Judge told me my bark was too dark, now I pull at 195 instead of 205

Competed in Austin last month. One judge said my brisket tasted burnt, just a little. I always waited for the probe to slide in at 205 like it was butter. Switched to pulling at 195 and wrapping in butcher paper with tallow. Bark stays a deep red instead of black, and the fat renders clean. Anyone else get feedback that made them change a temp or time that felt sacred?

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pat3606d ago

Man, that judge did you a favor without even knowing it. Had the same thing happen at a comp in Waco a couple years back, they said my flat had that bitter, burned taste even though the probe went in smooth as silk. I was stuck on 203 for so long I treated it like a religion. Dropped to 197 and started pulling earlier while the stall was still doing its thing, and everything changed for the better. The color stays that deep mahogany instead of looking like a chunk of charcoal, and people actually eat the bark now instead of scraping it off.