Dry brisket

[sub333]

Hello,

Am keen to get some views on why my brisket has turned out so dry.
It was a 3kg piece of flat, smoked (in total) for 8-9hrs, with a probe in at all times. Smoker was around 250F the whole time.
Once it hit 175F I wrapped it in butcher paper, then as the heat was dropping off from the smoker, I gave it 60 mins in the oven at 180C.
It was then rested for 45 minutes, loosely in the paper.

Internal temps were 190-195, and the toothpick test worked - consistency was soft.
A couple of end slices where the meat was a little fattier were great, but the more I sliced, the drier it became.
I can rescue it, and make chilli etc with it, but it's a shame that the end results weren't great.

Not sure what I'm doing wrong - maybe I should just stick to using the point instead, if it's fattier/more forgiving?
Or is it just very difficult to smoke a small piece of brisket well?

Any advice gratefully received!

[U can do that again]

Did you spritz before wrapping? Did you spritz paper before wrapping? Reason I ask is that have found need to increase spritzing with the flat. Also use a water pan. Is it a fan assisted oven as this may have an effect, must confess never finished any BBQ in the oven so have no basis for this theory. Having done all this have had really moist flats but also comparatively dry flats. The other variable is animal itself,  some steaks are really moist others can be really tough cooked at the same time bought from same butcher same time.... Maybe a reason to have another go .....

 

[sub333]

5 minutes ago, U can do that again said:

Did you spritz before wrapping? Did you spritz paper before wrapping? Reason I ask is that have found need to increase spritzing with the flat. Also use a water pan. Is it a fan assisted oven as this may have an effect, must confess never finished any BBQ in the oven so have no basis for this theory. Having done all this have had really moist flats but also comparatively dry flats. The other variable is animal itself,  some steaks are really moist others can be really tough cooked at the same time bought from same butcher same time.... Maybe a reason to have another go .....

 

- yes, spritzed 2-3 times while the flat was on the smoker (just water, and not until 2hrs to allow bark to form)
- also spritzed the paper before wrapping the brisket.
- I have a water pan (ProQ Frontier), but I fill it with sand, not water
- Yep, is a fan oven

The piece of meat did look incredibly lean indeed, so as you say, maybe it was just unlucky.
It will not go to waste, though!

 

[negolien]

Seems a little bit low to be that tender honestly most dry cooks are not cooked long enough, it's a weird paradox.

Edited August 14, 2023 by negolien

[sub333]

12 hours ago, negolien said:

Seems a little bit low to be that tender honestly most dry cooks are not cooked long enough, it's a weird paradox.

Interesting! You mean, it should have been smoked/cooked a little longer?

[negolien]

4 hours ago, sub333 said:

Interesting! You mean, it should have been smoked/cooked a little longer?

Possibly.... It's really the weirdest thing we see smoking and bbqing lol :<). We always think of dry as overcooked but sometimes the fat just doesn't render enough. I had that happen on my first wagyu short ribs pissed me off lol