Problem with Brisket


 
Steve Whiting

Steve Whiting

TVWBB All-Star
So I did another brisket this last weekend-my 4th I believe-and although the meat was tasty I am concerned about something. With each of my briskets the bark tends to slide right off of the finished meat. It seems like there is too much fat. The same thing is present when I remove the point. Lots of slimy fat at the separation. I cook till fork tender and I believe I do a good job of pre-trimming the meat before the cook, including the point cavity so I do not understand why this is happening.
I cook at 225-240 and foil at about 165-170 until finished. I let rest for at least 1-2 hours wrapped in a cooler.
Is this normal?
 
i've def. always have had fat at seperation, I'm 99% sure everyone would say that, thats just part of it, I just scrape it off before slicing. I've heard a couple times of peoples rub falling/seperating off and i've no idea what causes that, never had that happen. Otherwise sounds like your woopin them, I think briskits are tough, so if you think there good i'm sure there perfectly fine. Someone will know what to do about the rub they'll chime in, this is what I do watch... HELP!
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">With each of my briskets the bark tends to slide right off of the finished meat. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
From the fat side, or from the flat side? Some briskets will have silverskin and varying thicknesses of fat on the flat side. I've found that if I don't skim some of those fatty spots off the flat I wind up with bark problems in those spots. I don't trim a lot of the fat on the point side of a packer, but I do like to cut slashes into the fat just down to the lean but not into it, and work my rub down through the fat and into the meat. I also like to run my knife through much of the fat delineation between the point and flat before cooking, leaving them connected but just barely. I can get more seasoning in there, the fat renders out a little better, and it's a whole lot easier to separate the two when they're hot.

All kinds of things you didn't want to know... I STILL can't write a short post to save my life.
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Keri C, Hot Wire BBQ
 
I do not trim much if any fat off my briskets until after they are cooked. I want the fat on for flavor and moisture. With that said you will sacrifice one side of bark, but will end up with the lean side and edges with good bark.

I cook my briskets fat side up, foil at 165* and pull in the 190-195* range or when tender. When it's time to slice the brisket I cut all of the soft fat off, it will pretty much scrap right off. Then turn the brisket with the lean side up and you should have good bark there and slice.
 
So to be sure I am on the right page-the fat side is the side opposite the point, correct? In other words-if I have the point up and flip the packer am I then looking at the fat side? The reason for my confusion is that the packers I have been getting my hands on seem to have a lot of fat on both sides. Larry You write of a lean side. Do your packers typically only have fat on one side?
Sorry for the ignorance-I am relative new to this.
Thanks for all your help.
 
Steve,

Like Keri said, sometimes there is a little surface fat on the meat. I shave it off like she does.

I dig into the point cavity, but I leave the fat on the bottom pretty much alone, as it's easier to trim when slicing.

Yes, the heavier fat is on the side opposite of the point. Some packers have a thin layer on the "lean" side.
 
I think I'm following you. If your confused to what a 'point' is, theres a "flat" side or END of a briskit, and that part actually appears flat. And then a "point" side or END, and that does not appear as a point, but ussually a taller section, thats rounded, or sort of rounded at least. although i've seen some wierdo shaped things, all briskits i've ever got have been totally, completely different looking. Anyway with both these ends UP you should see mostly red meat, w/ little or some fat. now if thats your top and you flipped it over you would see (as far as i've always seen) a continuous flat section of thick fat, or fat cap. I'm only human and call this the bottom.. lol. so to your question "the fat side is the side opposite the point?" I would say sort of... the point is on the top meaty side, really the fat is just the bottom.. it should be fairly obvious to witch side the fat cap is on unless your butcher is a tired man w/ arthritis. its not really 'opposite' the point but below it on the other side.
edit: well after reading your post again sounds like you got it right... simply put anyway. "if i have the point up and flip the packer am I then looking at the fat side?"... ya sounds right to me, sorry kinda missed that part. sorry if I wasn't much help or re-assurance. -Dan
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Steve Whiting:
So to be sure I am on the right page-the fat side is the side opposite the point, correct? In other words-if I have the point up and flip the packer am I then looking at the fat side? The reason for my confusion is that the packers I have been getting my hands on seem to have a lot of fat on both sides. Larry You write of a lean side. Do your packers typically only have fat on one side?
Sorry for the ignorance-I am relative new to this.
Thanks for all your help. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

If you lay the brisket on your counter with the point side up, then I am referring to the lean side as the side touching the counter. Briskets have a "fat cap" (layer of fat) only on one side. There may be small pieces of fat on the underside, but will not be covered with fat.

Here's a pic of a packer with the fat side up.


Here's the same packer with the fat side down/lean side up.
 
...? im back to square one i guess....

edit: your pics are right, nevermind. I read your reply and got confused but I know what you meant to type.
 
Being fairly new to this board I'm learning a lot of new things. Like I have been doing brisket differently from the rest of you. Personally I like to trim them pretty smooth, don't like to mess with rendered fat. Plus a thick tasty bark and deep smoke ring is prefered. Then a thick coating of rub is applied, the brisket is wrapped with some sort of cling wrap and left over night in a cooler. After placing in the smoker it is mopped or sprayed with apple juice every hour until time to warp. Which is usually about six hours. Water is used in the smoker during cooking.

Also I'm not sure of some of your terminology. What is a packer brisket?
 
packer briskit= whole shabang! actually "packers cut" is what it's called. not JUST a flat, nor JUST a point but the whole thing, you've pry seen like a half flat or a point sold as little packs of corned beef or something i bet.... i don't know, i have. -Dan
 
The Pictures did the trick-I got it now. Thanks everyone for your help and especially Larry for the visual demo. I do believe the briskets I have been getting are fatter then normal but now I should be able to identify the fat side from the lean side.
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