A competitor told me my brisket bark was 'too aggressive' and it changed everything

I used to crank my smoker up to 275 and throw on a heavy dose of coarse pepper, thinking more bark equaled better brisket. Then at a local competition in Austin last fall, a guy who places top 3 regularly said my bark was tough and dry on the edges. He told me to drop the temp to 225 and use a finer grind on the pepper so it melts into the meat instead of sitting on top. I tried it on my next two briskets, and the difference was night and day. The bark stayed crunchy but didn't feel like sandpaper anymore. Anyone else get feedback that made you totally change your process?

2 comments

2 Comments

linda_mason8211d ago

Did your buddy also find the rub needed more sugar after switching to a finer pepper? My neighbor Tom spent a whole summer ruining briskets before he figured out that balance.

wyattbennett11d ago

My first competition brisket had bark so aggressive it could've doubled as roofing material. I feel your pain man, that "crunchy but not crunchy" balance is a nightmare to nail. I switched to a 16 mesh pepper and started spritzing with apple cider vinegar every 90 minutes, which finally softened that rough edge without losing the texture. Did you tweak your rub ratio too or just the grind?