Cooking Tips: Flat vs Packer Cut?

[Darryl.O]

Hey all,

I've been purchasing brisket flats for a while now because it's all I have been able to find locally. I'd also like to add that I've gotten pretty good at smoking them too!

Picture of what I normally work with. ~5lb flat (this one is frozen)

Yesterday, I got my hands on the elusive Packer Cut. First one I've ever seen in person. ~9lb packer cut.

I am just looking for tips on cooking it versus cooking the flats I'm so accustomed to.

Some side info is that I have become partial to foiling at 165 and go until mostly fork tender throughout. I've also recently begun using Butcher's brisket marinade which I inject in a chessboard like pattern into the flat. Should any of this change?

Does the point cook considerably quicker than the flat? Do you all remove it while leaving the flat in the smoker?

Thanks!

 

[Paul K]

Darryl,

You can cook a full packer the same way as a flat. As a matter or fact, if your flats are turning out good, the packer should be even better. I recommend leaving the point on while smoking. It will cook faster than the flat as it has much more fat in it. Always check your flat for tenderness to determine when the brisket is done; never the point. When it is, you can remove the point and put it back on if desired for 'burnt ends' which are favored by many. Dice up the point and put it back on the smoker to develop more bark and render a little bit more fat out of it. I like your idea of foiling at 165; it speeds up the cooking. You can experiment with the injection; I've never injected a brisket; they tend to have plenty of fat in them. If you don't over-cook them, they will be moist.

Paul

 

[Darryl.O]

Thanks, Paul!

Exactly the info I was looking for

 

[K Kruger]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Yesterday, I got my hands on the elusive Packer Cut </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That looks to me like a brisket that's been trimmed of a hunk of the flat and possibly some of the point. Hard to say with it still in the package. Still, cook as Paul notes.