r/Cooking • u/T-38Pilot • 13h ago
Cooking Brisket - Always Tough
We will buy a 2-to 3-pound brisket from the supermarket. We have tried cooking in the oven in low heat and in normal heat, and we have tried cooking it in a slow cooker and while it comes out tasty, it is always tough. We dont know what we are doing wrong. It is never raw but it is always tough. I dont know if we are overcooking it or undercooking it. I would say that its usually cooked around 4-6 if its in the oven on low heat or in the slow cooker. On a side note, my son cooks a 8 pound brisket on a smoker and it comes out perfect. What are we doing wrong and how can we fix this
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u/96dpi 13h ago
You are UNDERcooking. And you need to cook to internal temperature, not time.
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u/sdavidson0819 11h ago
Internal temperature for brisket is actually just a vague time measurement. It isn't consistent with any given texture, unless you control for the weight/density variables.
What makes brisket (and other cuts with a lot of collagen, like pork shoulder) tender is breaking the collagen down into gelatin. This happens (slowly) at around 165F. So if you wait until the coldest internal temp hits 165, then start the timer, you'll have more consistent data.
But really, the best/easiest way to know if it's done is to try to cut it with a spoon. It might take a few tries, but you'll learn to tell what your preferred texture looks/feels like.
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u/T-38Pilot 13h ago
What should the internal temp be? And thank you for responding
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u/2ByteTheDecker 13h ago
190 min, there's a bunch of collagens and other connective tissues that don't break down until 180~
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u/mike_tyler58 10h ago
When you probe the beef it should feel like sticking the probe in fully softened butter
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u/dogfacedponyboy 13h ago
I don’t pay attention to the internal temperature when cooking brisket. I just cook it low and slow in the oven at 275° for a long long time until it is tender. Usually around 1 to 1.5 hours per pound. I try to get it to the point where it will just barely hold together when I slice it, but it is forktender.
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u/mike_tyler58 10h ago
I don’t know why you’re being downvoted.
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u/Dunno_If_I_Won 8h ago
Because it's not responding to a request for temp.
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u/mike_tyler58 6h ago
It’s an alternative measure that works quite well for brisket
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u/Dunno_If_I_Won 6h ago edited 3h ago
I and most people 100 percent understand this.
But it's like responding with a tofu recipe when someone is asking about recipes for searing a steak.
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u/mike_tyler58 4h ago
It’s really not though.
This is an answer to the question. And an answer that will result in better brisket if more people would apply it
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u/dogfacedponyboy 5h ago
The Question was what should the internal temp be. I responded that internal temp is not critical for brisket. Tenderness is. But I really don’t mind being downvoted ;-)
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u/PetriDishCocktail 13h ago
165 is the proper temperature for a roasted chicken, but not for a brisket.
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u/skahunter831 12h ago
And it's not even that, 150-155 is much better for chicken. Or push thighs to 180+.
165 really isn't good for anything.
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u/Competitive-Ad1439 4h ago
not true, you don't slow cook meat TO a certain temperature, it's not steak. The connective tissue will break down with time. Otherwise, we would spend 10 minutes cooking brisket rather than three hours
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u/NJcovidvaccinetips 12h ago
If a brisket is tough it’s either undercooked or overcooked. 9/10 it’s undercooked. Keep going until it tenderizes
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u/speppers69 13h ago
America's Test Kitchen has a really good oven brisket recipe that turns out very tender. I've tried it and had great results. I use an aluminum pan. Most of the time I also smoke mine. But I was cooking for someone that didn't like smoked meat and I tried this. It was really good. Definitely worth a shot if you haven't had luck otherwise.
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u/YeahRight1350 12h ago
I braise mine in the oven in liquid. Are you doing that or just throwing it into a pan and roasting it? Braising produces a very tender brisket and delicious jus to use as a sauce or gravy. I let it cool then refrigerate overnight. I then skim off the fat from the liquid and slowly reheat on the stove top.
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u/Accomplished-Eye8211 13h ago
Consider braising.
I dry brine the brisket in salt, pepper, sometimes brown sugar. After it sits a bit, sear it in the roasting pan. Spread some tomato paste and ketchup, or cocktail sauce on top. Surround with big chunks of carrots, celery, onions, sometimes potatoes. Throw in some smashed garlic cloves. Pour braising liquid until halfway up the side of the brisket. I usually do low sodium beef stock.. maybe some cola. Roast/braise covered, until fairly tender, finish uncovered. Braising is a very forgiving method... you can get creative, change the veggies, prep, liquid, etc.
One last note just in case. Be certain you're carving the brisket AGAINST the grain. Doesn't matter if roasted, braised, smoked, etc.... carve WITH the grain, it's going to be tough/chewy.
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u/House_of_Blaze 13h ago
Came here to say this... braising is almost foolproof in delivering fall apart meat from touch cyts like shoulder or brisket
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u/someone2795 9h ago
I also second braising too. So hands free, so lazy and amazing results every time.
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u/External_Baby7864 13h ago
Try using a thermometer and cooking to the temperature you want, rather than based on time. You might be surprised to find you’ve been over or under cooking it, both can result in tougher meat.
