StunnedMonkey

Recipes 

If you pulled it at 175, that's why is was dry. You should get it up close to 190. At 175 the collagen hasn't started breaking down yet. After 180 or so that tough connective tissue breaks down like gelatin and dissolves into the meat. That's when it gets tender and juicy. Odd as it seems, it was dry because it was actually undercooked.

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jammin

Recipes 

Dang - I always thought 150 was the break down zone. I did hear that in reference to pork though. Is there a difference?

JeepDiver

Recipes 

Pork is the same. It's usually 165-170ish where you hit a platue where temps will hold steady for an hour or so where it starts breaking down. I usually take pulled pork to 210 brisket or sliced pork 195

ALF

Recipes 

It took me a while to figure out cooking a brisket right. I now cook the brisket to 190 deg F internal, then wrap in foil and cook for about an hour. Maybe less than an hour for a smaller brisket.

marmonduke

Recipes 

I second the packer briskets and use the internal temp as a guide only. "Feel" for doneness. you're fork, knife, thermo probe will slide in like butter. I like to do them at around 230-250 and I've had them take forever and I've had some be probe tender alot quicker than others. You can get an idea about how long it will take but "feel" to tell when done.

processhead

Recipes 

The brisket I smoked yesterday came out very tender. I did the "Texas Crutch" (foil wrap) when it reached 150 and pulled it out at 195 degrees. Very moist and tender.

The point at which the meat tissue breaks down was very noticable when probing with the meat thermometer.

marmonduke

Recipes 

I've had some hit 210 internal before and still tender. I like to foil once hit's about 160-170ish then put back on for an 1.5 hours or so. I had a couple when I first started out I pulled too early and it was a tough as a shoe..I thought I over cooked but in fact it was way undercooked.

Hernando

Recipes 

What I tend to do is pull the brisket out 190-195 and lay iton some foil I spritz the crap out of it with (whatever liquis you use) usually apple juice misture and wrp it up in foil then a blanket. I then throw it in a cooler for an hour to finish it off and rest it. Once that is over and one with I have a perfect brisket.

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SmoothSmoke

Recipes 

Probe tender is when it's done not a specific temperature. Not all briskets are created equal, some take longer to get tender. It is best to probe it IMO.

JeepDiver

Recipes 

Everytime you stick in a new hole you are letting juice out. Cook.it to temp low and slow and cut against the grain and it WILL be tender