Tried dry brining a brisket overnight and it came out rubbery

I thought I was doing myself a favor by dry brining a 14 pound brisket 18 hours before my cook last Saturday. I used about a tablespoon of kosher salt per pound, wrapped it in plastic, and let it sit in the fridge. After 10 hours on my offset smoker at 250 degrees, the flat was tough and almost rubbery like corned beef. The point was okay but not as tender as when I just salt it an hour before. Did I overdo the salt or leave it on too long? Has anyone else had dry brining mess with their brisket texture?

3 comments

3 Comments

jade321mo ago

Man that sucks, I feel for you. "Dry brining a brisket overnight and it came out rubbery" is such a bummer after all that work and money. I think 18 hours with a tablespoon per pound is definitely too much salt for that long. The salt pulls out too much moisture and starts curing the meat, thats why it got that corned beef vibe. For a big brisket like that I'd keep it to half that salt and maybe 6 hours max next time. You're not alone in this though, I've messed up a couple briskets with oversalting before and it sucks every time.

troy4391mo ago

Oh man, wait - did you let it rest long enough after cooking? I've found that even with perfect salting, if you slice into a brisket too soon after pulling it, all that moisture runs right out and leaves it tough as leather. Like, I once pulled a brisket at 203 degrees, wrapped it in foil and a towel, and only let it sit for like 20 minutes before cutting. BIG mistake, it was like chewing on a car tire. How long did you let it rest before you dug in?

patricia9051mo ago

It's funny how that works with so many things in life, where patience is the secret ingredient but we always rush it. Kind of like letting a lasagna set up before cutting into it or giving paint enough time to dry between coats, you know?