# Brisket Smoking Question



## Sigma Man

I read in one place that the meat temperature goal for smoking a brisket is 165 degrees F and in another place that the goal is 200 - 210 degrees F.  That is quite a large difference.  I am going to be smoking the brisket in a gas smoker which has a chip box and a water pan.  What temperature do you shoot for when smoking a brisket?

Thanks

SM


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## Gretchen

It is the higher temperature. This is the temp at which the tough connective tissue in these cuts of meat break down and the meat is tender. In order to reach this high a temperature within the meat, however, the cooking temperature must be kept very low--in the 250* range.  If you cook it higher (without liquid), the proteins will tighten and the meat will be tough, before the collagenous tissue breaks down.


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## jminion

I cook brisket at 225 to 235, it gets pulled off the cooker at 190 internal is wrapped in H/D foil and placed in a dry cooler for 2 to 4 hours. 
Jim


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## Michael in FtW

Cook it at 200°-250°-F - and shoot for an internal temp of about 190°-F. Like Gretchen said - the connective tissues don't start to melt and break down until about 180°-F. This will give you "melt in your mouth" brisket.

Of course - you can cook it to a lower internal temp ... but you'll have to cut it on a diagonal across the grain if you want to chew it ... it will be tougher.


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## jminion

Connective tissue breaks down earlier than 180 internal, around 160 range there is enough breaking down that it cause the stall (so many connective cells breaking down releasing their moisture that it cause the internal temp to actually drop at times). The connective tissues continue to break down till it is removed from the cooker. The art is to get the brisket off of the cooker before the moisture from the connective tissue is cooked out of the brisket leaving it dry.
Jim


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## Sigma Man

Well, I smoked that brisket last Sundy.  It was about 6 1/2 pounds.  I rubbed (massaged) a dry rub into the brisket on Saturday evening, wrapped it in foil and put in fridge overnight.  Sunday morning around 8 am, I started the GOSM with hickory chips soaked in apple juice and water/apple juice in the liquid container.  After about seven hours, I wrapped the brisket in foil and left in the smoker with the heat raised from 250 to 350 for another 2 1/2 hours.  I removed it from the smoker and let it sit for 1/2 hour before carving.  The brisket was wonderful and the hit of the meal with the neighbors.  Thanks for all the good information I reaped from theis forum.

SM


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## jminion

Sigma Man
I would suggest that when you rub meat that it be wrapped in plastic wrap rather than foil before going into refrigerator. There are ingredients in rub that can react to the foil and leal a metalic flavor on the meat.
Jim


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## Hopz

Jminion... do you have any references on "the stall"... I have noticed this, thanks for the info- this answeres a question I have for quite a while.

But I was hoping for anything deeper and maybe more technical...

thaks


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## jminion

Hopz
I don't have any food science sites that explain the occurance but it is rather simple. Once the internal temp of the meat reaches the 155 to 160 range the number of cells that makes up the connective tissue that are breaking down and releasing their moisture can cause the internal temp to stall it's steady climb, it can be enough cells that the internal temp can drop a degree or two.  This period of the cook is very important to the overall quality of the finished product. Foiling at this time will push the product through the stall but it does not produce the best product in my opinion.

Tissue continues to breakdown until you take it off the cooker and can continue for a short time if you wrap the meat in foil and place in a dry cooler. Once the internal of brisket or butt reaches 200º internal it starts to dry out. If you remove the meat at 190 internal, wrap and place in the dry cooler it will continue to gain internal to 195 to 200 degrees and tenderize. If you wait until 200 or 205 internal, wrap and it goes in the cooler the meat will hit 210 to 215 degrees and your end product will or can be dry.

Hope this helps.
Jim


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## Gretchen

I have not heard of the "stall", and don't think I've experienced it although my experience is more with pork. The link explains what happens.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/tv_and_radio/fullonfood_meat.shtml


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## jminion

Gretchen
It happens with pork butt also at aprox the same internal temps as brisket. 
If you were to instert a temp probe that could follow the internal temps and transfer the data to a paper graph you can actually see the stall happening.
Jim


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## Ancho Joe

Prof. Minion is correct (anyone surprised?). Here's a poor example of a stall or plateau. My first pic here, so bear with me.  Click on plot to see bigger picture.





Note the break in temp rise. I have seen even more noticeable plateaus where the temp seemed to stay at 160 for a looooong time.


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## Hutchie

Another thing to remember is some people use mesquite wood to smoke beef products. This is fine, but limit your smoke intake. A little goes along way. Too much mesquite smoke can turn your brisket bitter.


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## Poppinfresh

Sigma Man said:
			
		

> I read in one place that the meat temperature goal for smoking a brisket is 165 degrees F and in another place that the goal is 200 - 210 degrees F.  That is quite a large difference.  I am going to be smoking the brisket in a gas smoker which has a chip box and a water pan.  What temperature do you shoot for when smoking a brisket?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> SM



I've got a brisket I've done competitions with...I always pull it off at 185 and let the carryover take it the rest of the way.


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