First Brisket - Question on Rendering

[B-Grilla-Watts]

Hi All,

So first brisket is resting at 165° until dinner tonight.

From reading around I know many wrap at a temp as opposed to feeling for the fat render. I really wanted to try the latter.

At 5am this morning I was at an internal temp of 175 - 179 (point and flat) and the fat still wasn’t giving and was fairly firm. (Cooking fat side up FWIW on a pellet smoker).

I’d already been up 2 previous times and said “screw it” and wrapped it to finish the cook.

I just wanted to put my mind at ease on wrapping when I did. Is it possible I missed the render and overcooked it? Time will tell how it tastes. I will also add my bark wasn’t black like a lot of photos I see when I wrapped. I used a salt and pepper rub and tried to be generous.

TIA this community rocks.

 

[Slimpicker]

Wrap anytime during the 170s, rendering fat doesn't happen till 200 and up a few degrees, the time to take it OFF if you are "probe tender"

 

[traeger860]

What temp did you smoke it at? It's very hard to overcook a brisket. You really have to try.

 

[B-Grilla-Watts]

I cooked it at 200, once wrapped I bumped to 250.

Verdict - The family was complimentary and impressed. I tend to only like the flat, even well rendered fat just isn't my favorite. I felt the flat was a tad dry but still good.

I was going of MadScientist BBQ's recommendation to rest at a safe temp for 10-12 hours after hitting temp. Being paranoid of dropping below 140 for food safety I probably kept the IT too high during that rest period.

 

[lenolaroad]

I cooked it at 200, once wrapped I bumped to 250.

Verdict - The family was complimentary and impressed. I tend to only like the flat, even well rendered fat just isn't my favorite. I felt the flat was a tad dry but still good.

I was going of MadScientist BBQ's recommendation to rest at a safe temp for 10-12 hours after hitting temp. Being paranoid of dropping below 140 for food safety I probably kept the IT too high during that rest period.

That was my experience when I’d change temp from 250 to Keep Warm. Now, when I hit 200 I shut down the Traeg so it quits cooking at 203 and rests down more quickly to 165. Usually takes a few hours to rest down to 165. When I shut down the grill I pan the still wrapped brisket. When it rests to 165 IT I either restart the grill at 165 or put the it in our house oven on proof setting so it continues to rest down to 140. Has made a huge difference in the quality of the flat in moisture and tenderness.