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The day I figured out why my brisket was always dry
I cooked brisket for 2 years thinking I needed to hit exactly 203 internal temp and pull it off. Last month I saw a video where a pitmaster in Lockhart Texas said he probes for feel not temp. Tried it on a 12 pounder last weekend and stopped when the probe slid in like butter at 198 instead. Best brisket I ever made and now I don't touch the thermometer until it feels right. Anyone else learn this way later than they should have?
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willow67215d agoProlific Poster
Hard disagree honestly. You guys are overcomplicating something that already works fine. 203 is a proven target that works across different smokers, cuts, and weather conditions. That probe feel stuff is way too subjective, especially for someone who hasn't done this for years. I've seen people ruin perfectly good briskets because they pulled early based on a "buttery" feel that never came and ended up with chewy meat. Temperature is a hard number you can trust every single time, it doesn't lie like your fingers might. If your brisket was dry at 203 it was probably a cooking method problem, not the target itself. Keep the science not the mysticism.
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I used to be super religious about 203, like I'd stand there with my thermapen until it beeped exactly. Then a buddy who cooks comps told me the same thing - feel over numbers. Pulled one at 195 last month because the probe went in like room temp butter, and it was the juiciest flat I've ever had. Still use the thermometer to check but I'm not married to it anymore.
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