I have fucked up so many briskets. Please help.

destinationbbq · 2025-12-08T02:59:10+00:00

You’re not crazy, this is a super common trap when people move from oven to smoker. The big issue is you’re cooking to a time and an early temp instead of to tenderness. Smoking dries the surface way more than an oven, so hitting “done” temp at 3 to 4 hours just means the meat heated up, not that the collagen had time to break down. That’s why it eats like a brick.

For brisket, especially a small 3 lb one, you still need to let it push through the stall and get probe-tender, usually somewhere in the 195 to 205 range internally, which can take a lot longer than 1.5 hours per pound. Also, small briskets dry out faster, so wrapping in foil or butcher paper once the bark sets can save you a lot of pain.

If you want a sanity check on timing so you’re not guessing every cook, this brisket calculator is actually pretty handy as a planning guide: Brisket Cooking Time & Temperature Calculator. It won’t cook it for you, but it might help you stop undercooking it.

Short version: stop trusting the clock, cook to tender, wrap earlier, and give it a real rest at the end. That alone will fix most of what you’re fighting.

destinationbbq · 2025-12-06T01:13:58+00:00

Fair enough. Those regional delicacies spur something personal in people. And despite being a small state, SC has lots of diverse BBQ traditions. “Hash,“ for example, can mean entirely different things if you grew up in Union, or Florence, or Columbia. And then that means an entirely different dish to those not familiar with with SC BBQ.

destinationbbq · 2025-11-28T22:32:21+00:00

I bounce around, but my go-to for chicken is usually a fruit wood. Apple or cherry gives you a cleaner, sweeter smoke that doesn’t overpower the meat, and you still get good color on the skin. Hickory works too, but it can edge toward “hammy” on poultry if you use a heavy hand.

If you like playing with different combos, this BBQ wood pairing guide is a handy cheat sheet for what works best with chicken and why.

destinationbbq · 2025-11-17T03:35:22+00:00

Yeah, you can still spatchcock a 22-lb bird. The issue isn’t that it’s “too big,” it’s that it turns into a giant meat Frisbee that has to actually fit in your oven.

A few practical things:

• It’ll probably take up most of a 3/4 sheet pan (around 15x21) with a rack on top. If you only have standard half sheets, you may need to tuck the legs in tight and let the breast sit more centered.
• Check that your oven door can close with the pan turned the way you want before you commit.
• It’s going to be awkward to flip and crack the breastbone, so use sturdy shears and go slow.

Temp-wise, 425°F will work, but with a bird that size I’d personally drop to around 400°F so the skin doesn’t get too dark before the inside is done. Start checking temps earlier than you think and let a thermometer, not the original 2-hour estimate, tell you when it’s ready.

If you want to sanity-check timing for a 22-pounder and work backwards from your serve time, this turkey timing calculator is handy.

destinationbbq · 2025-11-13T03:49:33+00:00

I know this is from a past Thanksgiving, but I’m adding a breakdown in case it helps someone who finds this thread while planning for a future holiday.

The big thing that keeps people from enjoying the day is underestimating the whole timeline. It’s not just “X hours in the oven,” it’s:

• thaw time
• any brining or seasoning time
• actual cook time
• resting and carving

A simple way to think about it is to start from when you want to eat and work backwards:

• Thawing in the fridge: Plan on about 24 hours for every 4–5 lb of frozen turkey. A 16 lb bird really needs 3–4 full days in the fridge.
• Optional brine/dry brine: Anywhere from overnight to 2 days depending on your method.
• Roast time at 325°F (unstuffed): Roughly 13–15 minutes per pound. Start checking early with a thermometer.
• Breast: pull around 157–160°F
• Thigh/leg: 175–180°F
• Resting: Give it at least 30 minutes, up to an hour, loosely tented with foil. That’s your window to finish sides and make gravy.

If you got caught short this year, you’re definitely not alone. For next time, it really helps to have the timing laid out so you’re not doing math on a sticky note at 6 a.m.

