Brisket cook-- I need help

[Shaun H]

Did my third brisket cook this weekend. I couldn't figure out the point. The first two cooks were fairly simple to identify the flat from the point, but I just couldn't figure it out this time. Previously, the point was on top of the flat and to the side so to speak. Big fat strip between the two.

This time, I cooked a 14 pounder and I swear it looked like it was just one huge flat sitting on top of a lump of fat near the broad end. here are some pics post cook. Please help me out in identifying the point, because I don't know if I separated it rightly.

Viewing this picture, it seemed to me the flat ran all the way across the top, and then it rests on what may be seen like the point underneath, between the fat cap and the flat:

Here is after I cut off that part/seperated. It was a very arbitrary cut, not clear as in previous cooks:

Usually in my two previous cooks,the top of the flat would be exposed. but of course in this one, that is not the case.

Here is what it looked like on the other side:

Lastly, here is a view of the brisket cut into a few pieces:

Can someone with more experience than I, tell from these pics what is going on? How am I misunderstanding this thing? I really can't tell where the point is, or if it was what was underneath the flat, or if I am misidentifying the flat all together.

Any help? Please/thanks

 

[Dave Russell]

Shaun, use the process of elimination, and don't think so much of location and shape and such. I say that because I find that they're not all the same, but there's always a fatty section that I can run a backwards knife through to separate the two (if it's had enough time).

The point is the rich part that I wish I could put in a magic BBQ stretcher after a cook, and the flat is the lean part that is quite...flat. Most of the time the flat doesn't span the distance of the whole brisket, but I've had them where they did, or were close to covering the point completely.

 

[Shaun H]

I see. Thanks for that assurement. Just didn't know how to interpret what I had. I guess I did the right thing then. Just ran against what I *THOUGHT* I knew about briskets.
Thanks.

 

[Gary S]

Shaun, I've had them where the point was so obvious it was bulging out of the cryovac and others like yours where the only way you can tell is by the fatty section which separates the two parts of the brisket. I think in any case follow the direction of the grain. The point and the flat will run in different directions. I watched a video once where the cook trimmed a small piece of the flat away at an angle before cooking suggesting this was the sure way to tell. I always just follow the grain or as Dave does let your knife slice through the fat section separating the two with next to no effort.

 

[Alan F]

Looking at your top and bottom picture it looks like you did it perfectly. You can clearly see the line in the top photo.

 

[Shaun H]

I think in any case follow the direction of the grain. The point and the flat will run in different directions.

Interesting. I hadn't thought to look at that. Good point. That should definitely help. I pretty much just let the knife do the work, and it seems I found the separation point pretty well. So now just on to trying to get the cook itself to get better.