Bull Definitely Cook to Temp Not Time

[JamesB]

First time trying a brisket on my RT-700. As a new experiment with the grill/smoker I didn’t want to ruin a ton of brisket so I went with a 3.5 lb flat. Cooking to “time” based on weight would’ve suggested about 5 hours right?

Started it on extreme smoke (180 degrees) at 10:00 am. Gave that 4 hours with about a 60 degree rise in internal temp.

So I moved it up to 200 for 1 hour, then 225 for an hour, then 250 for another. It stalled at 150, so I stepped up to 275, hit 160, wrapped it and back on the grill. Currently 10 hours into the cook and it’s still sitting at 160 degrees?

 

[JGW]

Welcome to the trials and tribulations of the briskethood.

I used to be a firm believer in 225 for brisket, but I’ve been convinced by Aaron Franklin that 275 is a better temp for an over all better brisket.

A 4-5lb flat may very well take about 6 hours or so at 275. The fact that you did 4 hours at 180 definitely increased your cook time.

Also note that there IS such a thing as too much smoke.

 

[Gonefishin]

I did a 5.5 lb flat, suggested was 8 hrs @ 225. 6 hrs in I bumped it to 250, still took 11 hrs total. FWIW, I was spritzing every 30 min after a few hrs till I wrapped in paper at 160.

I think how much you open the lid and the thickness of the cut has lot to do with it.

 

[JamesB]

Points well taken. I appreciate the input.

Here’s how it turned out. Not as moist or as tender as I would have ideally preferred, but very flavorful. By comparison with my last attempt on my full sized Weber kettle this was an enormous step forward. The last time I basically ended up with great bark and shoe leather beneath it.

 

[JGW]

Flats are the leaner part of a brisket, so it may just be your particular flat - esp if your flat wasn’t well marbled.

 

[Jim6820]

Points well taken. I appreciate the input.

Here’s how it turned out. Not as moist or as tender as I would have ideally preferred, but very flavorful. By comparison with my last attempt on my full sized Weber kettle this was an enormous step forward. The last time I basically ended up with great bark and shoe leather beneath it.

That looks like a very lean brisket flat; Choice grade, I’m guessing. They are harder to get tender AND moist because of the lack of marbling. When I do just a flat, I try to find one with a fair amount of marbling and that usually means a prime-grade piece of meat.

Since you got good flavor and it wasn’t really tough, I’d say you did a good job with that piece of meat.