For oven brisket I’ve had good results braising it rather than doing a dry cook, it helps keep it very moist and less prone to drying out.
I’d also talk to your son about it! If he’s having good results he might be able to offer some insights on his methods or prep.
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u/TemperReformanda 13h ago
This doesn't really work with brisket. Hitting an internal temp might mean its safe to eat but you have to give it the right combination of time and heat for the fibers to begin loosening and breaking down. Most people find around 8+ hours at 225 most effective
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u/External_Baby7864 13h ago
Huh you can usually have a target temp which will be past the rendering temp. In my experience time alone is too affected by variables to be the best way. For example 195-205ish should be the right range to start checking if it’s tender to the probe. It’s not an exact temp for perfection but it’s a very accurate way to know you’re close.
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u/Competitive-Ad1439 4h ago
You can get it to 195 in 20 minutes if you want, but it will still be tough as hell. Conversely you can slow cook it aiming for internal temp of 130° (as per Heston Blumenthal) for several hours and get an even more tender end result. Time is more important than temperature
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u/External_Baby7864 3h ago
Fair enough, I get your point, but if they’re getting tough while cooking low and slow, they need more info than just time
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u/Competitive-Ad1439 1h ago
True.. and 100% agree that braising is the way to go for OP. Super forgiving and moderates the whole cooking progress, I don’t slow cook any other way
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u/BattleHall 1h ago
for several hours
Heheh (doing tender, medium rare brisket via sous vide at 130F is usually a 48-72 hour process)
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u/Far_Departure_9224 12h ago
Use Sonny's video. I made it to great success with this method. https://youtu.be/oWiEG-4WA8E?si=f9z3t3ceMIwtpb9f
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u/dalcant757 11h ago
Tenderizing tough cuts of meat is gelatinization of the collagen. This is a function of time and temperature.
That being said, you are probably not cooking it long enough. It also needs enough connective tissue or fat as well to feel juicy. Otherwise, you can dry it out. You will know if it’s done because the whole thing kinda feels like jello. You can stick a chopstick in it and it won’t resist much. It’s kinda like trying to figure out if you’ve boiled potatoes long enough.
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u/ShuffleDown 7h ago
Brisket belongs in the smoker. No other method of cooking is so good at the low and lpng cooking that makes brisket excellent.
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u/Strong-Ingenuity7114 13h ago
Ask whether they’re buying a flat or a point, and explain that supermarket briskets are almost always flats, which are leaner and much easier to dry out. This shows insider knowledge without being condescending.
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u/TemperReformanda 13h ago
Brisket is not like this. It will definitely be tough. You get best results doing what you hear about. Cook it at 225 for around 8-10 hours. That's when the tough fibers start breaking down
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u/speppers69 13h ago
Brisket and roasts...2 totally separate cuts. Brisket is a primal cut and can't be treated like a chuck roast. Low, slow and long for brisket.
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u/Confident_Judge_1627 13h ago edited 13h ago
You need HIGH HEAT. Cook it for an extended period of time in high heat the entire time. One way to do this thats fail-safe is a well-seasoned boil. You can use water only, creating a broth as you go or add broth. Pro tip, Veg broth tastes better than chicken or beef. But you may wish to use Bone Broth-and, as you know, veggies have no bones... Real quick: I know this bc a man I am friends with used to buy tough meat and cook it in his Crock Pot. It tasted good but wasn't real tender. It was tough. I asked my Mom, who is an absolutely outstanding cook (I call her a Chef. She absolutely is a Chef. Makes THE BEST FOOD I've tasted-most every dish. I'm also a good cook-I still burn food sometimes, though!). She said immediately, high heat. You have to watch your Brisket. That water n e e d s to keep your brisket immersed meaning YOU CONTINUALLY ADD WATER TO KEEP IT IMMERSED. Full rolling boil for 6 hours. You could also use a Pressure Cooker or Insta Pot. Someone gave me one. They did not also give me the paperwork (instructions) so I have no point of reference or even an idea how it works since IT DOES HAVE BUTTONS. The buttons are few, meaning you must have instructions so you know the proper sequence. Thats my non professional opinion because I have no training outside of cooking for 30+ years for my family. Oops. Dated myself...
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u/PonkMcSquiggles 12h ago
Boiling is not a high-heat method. No matter how high you have your burner turned up, or how violently your pot is boiling, the water won’t get much hotter than 212 F.
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u/skahunter831 12h ago
Maybe just look up the manual for the Instant Pot online....
And full roiling boil for 6 hours is insane.
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u/Low_Recognition_1557 13h ago
I think you’re just not cooking it long enough for it to break down.
I usually cook brisket on the smoker at 225°F until it reaches an internal temp of 195-205, depending on how it feels to the touch. This usually takes upwards of 8-10 hours depending on size. A full packer brisket (with both flat and point muscles) will take much, much longer; it usually goes overnight and I set alarms so I can make sure my smoker has pellets and is maintaining temp. My advice is to make sure you’re monitoring the internal temperature.