This year's Thanksgiving brisket turned out great, but there was something strange about it; there was much more point meat and less flat meat. It was a 14.5lb CAB, and I ended up with a huge bowl of burnt ends and a smaller plate of sliced flat meat compared to what I'm used to from a brisket that size. I've heard about butchers "cheating" when it comes to cutting briskets, trimming more meat off on the pectoral side and less on the navel side, resulting in longer, skinnier briskets, but this was the first long, skinny brisket I've cooked (last one they had). This 14.5 pounder touched both sides of my 22.5" smoker when I put it on. I can usually get a 16 pounder on with no problems.
It worked out because the guests prefer burnt ends, but I'm wondering if this is the new normal.
It worked out because the guests prefer burnt ends, but I'm wondering if this is the new normal.