Another Dry Flat!

[BigDog]

Cooked a Costco Prime brisket overnight and without fail I dried out the flat. We had plenty of point to feed the family but it would be nice to get one right. When both the flat and point were close to 200F I pulled it to test for tenderness then rewrapped with butcher paper and tallow. Probe A flat B point.

 

[Jim6820]

Was the flat pretty thin? If it was, that may be the reason it dried out. I try to select briskets with a thick flat whenever possible.

 

[BigDog]

I picked out the one with the thickest flat but it was thin. I try to keep as much fat on that end as possible. Maybe I should use some foil?

 

[Mozekian]

I picked out the one with the thickest flat but it was thin. I try to keep as much fat on that end as possible. Maybe I should use some foil?

I think in a way you have a to decide on your dance partner with the flat

Option 1 is to trim it a little to increase yield, but you end up with a thinner flat that will always dry out

Option 2 is to do a restaurant trim, aggressive trim; very aggressive. Basically trim the flat down so the end is no less than 3/4”-1” thick at the thin part. You lose yield but has less thin area to dry out.

Also with a pellet grill and heat from the bottom, get the brisket off the bottom and have your water pan between the meat and the bottom rack. Cooking it fat side up on the bottom rack is going to dry it out too.

Maybe try trimming aggressive, cooking on a raised shelf, water pan acting as a barrier. It’s a lot of extra work but I’ve had much better luck with my flats using this method.

 

[Jim6820]

@Mozekian raises a good point; did you cook your brisket fat side up or down? I prefer to put the fat side down; it seems to not dry the meat as much. The would help keep the thinner flat from drying out, though it certainly won’t totally prevent it.

’The theory that cooking brisket fat side up bastes the meat has never worked for me; the melted fat just runs off vs soaking in. YMMV

 

[Pacman]

I'll throw one other variable into the mix. I try to keep my brisket cooks as simple as possible, but when I see a thin flat, I inject with low sodium beef broth like Minor's. I know others inject with tallow. I will try that some day, but have had great success with just adding some neutral flavored hydration vs. more fat.

 

[oldschool]

Inject it and use the Texas crutch when the stall hits, as a side benefit you'll save all the tasty au jus and can separate it out in a fat separator, it's tasty.

Never cook to temp, always cook to probe tender on that flat, start checking at 195. I've had briskets probe tender at 195 and at 212, never know what your gonna get.

 

[BNeal]

Not sure which grill you have, but if you have a second shelf, I would recommend the top shelf fat side up. As soon as I started using that method, problem solved. Or, you could separate the flat from the point and cook them separately. I'v done that as well.

 

[AlphaPapa]

I agree with you using foil. I tried the butcher paper drenched in smoked wagyu beef tallow and it came out too dry for my taste. The same for the pork butt I did in butcher paper. This last brisket I did had a very thin flat. I injected it with low sodium beef broth that I simmered with celery, minced garlic, and red onion. I wrapped it in aluminum foil at 165 after I spritzed with apple juice/apple cider vinegar. I also added some clumps of the wagyu beef tallow to the wrap. It was probe tender at 203. It came out nice and moist. Not much bark, though. But, I am willing to sacrifice bark for moisture.

 

[Mozekian]

Not sure which grill you have, but if you have a second shelf, I would recommend the top shelf fat side up. As soon as I started using that method, problem solved. Or, you could separate the flat from the point and cook them separately. I'v done that as well.

Same. The second shelf fat side up was a game changer. Got rid of the heat from the bottom issue and allowed fat on top to render nice. Placing the aluminum water pan on the bottom shelf helped too, and made clean up easier, as it would catch the drippings

 

[Roaniecowpony]

Inject wagyu tallow. Upon removing from the pit, open the foil to expose the meat side. Slowly pour beef broth concentrate (plus any additional seasoning you desire) onto the meat and watch it soak in like spongecake. (Harry Soo blackbelt tip)

 

[BigDog]

Guys I have a RT590 so no second self. I do cook it fat side down.

 

[Poppa G]

Guys I have a RT590 so no second self. I do cook it fat side down.

Get a seperate thermometer and check the actual temps at the grates. My 700 the built in probe is near the top of the dome, and I've found the grate temps to be 15-25° hotter, maybe turn down a few degrees.

 

[Spronko]

Two things that have helped my brisket cooks quite a bit have been relying on a high quality after market thermometer for grill temp and also separating the flat from the point when the flat is on the thin side. Same treatment for both sides but the flat comes off first. I know some will call foul on this but it works for me.

 

[dosmas2xs]

Cooked a Costco Prime brisket overnight and without fail I dried out the flat. We had plenty of point to feed the family but it would be nice to get one right. When both the flat and point were close to 200F I pulled it to test for tenderness then rewrapped with butcher paper and tallow. Probe A flat B point.

View attachment 19353

So as others have stated don't cook to temp cook to feel. Wrap at the stall whenever that hits, start probing at 195, put your water pan under brisket ontop of drip pan and ensure to trim.

 

[Chief_USN_Ret]

A lot of good suggestions here. As a 590 owner myself here is what I have done to solve for this. (some will be what others have said)
1- buy a "shelf" that fits your 590 on amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TH9RZF...=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWM&th=1

2- trim the brisket more aggressively (make the thinnest part of that flat no less then 1/2")
3- Make sure it goes straight from your refrigerator to the smoker (do NOT bring it to room temp before starting the smoke process)
4- Fat side up (nothing to do with rendering the fat on top, it has to do with acting as a shield from the heat (that always rises) and floats at the top of the chamber) to even it out.
4.1- The heat shield and drip pan act as the bottom protection. Also notice your Drip pan is on an angle. slopes from left down to the right towards drip bucket. HEAT will go in the OPPOSITE direction. from right(center where fire-pot is) to the left because of this design. put your FLAT side towards the right, POINT side of brisket to the left.
I do inject mine with a standard beef broth brine 24 hours before the cook, but that is preference.

Hope this helps.

 

[Gonefishin]

The hot side of my smoker is right side, the right being the end toward the grease exit. I’ve alway believed the bottom to get more heat than the top, but I’ve never experimented to prove it. Then again I only have 1 grate.

 

[PRC]

I’ve alway believed the bottom to get more heat than the top, but I’ve never experimented to prove it. Then again I only have 1 grate.

I completely agree with you. On the 1250 the temperature on the bottom grate is higher than the second shelf. The drip pan radiates the heat from the fire pot’s heat deflector. When i put a brisket on the lower shelf I always put the fat side down to help keeping the flat from drying out.