Brisket too tender

[smiller8892]

I cooked a brisket today. It was my first real attempt. I cooked it until it passed 165, then wrapped it in butcher paper and cooked it until it hit 205, then put it in a cooler wrapped in towels for 2 hours. When I pulled it out it just fell apart. It was delicious, but I would have liked to have been able to cut it, as well as have had some crispy bark. Thoughts on what you would do differently?

I would suggest you burp the cooler every 15 to 20 minutes to get the steam out. I would also suggest you leave it in the butcher paper which is porous and won't make it mushy. Hope this helps...

 

[bkpubman]

I had the same issue previously and it helped the next time to open the paper and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before wrapping and putting into the cooler. Brisket & pulled pork nachos with leftovers is a huge hit at our house as well.

 

[daddyo]

I've found things really speed up when you wrap a brisket. I don't wrap brisket unless I get in a time bind. Time issues much more likely to occur with a stick burner than a pellet burner.

Raising the temp 10 degrees while wrapped will loosen the pull on brisket much more than raising the temp 10 degrees unwrapped. In essence, the difference between braising and roasting.

 

[OldGlory2017]

I cooked a brisket today. It was my first real attempt. I cooked it until it passed 165, then wrapped it in butcher paper and cooked it until it hit 205, then put it in a cooler wrapped in towels for 2 hours. When I pulled it out it just fell apart. It was delicious, but I would have liked to have been able to cut it, as well as have had some crispy bark. Thoughts on what you would do differently?

Read Aaron Franklin’s book cover to cover. There are a lot of factors that go into an excellent brisket. The book covers all of them in good detail. It is also an inspirational story how to go from handyman to BBQ Hero

 

[OldGlory2017]

Are you using a Traeger meat probe? If so did you calibrate it before inserting into your brisket. My Treager meat probe, even after recalibrating before each cook, was off by almost 10 degrees. So much so I don't even use the Treager meat probe anymore. If your meat probe is showing less than actual internal meat temperature (as proven by a more accurate device), then in reality you are overcooking your brisket, which would make it fall apart as you described.

I agree - Treager probe is not accurate. High at 32 and Low at 212. It is right at room temp - kinda of like a clock being right twice per day.

 

[Randy]

I cooked a brisket today. It was my first real attempt. I cooked it until it passed 165, then wrapped it in butcher paper and cooked it until it hit 205, then put it in a cooler wrapped in towels for 2 hours. When I pulled it out it just fell apart. It was delicious, but I would have liked to have been able to cut it, as well as have had some crispy bark. Thoughts on what you would do differently?

I totally agree with letting it rest in the cooler like you did but I recommend pulling it at 199 if you go that. It will continue to cook in the cooler.