PSA: My neighbor's 'foolproof' brisket method gave me a 14-hour brick

Last Saturday in Kansas City, I decided to try my neighbor's method for a brisket he swore by. He said to run my offset smoker at 225 degrees and never, ever open the lid, not even to spritz. I followed it exactly for what ended up being a full 14 hours. When I finally pulled it, the flat was so dry and tough you could have used it for a doorstop. The point was okay, but the whole thing just felt like a waste of a good piece of meat. I think the lack of any moisture or check-in was the killer. Has anyone else had a 'trusted' method completely backfire on a long smoke?

2 comments

2 Comments

kelly_nelson958d ago

Oof, that's rough but maybe not a total loss? A 14-hour cook at 225 without peeking sounds like a recipe for drying out the flat. Could you chop or shred the dry parts for chili or tacos? Sometimes the "foolproof" methods forget that every piece of meat and smoker is a little different.

felix1478d ago

Actually that method works fine if you do it right. Kelly_nelson95 is missing that a good bark needs time without opening the lid. The dry bits are just burnt ends waiting to happen.