What Temp is Brisket Done?
Last Updated on January 13, 2022
Knowing what temp is brisket done is something of a science, and requires good control over the temperature and the cooking surface you are using.
But at what temperature is a good beef brisket truly ‘Done’? Is there a certain temperature you should seek to have your brisket reach, or a certain temperature you should try cooking it at? Maybe even a certain way of cooking it?
We know how amazing a good beef brisket is, so we want to help make it the best it can be, so let’s find out at exactly what temperature a brisket is done!
What Temperature is Brisket Done?
You should aim for your brisket to be around 195 degrees Fahrenheit before removing it from your grill. The best way to check this is to use a probe thermometer.
Simply stick the probe into the meat, aiming to get the tip of the probe as close to the center as possible, and allowing it around five minutes to give you an accurate measure.
Checking The Internal Temperature
Allowing the probe to reach the center of the meat helps you to get the greatest sense of the internal temperature of the meat, The very center will be the last spot to attain a certain temperature, as the heat has to permeate through.
Once the center of the brisket has reached around 195 degrees Fahrenheit, then it should be ready to take out. This will also mean that the outer edge of the brisket will have reached a nice and satisfying crispiness which emphasizes the tenderness of the meat inside.
A good and succulent beef brisket can be the absolute highlight of an amazing barbecue.
This amazing prime cut of beef, taken from the chest of the cow is full of amazing flavors, plenty of juicy fats, and lots of delicious meat, but in order to achieve those amazing flavors, you might need to put in a little bit of extra effort.
The brisket on a cow is responsible for supporting a massive degree of a cow’s weight, and thus, it has lots of connective tissue that needs to be slowly tenderized, otherwise you end up with dry and tough meat!
Can You Overcook Brisket?
You definitely can, and you definitely don’t want to. Overcooking a brisket can lead to horribly chewy and unsatisfying meat that doesn’t taste very good.
Overcooking can also cause the natural flavors of the meat to be degraded and outright destroyed, which can lead to flavorless meat. This is why you need to keep careful control over the cooking process, to get satisfying results every single time.
You should aim for the internal temperature of the brisket to not exceed 195 degrees Fahrenheit too much, as that is the optimal temperature. You should also keep in mind that the brisket may continue to heat up slightly even after removal from the grill, and this may cause it to overheat slightly.
Thus, you should aim to remove your brisket from the grill at around 190 degrees Fahrenheit in internal temperature.
Under cooked brisket
You can check to see if your brisket is underdone by checking the texture and consistency of the meat. If it is still too tough, and very difficult to fall apart, this means that it is underdone, and the connective tissues have not yet tenderized.
How to Use a Probe Thermometer?
A probe thermometer is a simple device and easy to use. Just place the pointed end into the meat slowly, until it reaches around midway through the meat.
Then you can leave it there, and it will slowly begin to gauge the internal temperature of the meat from the very tip of the probe. Make sure to clean the probe thoroughly between uses to remove any bacteria.
This should be very easy, as most meat probes are made from stainless steel, and can be washed easily.
You may even find that your grill has a built-in probe thermometer! This will be attached to the lid of your grill, and it will insert itself into the meat as you lower the lid.
This helps to make it far easier to find the very center of a cut of meat, while also making the process of checking the temperature totally hands free allowing you to check the temperature without having to lift the lid, which also means you’re not wasting heat.
What is The Best Way to Cook a Brisket?
The most commonly used method to cook a brisket is the low-and-slow method. This rather funky name refers to a method that involves cooking the meat nice and slowly so that it can tenderize throughout, while still reaching its optimal temperature.
This is essential, since the brisket is quite a tough cut of meat.
The low-and-slow method refers to setting the temperature quite low and placing your brisket within your grill for a long period of time. This is why a pellet smoker is considered to be the best device for cooking the perfect brisket.
This allows for the entire cut of meat to be cooked thoroughly and for the juices within it to be drawn out allowing the inherent flavors of the brisket cut to come to the forefront, which will give you that amazing flavor that everyone loves at the barbecue.
Brisket FAQ
#Is it ok to cook brisket at 170?
You should definitely aim to cook your beef brisket at around 225 degrees Fahrenheit, anything less than this will lead to tough, chewy, and very un-appetizing meat that will be difficult to eat, let alone enjoy.
#How long do you smoke a brisket per pound?
About 1.5 hours per pound at 225 degrees. The time per pound is strictly a guide and cooking times will actually vary.
Several things can affect the cooking time such as, the meat thickness, how often you open the smoker door, also be aware that the outside temperature plays a big part too, cold, wind and rain means it will take longer to cook.
You should only open the door when it’s absolutely necessary such as checking the temperature on the brisket. If the weather is mild and you’re keeping the temperature at least 225 degrees then it should take about 13 to 15 hours.
#How long should you leave smoked brisket to rest?
Plan on resting your brisket for a minimum of an hour wrapped in butcher paper on the counter, any less than this and you won’t get the best results. Slicing too soon directly after cooking means you loose a lot of those lovely juices.
Aim to have the temperature around the 195-205 degrees for slicing and eating.
Resting the brisket is definitely beneficial
- It gives the meat extra time to cook
- Time to relax
- Time to cool.
If you need to keep it longer than an hour, then wrap in paper or foil and towels, and place in a cooler.(I tend to leave it there for 2-4 hours, that leaves me plenty of time for other preparations).
If you’re planning to wow your barbecue guests with an amazing and tender beef brisket, you need to cook it just right. Make sure that the whole cut of meat is cooked throughout using the following three tests:
#Test1 Check Temperature is 195-203 degrees Fahrenheit.
#Test2 Put your hands underneath the brisket, if it wobbles in your hands like jello it’s probably done.
#Test3 Use a temperature probe and insert it into the very center of your brisket, it should slide in easily without any resistance.
Aim for an internal temperature 195-203 degrees Fahrenheit to allow for all of the usually tough meat to tenderize, without losing any of its bite, or its incredible flavor.
Conclusion
When you smoke a brisket for the first time it may not be done exactly as you would like, but don’t worry, even the experts didn’t get it right first time, but with patience and practice you’ll be a smoking hot chef your family and friends will love.
If you have any questions please contact us we are here to help.