Not-Your-Normal Brisket Question


 

Drew Baker

New member
Hello all -

I'm going to make some Brisket for a fall party that I co-host with my neighbor. But, it's a party where people will be eating over the span of a couple hours. So, I don't see that I can slice a brisket as per normal, and serve it up that way. I want to be able to set a big pan out on a warmer for a couple hours. My thoughts:


  • My initial plan was cook the brisket, then cube it, then sauce and make the entire brisket (flat and point) like I typically would burnt ends. Is this a bad plan? I've never cubed the flat before. This has the added benefit of allowing me to smoke the day before, and then just re-smoke the burnt ends on party day.

  • My second thought was to do a "chopped" brisket, more like pulled pork typically would be. Add in some of the drippings, but don't sauce it all up. Set sauce on the side.

  • Is there something else I've missed?

Any thoughts or recommendations for doing a large amount of brisket (I might do a full packer, and a point, or two full packers), and doing it in a way that doesn't require me standing right there slicing and dishing it out for hours...

Thanks!
 
Keep it warm the same way you keep any other meat entree warm. The flat should be served sliced. If you're thinking about cubing it or chopping it, serve something else.
 
We've done several large group parties with brisket on the menu. I'm assuming there are other menu items. We made "The Arrival of the Brisket" as a special event within the party. Bring it out, uncover it, slice it to order until it's gone. People will line up. Just me, but I would never slice brisket in advance and put it out for people to graze. If you can't slice-to-order, maybe chopping it and mixing with sauce is your best last resort.

Jeff
 
Make the brisket part of the event! I agree with Jeff to a certain point. Let it come out, have everyone “ooh and aah” and start lining up, board to plate is one thing but if it’s going to last a few hours, it would be silly to stand there like a lawn jockey waiting to please someone.
How long does it take to slice a brisket? Twenty minutes(? Including snacks for the carver) tops.
Have a hotel pan at the ready, start slicing, and filling the pan as soon as the board has been emptied. Carving a piece of meat is not hard unless knives get dull, have your steel and maybe a spare knife on hand. Brisket is so gently sliced, it’s not hard to cut one at all. Do two, slice one into a hotel pan and wait for the second to rest while you allow your muscles to recover if you must but, if slicing a brisket drains you, drink more beer and have someone else slice it to order. Slicing to order will end up with the last people getting dregs anyway. Slice it, pan it and, let folks have a good time at the party! Be as much a guest at the thing as you can! It’s supposed to be fun!
 
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Yea, I agree with the above members, but you could do one sliced to order, and one chopped or cubed for a little fun.

Tim
 
I tend to prefer to slice to order. On thing you can do is slice it but leave the slices pressed together and don't fan them out. This will hold in the moisture. Brisket can very quickly dry before your eyes if you slice it all at once.
 
I remember someone ( maybe KK) used to paint the slices with leftover pan jus or glaze and that helped stop that drying out problem.

Tim
 
I typically host ~15 for family gatherings. The brisket is set out with a knife. I’ll slice a few pieces for the immediate demand but if you want more or come later you’re welcome to slice your own.
 
You can cube it all. I cube the flat all the time when I vac seal/freeze because it gives me options at meal times. Save the juice or keep some beef consume/sauce mix handy to keep it moist.

That said, why worry about having enough brisket for a few hours? Make what you make and when its gone, its gone.

We took a large pan of brisket enchiladas to a pot luck last winter...It was the first thing gone and people were raving about how good they were the entire evening.

I didn't even get one. But it's pretty nice to take home an empty pan. :D
 
"I remember someone ( maybe KK) used to paint the slices "...

Yup. Good memory. Jus mixed with a little melted unsalted butter.
When I do parties where meats are served over a time span I cook several of whatever the meat in question is but only reheat/slice or slice/reheat one or two at a time. "Drying out" comes from too high a temp during reheating (allowing the meat to get too hot and thus start cooking again) or too high a temp during holding and service (same issue).
 

 

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