How to Get Brisket Tender

Q: I have tried twice to smoke brisket and it turns out tough. I have marinated it for 2 days in coke marinade. Cook it to medium rare on the therometer, and it is so tough. Should I could it to 185 instead?

A: Brisket is one of those things that have to be cooked very low and slow to 180 or more to get it tender. If you want to slice it then you will want to cook it to about 180-185 but if you are planning to chop or or pull it into pieces then you can go up to 195-200.

Sounds like you have the right idea with the marinading and all.. you just need to cook it longer.

Brisket is very high in collagen and requires low temps over very long periods of time to break it down to an edible form.. to figure how long you need to cook brisket just multiply 1.5 times the number of pounds and that is your estimated cook time in hours.

For an even more tender brisket, when it finishes cooking, double wrap it in heavy duty foil, then wrap it in a couple of bath towels. Place it in a cooler using pillows to fill in the extra space. The brisket will stay hot for as much as 4 hours and will continue to tenderize as it sits.

Be sure to read my article on the 4 Secrets to Cooking the Perfect Brisket


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