Separating point and flat pre-cook?


 
B

Brad Marsh

TVWBB Member
Hey Qers. This goes out to everyone up and getting ready to put something on their smoker.

Anyone ever separated the point and flat before the cook? I was thinking it would save time...Instead of one 11 lb brisket, I'd have about a 4.5lb flat and about a 6lb point. I'm not sure if 2 smaller cuts would cook faster than one large? Or, if I'd be doing myself a disservice by cutting the point off pre cook.

Any experience or opinions would be appreciated.

I need to get this meat on the pit!

Good night!
 
Decided to just put the whole packer on. Fired up w/the Minion Method w/ 1 large pecan log and 2 hickory chunks. Put the brisket on at 2am CST. Now at 4am, the lid temp is 250* and I'm going to get some sleep. At least until my daughter wakes up at 6.
 
Brad,

Interested in knowing how your brisket turned out. Since there are only two of us in the house I have been buying the smaller ones.. 4-6 pounds.. I assume they are the flat. However I have not been successful in keeping them moist. Did one yesterday.. just like the posts say.. took it off after 7 hours. Tastes ok but is very dry.. any suggestions for me.
Thanks
George
 
On a brisket, the time savings would be negligible. Where the two muscles connect together, the flat is somewhat thinner than its opposite end. Having the fattier point connected protects it from drying out , as it might by the time the main part of the flat reaches the desired finishing temp. More typical is to cook whole, measuring temp in the flat, separating flat and point when the flat reaches doneness, and returning the point to the cooker for an even higher finishing temp.
 
In theory, if we cut each piece in half again, the time would be even shorter. However, the key to good bbq is the breakdown of connective tissue and time is of the essence. So the real question is how long does it take to break down all of the connective tissue without ending up with a dry piece of meat.
 
11 am and just took my first internal temps:

End of flat: 176
Middle of flat: 168

Lid temp is about 255, top grate should be about 240.

Given my starting time of 2am, I guess I'm right in the middle of the plateau. I've not done anything to this guy yet. No basting or spraying. Should I foil it or just let it go. Barking up nicely.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Brad Marsh:
Hey Qers. This goes out to everyone up and getting ready to put something on their smoker.

Anyone ever separated the point and flat before the cook? I was thinking it would save time...Instead of one 11 lb brisket, I'd have about a 4.5lb flat and about a 6lb point. I'm not sure if 2 smaller cuts would cook faster than one large? Or, if I'd be doing myself a disservice by cutting the point off pre cook.

Any experience or opinions would be appreciated.

I need to get this meat on the pit!

Good night! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Brad, it takes a bit of practice to get it right, but there is a vein of fat that runs at a bias between the point and the flat. It's not always easy to see it, but that's the best place to separate a brisket into two. Since the point and flat are different thicknesses, they cook for different times, so separating them is a good idea.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by G Poe:
Brad,

Interested in knowing how your brisket turned out. Since there are only two of us in the house I have been buying the smaller ones.. 4-6 pounds.. I assume they are the flat. However I have not been successful in keeping them moist. Did one yesterday.. just like the posts say.. took it off after 7 hours. Tastes ok but is very dry.. any suggestions for me.
Thanks
George </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Use a meat thermometer and cook the brisket to around 185º internal. If you're buying trimmed briskets like most supermarkets sell, they are normally trimmed too much. You can lay bacon strips over the top to add more fat. If you still end up with dry brisket, you can try smoking for a couple of hours, then foiling them for the rest of the time.
 
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