Hit 100 brisket cooks this weekend and it finally clicked

I keep a little tally on my phone of every packer brisket I smoke. I hit 100 on Saturday with a Prime from Costco in Arlington. I realized I stopped stressing about the stall around cook number 70 and now I just go by feel instead of watching the thermometer every 5 minutes. Anyone else notice a big shift in how they cook after a certain number of tries?

2 comments

2 Comments

reese5515d ago

The stall is where most people give up or second-guess themselves, but you're right. That feeling of knowing when to just let it ride is a real milestone. For me, the biggest change came when I stopped wrapping at a certain internal temp and started wrapping based on how the bark felt to the touch. The thermometer can lie sometimes. Your hand and eyes won't. Sounds like you're past the point of needing a crutch. That's a good place to be.

the_aaron5d ago

You ever get that moment where the probe slides in like butter and you just know? @reese551 that's exactly what I mean. I've had briskets stall for over four hours but the bark had that tacky leather feel so I just let it ride. Came out so tender you could pull it with a look. The first time I trusted my hands over numbers, it felt like cheating almost. Now I barely look at the temp until I'm ready to wrap. It's like the meat teaches you if you pay attention.