmeat sides) is that the bbq sauces are terrible and their sides are pretty bad. Mission has 12-14 sauces depending on the location and specials with everything from Maryland Tiger Sauce to Carolina seasoned vinegar, and I would gladly take their worst option (whatever they call their Mississippi sweet red sauce) over the best option (the honey mustard) at Four Rivers. Similar to the old Piggy’s in Tally, the sauces are simply not worth putting on the meat and I get that as a Kreuz fan that great quality brisket doesn’t need it...but even good but not great quality brisket can use the assistance and Four Rivers fluctuates between great to only decent.

The best of both worlds would be to have Four Rivers brisket (which is typically better but not always) with Mission’s sides and sauces. That would be a guaranteed five star bbq night.
 
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