Chewy/rubbery brisket point -- why?

S

SelfGovern

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I've got a Recteq 700, still experimenting with it. I've cooked a number of briskets (and other low and slow meats) before on a variety of appliances (a Weber kettle which oddly was my first brisket and came out perfectly), a stick-burner, and an inexpensive pellet grill when I was first trying pellets out).

I love the Recteq! Had a 9-lb Choice brisket after trimming. The brisket had been frozen, but was fully defrosted (in refrigerator). I was using a new rub so I put it on relatively light. Set the smoker to 215 and let it come up to temp before placing the brisket, set a probe in the point and a probe in the flat. At 160 - 165 I wrapped the brisket in foil and put it back out. Pulled it off at 205 - 207 degrees and let it sit for a half hour. Total cook time was about 10 hours or so.

The flat was great. The point, however, was pretty chewy, almost rubbery, in that it felt like if you didn't bite all the way through it would spring back to its prior shape (it was clearly cut across the grain). It looked like most of the fat had rendered out of the point, but it just didn't have good mouth feel. Any idea what went wrong, or what I could do in the future to get a more tender point? Or was it just a less-than-great piece of beef?

Thanks all,
Thomas.
 
SelfGovern said:
I've got a Recteq 700, still experimenting with it. I've cooked a number of briskets (and other low and slow meats) before on a variety of appliances (a Weber kettle which oddly was my first brisket and came out perfectly), a stick-burner, and an inexpensive pellet grill when I was first trying pellets out).

I love the Recteq! Had a 9-lb Choice brisket after trimming. The brisket had been frozen, but was fully defrosted (in refrigerator). I was using a new rub so I put it on relatively light. Set the smoker to 215 and let it come up to temp before placing the brisket, set a probe in the point and a probe in the flat. At 160 - 165 I wrapped the brisket in foil and put it back out. Pulled it off at 205 - 207 degrees and let it sit for a half hour. Total cook time was about 10 hours or so.

The flat was great. The point, however, was pretty chewy, almost rubbery, in that it felt like if you didn't bite all the way through it would spring back to its prior shape (it was clearly cut across the grain). It looked like most of the fat had rendered out of the point, but it just didn't have good mouth feel. Any idea what went wrong, or what I could do in the future to get a more tender point? Or was it just a less-than-great piece of beef?

Thanks all,
Thomas.
Click to expand...
I would lean toward the cut itself. I’ve had the same happen with choice. Did you probe it for tenderness? I can’t imagine it wasn’t at those temps.
 
I think @BigDan and @Beach Bum probably have it right. My experience with USDA Choice briskets has been sketchy; some good, some not so good.

I recently did a Choice brisket (all I could get locally at the time) and had a similar result; the flat was great, but the point didn't want too loosen up. I finally separated them, pulled the flat at 200F and cooked the point for another hour-and-a-half to 209F before it was passable.

This is why I strongly prefer USDA Prime briskets. Fortunately, my grandson is a meat cutter at a specialty butcher shop not too far from me (30 miles) and he can usually find me a nicely marbled Prime brisket if I can give him a little lead time.
 
Pacman said:
👆 Yeah all of the above. Choice meat, while often great, is also unpredictable. Don't beat yourself up. I too blame the cow/steer/USDA.
Click to expand...
But, my wife blames me because I picked the meat at the store. I will tell her next time it's the cow's fault.
 
Thanks all for your comments. I didn't do a probe test, haven't needed to before, but will next time, and will keep the point out there a bit longer if needed.

Private note to Charles: Be careful about saying that anything is the "old cow's fault". I've known divorces that started that way....
 
SelfGovern said:
I didn't do a probe test, haven't needed to before
Click to expand...
Not meaning to offend anyone, but IMHO, you always need to do a probe test. Cooking a brisket to temperature only is a recipe for failure, IME…and, I speak from personal experience.
 
Jim6820 said:
Not meaning to offend anyone, but IMHO, you always need to do a probe test. Cooking a brisket to temperature only is a recipe for failure, IME…and, I speak from personal experience.
Click to expand...
Yep, a little probing never hurts.
1696592240118.png
 
Glad I made it in time for the Comity :LOL:
"BigDan and CK" were GREAT :ROFLMAO:


Welcome the the Forum Thomas
Since my Wife and I don't care much for the "FatStrip" that lays between the two, I've always separated the two Muscles, and cook each as its own Roasts
Yeah, I've found a few bad Points when trimming, and I don't even try .... "Yep, Stew Meat"
SelfGovern said:
Total cook time was about 10 hours or so.
Click to expand...
Not to say, "you're doing it wrong", but Ten hours TCT ?, that's only about half of the cook for me
"LO and Slow" for us is:
8 hours (to about 160 IT) overnight on "LO", then Paper Wrap with Smoked Tallow and back in at 270 to an IT of 200 - 205 AND they probe tender, usually another 8 to 10 hours
Let them rest, wrapped in a Towel, in a Cooler, for at least 4 hours
Total Cook Time, from Frige to Plate is about 20 hours or so

Hope your next Cook goes much better
 

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