Need Help: Cooking my first full brisket on my Ranger

[JonneyF]

Hi all, I finally took the leap of cooking a full brisket on my Ranger. I got a 7lb with the point and the flat. I've watched dozens of videos and seasoned the meat and refrigerated over night, took it out in the morning then put I on the ranger at 225 degrees. I checked it every hour and sprayed it. After 4 hours I took the temp at it said 180+. I was looking for 160-165. The bark wasn't very dark but on its way. I took it out and did the Texas crunch boat with tinfoil. I pushed on the fat cap and it gave way a little. My plan was to cook 7 hours total but to go by tenderness with the poke test. I have time to cook longer. Is everything going to be ok or will I ruin my $100+ meat for tonight's family dinner? Help! please

 

[JonneyF]

just checked it hour and a half later.with my thermapen: Temp at 174, Bark a little darker. I think it's going to be ok

 

[Clint62]

Glad it turned out. A hundred bucks for a 7 lb brisket? I just did a 13 pounder last weekend, it was 105 bucks.

 

[JonneyF]

I'm in Los Angeles and the meat was from an upscale Kosher butcher. At the end when I probed with the Thermapen it was soft and around 200+ around the point but around 170-180 in parts of the point. I think I let it go longer than I should have. Also I may have gone too crazy with probing; poking too many holes and losing juice. I let it rest 2 hours before I cut it. The point meet was a lot juicier than the flat. All of it was very tender and tasty and the family was amazed with their first taste of Texas style brisket. I wonder how it would have come out if I took it off the grill sooner and didn't do as much probing. I would appreciate any advice the group can offer. Thanks

 

[primeone]

Glad to hear it was a success! Any photos? I take my briskets off around 202-204. I'm still trying to master a good brisket though!

Here some good threads to check out:

6 # brisket flat questions (time and temp)

A full brisket is just too much for my small family so I picked up a 6# flat at COSTCO for the weekend. As much as I have cooked on this Traeger I have never done a brisket of any kind! What would be the best way to cook this thing? I am thinking 225 but would 180 be a little better and the...

www.traegerforum.com

BRISKET - FAT UP or DOWN

I’ve seen in the comments here as well as other forums across the www people cooking brisket fat down in a pellet cooker so I have a question which will probably turn into more depending on replies. Why?

www.traegerforum.com

Best brisket you ever made?

What steps did you take to make the best brisket you've ever made? I've tried a bunch of different techniques. Here's my favorite so far: - Season the brisket with Meat Church seasoning - Gospel and Holy Gospel - Vacuum seal brisket - Cook for 36 hours at 155F using an Anova Precision Cooker -...

www.traegerforum.com

 

[Clint62]

Get a Meater (or similar) probe. It hooks up with your phone so you can keep tabs at a glance. Once you insert it, you dont take it out till you have to wrap the brisket...then you stick it back in for the remainder.