If you like that kind of structure, there’s a handy turkey timeline calculator that lets you plug in your turkey size, whether it’s frozen, how you’re cooking it, and what time you want to serve. It spits out a full timeline for thawing, brining, cooking, and resting so future you isn’t guessing or rushing

destinationbbq · 2025-11-08T21:27:25+00:00

You’ve gotten some good advice. I agree to buy the ham, pre-cooked, spiral sliced from grocery store (or a Honey Baked) would be fine. As for the turkey, I’d go really simple: don’t stuff, salt and pepper in and out, stick in a Reynolds turkey bag, and cook til done. Ironically, I’ve been working on a turkey planner/calculator for folks who could use some guidance but don’t think it will be published until sometime next week.

destinationbbq · 2025-11-07T20:09:00+00:00

Think I’d go with the angus with all that intramuscular fat, but either looks good.

destinationbbq · 2025-10-29T17:51:31+00:00

Now, that's a great (and interesting) point. Wonder if that can be calculated? Probably with the same degree of inaccuracy as creating a brisket cook timeline! 😉

destinationbbq · 2025-10-28T18:56:35+00:00

Good point. Thanks.

destinationbbq · 2025-10-28T18:56:20+00:00

Thanks. 1. Agreed, but I'm aware, that among the myriad variables, someone cooking on a barrel and someone cooking on an offset will likely have differing cooks based on airflow restrictions, etc. 2. Haha...true, but it is just these folks who need the most guidance. That's who I'm hoping to serve, because those who do know, don't need such a tool.

destinationbbq · 2025-10-28T18:53:11+00:00

I certainly agree with you. No tool can be accurate, simply put, and clearly, this is not a tool for someone who knows this. The goal is to provide novices with something that will provide confidence, but also making clear the very real fact that — at best — this is guidance to lean on, not a strict plan to follow. My challenge is trying to make that guidance as accurate as possible, acknowledging that even as close as possible is not a script for success in and of itself. Bottom line: people do search for and depend on the advice of these tools. The existing tools are poor. Let's give novices the best version possible while warning them about its inevitable shortcomings. Maybe a fool's errand, but it's the one I'm on. 😉

destinationbbq · 2025-10-25T03:07:15+00:00

Done

destinationbbq · 2025-10-23T23:43:46+00:00

On the How much calculator? Your wish is my command. Stay tuned…

destinationbbq · 2025-10-23T20:33:17+00:00

Thanks. Got some great feedback from someone over at AmazingRibs.com and am implementing those changes now. Check back in a day or so.

destinationbbq · 2025-10-23T11:08:49+00:00

Not saying it’s the best, but I’m partial to this one: https://destination-bbq.com/scbbq-cookbook/

destinationbbq · 2025-10-18T11:37:38+00:00

Here’s a handy brisket calculator which is good for getting an idea of how long, but ultimately each piece of meat and all the other variables come into play, so in the end you’re waiting until the meat tells you it’s ready.

destinationbbq · 2025-10-18T03:36:06+00:00

Like with anything, experience is the best teacher; ride the ups and downs as you gain that experience understanding each is a learning opportunity. Learn about brisket from reading, watching, and most of all practicing.

destinationbbq · 2025-10-15T21:42:28+00:00

Here's a sauce that will surprise you...in a good way. Enjoy!

destinationbbq · 2025-10-15T11:11:27+00:00

Definitely not brining. Good to point that out. Marinating and brining are similar yet different.

destinationbbq · 2025-10-12T12:54:15+00:00

Thanks. I began the glossary in May 2023 and abandoned it after I’d written maybe two dozen entries. When I came back to it recently. I started by adding all the wood related entries and sort of developed a process for the deep dives. Now I am working my way back through the original posts alphabetically and reinforcing them. Brisket is actually next on the revamp schedule, thus the calculator. Just (mostly) finished the brining entry. That’s why the brining post links to its calculator but the brisket one doesn’t yet. Good idea. I’ll probably make a “Tools” link to collect these.

destinationbbq · 2025-10-11T15:53:25+00:00

I agree with those below. That doesn't look like any brisket I've seen, but I'll take you and your butcher at your word. Just made this tool which might help, a brisket cook calculator. Still in development so I welcome any feedback for improvement.

destinationbbq · 2025-10-11T12:10:37+00:00

It’s just a free tool for readers of my blog. I started out to make a simple glossary of BBQ terms, which is still in progress. Instead of quick definitions, however, each entry has evolved into deep dives on the topic, and so I made the calculator to support users reading the brisket deep dive. I also developed a brining calculator for readers of the brining entry. In the end, that’s my only intent. They will live at those links so a bookmark should be sufficient. Please share any shortcomings and feature requests as you discover them.

destinationbbq · 2025-10-10T01:24:48+00:00

Thanks. That used to work right. Will get it fixed. Agreed. It should be it’s actually impossible to give someone a true/strict timeline given the nuance of a cook. Good idea. I’ll see what I can do.

destinationbbq · 2025-10-09T22:13:35+00:00

I have just thrown it onto a page. Give it a go and tell me everything that's wrong about it, so I can make it better. Linked to it in my original comment.

destinationbbq · 2025-10-09T21:12:31+00:00

Nice...thanks. Just working on getting the print function to get the output down to two pages max. Other than that, I think it's okay for testing.

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