need advice with small brisket


 
D

david blumberg

New member
Hi,

as an impulse buy at Costco today I got a flat cut brisket to smoke on the SMC. I have done ribs, pork butts, chickens and turkeys, but never a brisket.

The usual instructions are for much heavier cuts. this one weighs 3.4 lbs. Is this smokable without it drying out? Should I just braise it? Any tips much appreciated....

thanks,

david
greenville, sc
 
Originally posted by david blumberg:
Is this smokable without it drying out?

Yes it is. I get small ones too, although not usually that small, but no matter. This way works for me as per tips from others over the months. Go minion method. Smoke until you hit ~165 then foil maybe with a bit of some liquid. Whatever you like. Continue to cook to about 185 then start testing for tender by sticking probe, scewer etc into the thickest part and testing for resistance. When you feel little or no resistance, pull it off and let it rest an hour or so. Open the foil for about 15 minutes, slice it up and go at it. If you aren't eating for a while, pull when there is still a bit of resistance when you test for tender, wrap it and rest in a cooler. Some do high heat in the 325-350 range. You might try that at least once and see if you like that way. It shortens the cook. You would still smoke, wrap, rest for a time depending on when you are eating
Dave
Click to expand...
 
David,
I have tried several small brisket flats (3 to 4 lbs.) over the years and sometimes they are great and other times they will dry out. Even though they are small in poundage they still require an overnight cook before they are done and that long cook time can dry them out. I recently tried a different method for a small flat and my wife and I both liked the result. I smoked it until the internal temp reached 160 degrees and then wrapped it in a double layer pouch of aluminum foil. Before sealing up the foil and putting it back in the WSM, I poured over the meat a mixture of about 1 part vinegar based bbq sauce, 1 part tomato based bbq sauce and a little A1 sauce. The brisket continued to cook for several more hours, basting in that sauce and its own juices. I pulled it when the internal temp was about 190 degrees. The brisket literally fell apart in shreds and was moist, slightly smoky and delicious. The shredded brisket made excellent bbq sandwiches. Good luck and Go Tigers!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tom Murtiashaw:
Even though they are small in poundage they still require an overnight cook before they are done and that long cook time can dry them out. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Tom,
When you say overnight is required for a small flat, what time frame are you talking about? I've never gone all night with say a 5 lb flat and find that they are done in about 7-8 hours or so depending on cooker temps and when and for how long I foil. Hey, if it works for you go for it, but I'm just curious.
Dave
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave/G:
Tom,
When you say overnight is required for a small flat, what time frame are you talking about? I've never gone all night with say a 5 lb flat and find that they are done in about 7-8 hours or so depending on cooker temps and when and for how long I foil. Hey, if it works for you go for it, but I'm just curious.
Dave </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yeah Dave, I'm curious too. I just did a 8.65lb flat yesterday and it only took me 8 hrs and 40 min. All night for a 3-4 lb flat. I can see why they get dry.
icon_eek.gif
 
THANKS to all for the responses....I applied my usual rub last night, fired up the smoker this morning, and put the meat on at 8 am, top rack, full water pan, hickory for smoke...temp around and about 250-260 the whole time.

at 11 the meat was at 165, so I wrapped in foil, adding a little bbq sauce mixed with apple cider. At 1 pm the meat was at 205, so I took it off and left it foiled till 2:30....just tasted it, delicious and moist....the total cook time was 5 hrs. as I said, the weight was 3.4 lbs. It was thin, about an inch thick everywhere. a sucessful smoke!

thanks again,

david

(make mine Go Gators!)
 
David,

Sounds good. I typically run my WSM at 220-230 so it probably would take me a little longer to reach a 200 internal temp, which is why I start at night, get a few hours of sleep, foil the brisket, put it back in the WSM and go back to sleep. The smaller briskets I have cooked are done early in the a.m. when I wake up, the larger briskets a little later in the a.m. Since I usually do longer cooking PBs at the same time I am doing a brisket, those just keep on going until the afternoon. The foiling of the smaller brisket probably will help save it if I happen to oversleep or the temps spike during the night.
Tom
 
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