Shorter cook times for higher quality brisket?


 
A

Andrew Feldman

TVWBB Member
Last night I smoked a Wagyu beef brisket... one of those "american Kobe beef" briskets. It was well over 14 lbs but spent only 9 hours in the smoker at 225 to achieve an internal temp of 205...I was wondering if there is an inverse relationship between meet quality and length of time to cook?

In other words, do higher quality briskets consistently take less time to cook than similarly sized lower quality briskets?
 
It depends on the cooktemp but yes they can. Many cooks will cook high quality briskets at lower cooktemps till tender and this turns out to be to a lower internal. Very well-marbled cuts can support lower cooktemps and becuae they are so marbled finish temps will be lower. (I like this method for high quality beef and pork cuts.)

One can cook cuts like these at more 'typical' temps--or even at high temps--with good results. Timing will depend on the nature of the specific cut in question and whether the cook is cooking to tender, or is cooking to a specific internal temp.
 
thanks.
One small follow on question.
I know that many of the more seasoned cooks cook until done, but if you were to use a meat thermometer on a brisket would you take the temp on the point or the flat or both? I read an earlier post on the site by a pit master suggesting that the correct place to get the temp is from the flat since the point with its higher fat content actually cooks faster even though its thicker...
 
The place to check is indeed the flat. I check for doneness there, using a probe; I am unconcerned with temp. If you temp, the flat is still the place, in the middle. I am not a fan of multiple temps on items like this. Pick a place--period. If you need confirmation later pick a place not far from the original and go with that. (You can make yourself crazy probing all over the place and it is not necessary.)

The point cooks 'faster' but does not get 'done' sooner, the flat does. I ignore the point entirely, removing the brisket when the flat is tender. The point I remove and keep for other things. On the rare occasions I am going to serve it as pulled beef, I return it to the cooker for continued rendering.
 
Thanks Kevin.
Today I have four racks of baby backs in the smoker...I have used your recipe with tamarin and pineapple juice...they will be out shortly.
Thanks.

In a different smoker, I have a sirloin tip roast trying to follow Jim Minions recipe from an earlier post...

The eating will be good tonight.

Thanks for all your help.
 
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