Rolled Brisket ?


 
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Morgan Sziraki

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I just bought a brisket today because I'm really craving pastrami.
It costs about $30/kg here (~ $14/pound)!!

1) it weighs about 7.5 pounds
2) it's just the flat, and consistent thickness
3) it's very thin, yet probably bigger than the WSM

QUESTION:
I was wondering if anyone has ever thought to roll the brisket up, tie it with butcher's string and smoke like that ?

Oh yeah, it's apparently difficult to get curing salts over here, it's illegal to sell it.

I *did* find this site: Sausage making.org, but I'm not sure I really want 500 grams of a carcinigen at my disposal.

I think I'll get the spices right, but leave the cure out. I've made corned beef this way, and the taste is right, but the colour is gray, and you don't get the nasty stuff.

So if anyone has rolled a brisket and cooked it, I'd like to know how it worked, otherwise you'll be hearing a full report from me
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You could foil-wrap just the ends to protect them from the higher heat at the edges, and "shoehorn" it between the handles of the upper grate. It will shrink as it cooks, and, at some point, you can remove the foil.
 
Doug,
I thought about that, but it's *really* thin, an inch at the most. It's also really wide, it looks like a blanket! I'm concerned it may end up very dry, which is why I'm considering rolling it up.

thanks

morgan
 
If it's pliable enough to roll and skewer in a loose spiral-- like ribs, so the meat doesn't touch itself-- I don't see why you couldn't.
 
I rolled a portion of my first one up and there were a few things I didn't like about it:

1. gray where meat is touching, as you pointed out already

2. curl didn't want to come out of it making slicing/shredding and cleaning up fat kind of a pain

3. smoke pentration/flavour is not good where meat is touching

4. rub isn't cooked/no bark where meat is touching

5. takes longer to cook
 
Thanks gents
Doug, I might do just that.
Shawn, what about the moistness. One of the problems I've had with brisket over here is the fact that the crypacs are only the flat, so no matter what you always have an element of thinness. This is the thinnest brisket I have ever seen, it's also the widest/longest ... it also appears to be te most pliable.

I think I might have to make an executive decision on this one.

One thought was to smoke it flat for an hour or so then roll it before it dries out too much.
Can one get an internal smoke ring ? I don't know, certainly the compounds would be there and it may keep the temp below 140 long enough to promote ring forming behaviour ... I might have to try this and report back.
 
if it has fat on it I don't think it would dry out, also, the thinner it is the quicker it should cook ... so it's in the coooker less time therefore less chance of drying out .... after the brisket flats I just did this weekend I can't conceive of the idea of dry brisket; holy cow were they fatty!

maybe you could cut it in half and put one on each rack ...

hope it goes great for ya Morgan!
 
Morgan Sziraki

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Oh yeah, it's apparently difficult to get curing salts over here, it's illegal to sell it.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Why is it illegal?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Shawn W:
maybe you could cut it in half and put one on each rack <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

OK, I was gonna cut it half anyway, half pastrami, and half reqular rub ... now I'm certainly going to do that. And leave it flat, just cook it less.

cheers mate
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tony Serra:
Why is it illegal? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think it has to do with explosives.

$$ Hello, I'd like 3 tons of curing salt.
$$ Yes, that's right, and 3 tons of aviation fuel.
$$ No, I'll supply my own safety flares, thank you. ... OK bye.

I *did* find a place to sell it, but the guy won't do it without speaking to him first.

We're safe in England!
 
I've got just the pan, as well.
OK, I'll give a full report, as I doubt I'll be completely decided until I crank up the grill.

And wifey thought BBQ season was over!
 
perfect opportunity to do one half in the pan and one half out of pan to see the difference first hand ... same meat and cooking conditions ... just a thought
 
Shawn,
I like a good experiment!
As I said, I'll keep you all posted.
The worst I've ever done with brisket was "slightly dry but edible", and that was after 5 hours in foil cos I forgot. Jim Beam effect.
 
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