Brisket


 
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Willy T.

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Lately the briskets I've been cooking the flat is hitting temperature a lot earlier than the point.If I take the meat off the cooker when the flat is done, the point is under cooked and tough.If I cook the brisket till the point is done, the flat has dried out.I've even put the point toward the hotter end of the cooker to try to compensate for the thickness in the point.
Is there a way to even out temperatures on both ends of the briskets?The last few briskets have been a lot larger on the point end than normal.I also trim all the thick fat on the bottom side of the point to keep from slowing cooking down on the point end. This is a new problem I haven't had this problem in the past.Am I just getting some bad cuts from the packer?
Willy T.
 
Hi Willy!

When I cook a whole packer trim brisket, I will take the meat off when the flat is ready. Then, cut the flat away from the point and put the point back on for another 2-3 hours.

Lately, however, I have been separating these BEFORE cooking. I have had very good results in just cooking the flat, especially for competitions. I then freeze the point and wait until I have several of them and then smoke em up.

Many of the old Texans seem to like to leave the fire around 200? and cook these whole briskets for 24 hours. I never saw a point and a flat separated except when the whole cut came off. I imagine the lower temp would sort of balance out at the 200? mark, which is about the temp you are shooting for.
 
Yes, the best luck I have had is to separate them before cooking. I even took off the brisket from the pit when the flat was at 190. It was kind of hard and dry. The point was fantastic. I have tried every way I can think of. Perfect point end, dry hard flat end.

I have been told that the main reason for this is that I am using the cheapo $0.88 lb "select" grade brisket instead of the "choice" grade. Not enough marbeling in the flat end as well as the flat ends are too thin and taper down too much. Supposedly the choice grade briskets have much better marbeling, and fat layer on top as well as they don't taper down much and stay closer to the same thickness from one end to the other.
I have been saving the flat end for Chili, Fajita's, and other dishes. I have 2 more select grade briskets in the freezer to use up, then I will start using choice grade and see if there is much difference.

I have tried these selects on my Cookshack and in WSM's. I will try my last 2 in my Klose pit next week.
 
Willy
A couple of things, one kevis has already mentioned, lower the temp.
Second, when trimmimg before the cook leave more fat on the flat and trim closer on the point, it has more fat internaly and take the closer trim job.
Paul Kirk would hang the brisket point on top and let all that fat render across the flat to keep it moist.
Jim
 
The problem I faced was that there wasn't enough fat on the flat end to start with. They must be trimming it off at the packing house or something. I only trim a little of the really thick hunks of fat on the point end. I only smoke them at 225 F. Until 185-195 F.
 
Rocky
If the flat is low on fat, the fat you do trim place it on the flat and let it help keep it moist.
Also if a brisket is low on fat, I cook a pork butt over the brisket and use it as a baster.
Jim
 
Thanks Jim, but I've tried that too and the flat still ended up hard and dry. They taper down so thin towards the end, only to about 1/2" thick and maybe 1" at the thickest. Absolutely no marbeling in the meat at all. The internal temp is fine, the pit temp is fine, the point end is juicy and tender. I even tried wrapping the flat in foil after removing from the smoker and letting it sit in a cooler for an hour. It looks juicy for about 2 minutes. Then it just gets hard and dry. Not really dry, but hard because it is too lean.

I have to try the "choice" grade and see if there is any difference.
 
Thanks everybody for the replies.
Hey Kevin.I've been thinking about seperating like you say because if you buy just flats around here they're trimmed of all fat.I've done it a couple of times but not quite perfect on the cut right when the flat and point meet.Some times I take the points and make hash(carolina thing..lol..) out of them especially if the flat is done and the point isn't.As far as competing with just the flat I don't have a good enough time schedule on just cooking the flat only.
Hey Jim.I usually leave the flat end alone.But I'll do some serious whittlin' on that fat on the point end..lol. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif The only thing I do to the flat is square it up(Rocky, this may help on your thin dry ends).But Rocky is right, around here it's hard to get top quality briskets.I wonder how much success Paul has with hanging? I believe he calls it chinese style doesn't he?Have you ever tried it that way Jim?You might be on to something.
Hey Rocky.Doesn't Sam's sell choice? I thought that's what they sold.
 
lol,....I'd have to cut half of the flat off to get it to where it has any thickness to it.
I can get "choice" grade brisket. It costs about twice as much though. I'm willing to pay more if it really makes a big difference. I just want to use up the last 2 "select" grade briskets I have in the freezer.

My Klose pit is coming this Sunday. Probably on Halloween day, I am going to smoke: 2 briskets, 2 pork butts, 2 turkey breasts, 2 slabs of spareribs, and 2 chickens.

That ought to almost fill the first rack. lol
 
Now that I live in Chicago, I am finding that full briskets are hard to find and you don't see the flats too often, either.

Turns out that Vienna, that makes hot dogs for just about every hot dog stand within 100 miles of here, they use brisket for their meat.

I have tried Sam's, Costco, local butchers, all the groceries. Was able to get one at Sam's on special order--of course, I also ordered Pork Butt and they came out with a Pork rib roast. Fortunately, they let me look at their meats in the cooler and I found what I needed.

Gosh I miss Butcher Boys in Vancouver--they know BBQ meat

Dale
 
I purchased 2 packer cut briskets today in Evansville, IN at Super Walmart. They were cryovac packaged CAB and cost .98 cents per lb. Super Walmart is the only place around here to get full packer cuts unless you order them from a butcher shop and then you have to pay a big price. Both briskets were well marbled and very flexible. Seems like the ones that you can bend end to end come out more tender. I put them on my homemade offset at 5PM tonite, and let them go til 1:30 AM. Brought them in the house and there were at 167 internal. Wrapped them in foil and popped them into the oven at 250 degrees....will keep them in there til about 4AM.
 
Hey, Bruce, next time you venture up to Evansville (my home town), do yourself a favor and drive 15 miles or so north on Hwy. 41 to Haubstadt, IN, home of Dewig Meats. Dewig's is barbecue heaven. They are a meat packing plant and butcher shop. They have the freshest and finest ribs, butts, sausage, etc. you'll find around these parts. They'll sell you fresh packer cut brisket, whole pork shoulder, whole hog, whatever you want. Prices are reasonable for the quality of the meat. Also, there's another meat packing plant, Farm Boy Meats on Evansville's north side, which I've heard is good and sells to the general public. I've never dealt with them, though.

Steve
 
Steve, I'm very familiar with Dewig's. I am a service technician and have equipment that I service at Dewig's. I did ask them about brisket, Tom Dewig told me to call him ahead of time and he'd cut me a good price. I haven't tried any of their other products, but have always heard good things about them. I grew up not far from Farm Boy. I too was born and raised in Evansville. Small world aint it!
 
Could you wrap the point in some thick bacon slices from the butcher? Maybe get him to cut some pieces 1/2" thick, so you don't stop it from cooking, but you get a little more fat on that end.

Better yet, wrap the flat in some REALLY thick bacon so it cooks slower /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

k
 
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