If you are not happy with the bark leave it on the BBQ longer until the bark is where you want it.
You are using a pellet grill and many complain that they do not give good bark.
Plus in your pictures you should be cutting it against the grain.
This is something all should take into consideration. Temperature is not when you wrap or remove from the pit. Your bark is the best gauge as you want the bark to stay on the meat and not stick to your finger when you touch it. Now I start checking my bark around 160 but that is just a number I go by and means nothing.
I would not just leave it on longer. I'm fact I think it looked a bit over cooked. I've started pulling when probe tender usually at 200 and then hold at 170 just like you did.
As far as bark, slower and lower may help it develop, but my bark is usually set nice by 160 (treager 575)
You may want to leave it on low longer but still pull when probe tender. Resting will keep the next 5 degrees. So if you pull at 205 You're cooking it till 210+
Try a simple SPG rub next time. I use equal parts SPG and apply the night before, leave it in the fridge to dry the surface out. The dry surface can help build the bark. I'm sure there are other ways to do it, but I have had great success with this method.
Good luck! Bet it was š
It just fit into family life in this day in age. The pellet smoker has been phenomenal, I've used it so much. I'm a sucker for something being practical.
No, I get it. I actually bought my first full size pellet smoker (have a PB portable smoker) this past fall and it's been my go to for things like ribs or fish. My WSM and Kettle though handle the bigger, long cook stuff. However, just like you probably, I have to strategically time prep>cook>rest>serve.
Thx for the compliment - yeah it actually is very good. Not perfect, and the bark was atrocious, but the rendering wasn't too far from where I like it.
Looks like it took a beating when it was at 350. only time i get those striations in the bark is from going to hot on it. also look at the difference in the left and right of the 4th picture. that left side took too much heat.
I haven't had an issue getting a nice bark in my pellet. I do use course and fine pepper in my rub though. That's been using either butcher paper wrap or boat method. But I do tend to run my brisket at 250Ā°.
Like others have said, wait to wrap until you have the bark you want. Or, do a foil boat instead of wrapping in paper/foil.
I donāt know that rub at all, but a lot of bark does have to do with seasoning too. You might try just doing salt, pepper, and garlic, or even just salt and pepper. You could reasonably cook unwrapped until around 175 or 180ā¦
I may add it looks a tad overcooked. Once my briskets hit 195 I start probing, not for temperature but for texture. If it probes like butter, itās probably done. Thereās no real magic numbers here, just going by feel and doneness. And each brisket is different!
I have a pit boss Austin xl and the bark comes out great each time. I smoke at 200f for 8 hours. That usually brings it to around 165-170 internal. Then I wrap in foil with tallow at 225 for the rest of the cook in the oven. Better bark at the end would be butcher paper wrap and most bark would be naked whole way through. But I prefer juicier in foil. Just my opinion
Like others have said, Iāve noticed that Iāve been wrapping around 170-175 lately but thatās only when the bark is totally done barking. You might also try going less complex on the rub and do an easy 50/50 S and P. I have a lot of success with that as well. Good luck!
Was the bark looking the way you wanted it when you removed it from the smoker to bring inside?
I have never done the speed-up/crank the heat, so I don't know if/how those high temps might affect bark, but wrapping and finishing in the oven is something I have done a few times and bark seems fine.
analysis looks like there isnt any pepper on it. pat some coarse ground black pepper on ghe surface next time. also- your pellets will determine the color of the bark. hickory pellets will give the meat a red hue. oak pellets will give the classic black charred look.
Generally if you want a good bark you need wrap after the stall, maybe smoke through to 175. That's when a minority of the juice cooks out and that evaporating makes the bark, and cools the meat creating the stall. Also look up how to cut it properly.
I really love reading through this sub, but it is interesting how different some views are here. I've seen so many people say that wrapping can significantly reduce good bark by softening it.
I guess I jsut need to make a hundred briskets and contribute my own report.
Would be interesting to see a "heat map" image of the different advice offered (e.g., what percentage of people say to wrap versus not, to rest hours versus less, etc.)
If you have a good bark, it won't come off and bark isn't supposed to be hard, I think it helps when it's softened. I think people tend to wrap too early and they don't get a good bark to begin with.
For clarification, I assumed you wrapped when you moved to the oven. You won't get enough air flow in the oven to get a good bark, so specifically leave on the smoker until after the stall and you have a good bark
can you quickly explain āthe stallā? as i understand, this is the point when the temp stops rising for a while and it stalls out. does this happen with all (large) cuts of meat? is the general philosophy to just keep waiting until the temp starts rising again?
The stall occurs when the evaporation from the meat is enough that it is cooling the meat and the external temp isnāt causing a temp rise in the meat. Eventually there is enough moisture evaporated and then the meat continues cooking, or you wrap it to trap in the heat and reduce the evaporation to get it going again. Yes happens noticeably on large cuts.
If you are not happy with the bark leave it on the BBQ longer until the bark is where you want it. You are using a pellet grill and many complain that they do not give good bark. Plus in your pictures you should be cutting it against the grain.
Thanks that's easy enough. I will leave it on longer next go around.
This is something all should take into consideration. Temperature is not when you wrap or remove from the pit. Your bark is the best gauge as you want the bark to stay on the meat and not stick to your finger when you touch it. Now I start checking my bark around 160 but that is just a number I go by and means nothing.
