I always thought wrapping a brisket in foil was a total cheat until I saw a pitmaster in Lockhart do it to save a cook that was drying out.

After my third brisket came out like shoe leather, I tried his method of a tight foil wrap with a splash of beef broth at the 160-degree stall, and it came out perfectly juicy, so has anyone else found a specific trick that saved a piece of meat headed for disaster?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenix84519d ago

Honestly, the foil wrap is a lifesaver... but what really changed things for me was the type of liquid. Beef broth is fine, but a half-cup of strong black coffee mixed with a little Worcestershire sauce does something else. It doesn't make it taste like coffee, it just gives the bark this deep, savory thing that straight broth never does. Saved a brisket that was getting way too dry and bitter last summer.

wendy_clark2d ago

Used to stick with apple juice like @the_susan mentioned, thought it was the only way to fix a dry brisket. Tried your coffee and Worcestershire trick last weekend and it was a total game changer. The bark got this dark, almost sticky crust without any burnt taste. My old method just made things sweet, but this added a deep flavor that really saved the meat. Never going back to plain broth now.

the_susan19d ago

Oh, that's a great tip. I've used apple juice with a splash of vinegar before when things got dry, and it really helps.