My brisket flat always cooks faster than the point, leaving it dry.

I've tried wrapping at different temps, but the disparity remains. What's your go-to method for keeping everything juicy and even?

3 comments

3 Comments

reed.dylan17h ago

That Franklin BBQ book suggests placing a water pan under the flat to slow its cooking.

joelmoore17h ago

Honestly, that water pan trick is just asking for a soggy bottom on your brisket. The whole point of smoking is to develop a proper bark, and all that extra moisture directly contradicts that goal. Franklin's methods are proven in his restaurant, but they often overcomplicate things for the average backyard cook. If you need a water pan to slow cooking, your fire management probably needs more attention than your brisket does. Sure, it might prevent overcooking in a commercial setting, but at home it usually just steams the meat instead of smoking it. Master the basics before adopting fancy techniques that can ruin your results.

paulc9116h ago

Wonder if we're overthinking the need for perfect uniformity. @reed.dylan citing Franklin's water pan method makes sense in theory, but I've found that aggressively managing the fire's hot spot and rotating the brisket does more good than adding moisture. The point has way more fat marbling, so it's naturally going to stay juicier longer than the lean flat. Sometimes I just pull the whole thing when the point is probe-tender and accept that the flat will be a bit firmer, but it's still delicious if you slice it right.