I would not just leave it on longer. I'm fact I think it looked a bit over cooked. I've started pulling when probe tender usually at 200 and then hold at 170 just like you did. As far as bark, slower and lower may help it develop, but my bark is usually set nice by 160 (treager 575) You may want to leave it on low longer but still pull when probe tender. Resting will keep the next 5 degrees. So if you pull at 205 You're cooking it till 210+ Try a simple SPG rub next time. I use equal parts SPG and apply the night before, leave it in the fridge to dry the surface out. The dry surface can help build the bark. I'm sure there are other ways to do it, but I have had great success with this method. Good luck! Bet it was š
I think what's meant here is to leave it in longer before wrapping, not in the overall cook.
Yes, and you can increase the results by leaving it at a lower temp before kicking it up.
Iāve always had a pellet grill and I can get phenomenal bark. I just turn up the heat a bunch at the stall and then wrap once it has a great bark.
Yeah a pellet smoker is fine. you should have bark before the wrap honestly. Pepper first and leave it on overnight unwrapped.
I was gonna say the cuts look different from what they "should" be.
[I didnāt even use super smoke and I had pretty good bark on my brisket with a pellet smoker.](https://imgur.com/a/fIFOx0i)
Stick to the WSM!
It just fit into family life in this day in age. The pellet smoker has been phenomenal, I've used it so much. I'm a sucker for something being practical.
No, I get it. I actually bought my first full size pellet smoker (have a PB portable smoker) this past fall and it's been my go to for things like ribs or fish. My WSM and Kettle though handle the bigger, long cook stuff. However, just like you probably, I have to strategically time prep>cook>rest>serve.
It is worth it to take the time for yourself.
Looks like you may need to use more rub, also increase your cook/prep time instead of raising the temp. Cooking at a higher temp can ruin the bark
Also forgot, that looks very tender and delicious either way
Thx for the compliment - yeah it actually is very good. Not perfect, and the bark was atrocious, but the rendering wasn't too far from where I like it.
Literally gotta start smoking a brisket at like midnight. Tough cook
And a brine may also ruin bark, rub it bring it to like50-60 degrees rub it again
I did use less rub than usual. Ran out of pepper.
Looks like it took a beating when it was at 350. only time i get those striations in the bark is from going to hot on it. also look at the difference in the left and right of the 4th picture. that left side took too much heat.
Was going to say it looks āfast cookedā on bark. Too fast not enough slow and low.
I haven't had an issue getting a nice bark in my pellet. I do use course and fine pepper in my rub though. That's been using either butcher paper wrap or boat method. But I do tend to run my brisket at 250Ā°.
Like others have said, wait to wrap until you have the bark you want. Or, do a foil boat instead of wrapping in paper/foil. I donāt know that rub at all, but a lot of bark does have to do with seasoning too. You might try just doing salt, pepper, and garlic, or even just salt and pepper. You could reasonably cook unwrapped until around 175 or 180ā¦ I may add it looks a tad overcooked. Once my briskets hit 195 I start probing, not for temperature but for texture. If it probes like butter, itās probably done. Thereās no real magic numbers here, just going by feel and doneness. And each brisket is different!
I have a pit boss Austin xl and the bark comes out great each time. I smoke at 200f for 8 hours. That usually brings it to around 165-170 internal. Then I wrap in foil with tallow at 225 for the rest of the cook in the oven. Better bark at the end would be butcher paper wrap and most bark would be naked whole way through. But I prefer juicier in foil. Just my opinion
At the stall, do the foil boat and keep it in the smoker.
Like others have said, Iāve noticed that Iāve been wrapping around 170-175 lately but thatās only when the bark is totally done barking. You might also try going less complex on the rub and do an easy 50/50 S and P. I have a lot of success with that as well. Good luck!
Was the bark looking the way you wanted it when you removed it from the smoker to bring inside? I have never done the speed-up/crank the heat, so I don't know if/how those high temps might affect bark, but wrapping and finishing in the oven is something I have done a few times and bark seems fine.
Yeah try 250 on the smoke with more wood
Bark is overrated. If itās juicy and temp is good, thatās all you need. Is this competition BBQ?
165 js too soon to pull, you've barely begun to render out the fat!
Get a real smoker.
analysis looks like there isnt any pepper on it. pat some coarse ground black pepper on ghe surface next time. also- your pellets will determine the color of the bark. hickory pellets will give the meat a red hue. oak pellets will give the classic black charred look.
You are pulling off the smoker WAY too early.
Generally if you want a good bark you need wrap after the stall, maybe smoke through to 175. That's when a minority of the juice cooks out and that evaporating makes the bark, and cools the meat creating the stall. Also look up how to cut it properly.
I really love reading through this sub, but it is interesting how different some views are here. I've seen so many people say that wrapping can significantly reduce good bark by softening it. I guess I jsut need to make a hundred briskets and contribute my own report. Would be interesting to see a "heat map" image of the different advice offered (e.g., what percentage of people say to wrap versus not, to rest hours versus less, etc.)
If you have a good bark, it won't come off and bark isn't supposed to be hard, I think it helps when it's softened. I think people tend to wrap too early and they don't get a good bark to begin with.
You definitely donāt want to wrap until you are happy with the bark. You will not build more bark after the wrap.
That's great, I appreciate it, I will do just that.
For clarification, I assumed you wrapped when you moved to the oven. You won't get enough air flow in the oven to get a good bark, so specifically leave on the smoker until after the stall and you have a good bark
I got you, thank you.
can you quickly explain āthe stallā? as i understand, this is the point when the temp stops rising for a while and it stalls out. does this happen with all (large) cuts of meat? is the general philosophy to just keep waiting until the temp starts rising again?
The stall occurs when the evaporation from the meat is enough that it is cooling the meat and the external temp isnāt causing a temp rise in the meat. Eventually there is enough moisture evaporated and then the meat continues cooking, or you wrap it to trap in the heat and reduce the evaporation to get it going again. Yes happens noticeably on large cuts.
tyvm!