Tips for cooking a small brisket flat


 
J

Joe Milczewski

TVWBB Fan
Sometimes it gets very frustrating living in a town without a local butcher. We basically get whatever boxed meat the grocery stores decide to put out. I am experiencing a violent craving for brisket on Father's Day but all that is available around here right now are 3-4 lb flats. (Thanks for nothing, Arbys!)

I spent some time looking through the forum for tips as every small flat I've ever cooked has come out miserably dry. One was so bad it would have been better served as jerky. My previous attempts have all fallen down with temperature management. I was simply running my WSM too hot for a small flat.

My plan for this effort is run the WSM at 220 (thanks pitmaster ique120!) with a full water bowl until I hit about 150* internal. Then I am going to spritz heavily with juice , wrap in butcher paper and bring it up to about 185. After that I will remove the paper and try to get the bark to reset as it comes up to 195-ish.

Do I have any chance of success with this? I am up for almost anything at this point. I am considering wrapping the brisket in bacon for the first portion of the cook until it gets to the stall, but I don't know how I would get any bark on after this. Also considering hourly spritzing/mopping.

Any cheats to achieve a moist brisket - with bark - from a small flat would be greatly appreciated.
 
I do the all the time cook until bark sets, usually it of 165-170 for me. I wrap in foil with some beef marinade and a little beer, yeah beer. Then back on the pit, cook to probe tenderness, about 205-212 IT. Work perfect for me every time. If I do a flat I leave the fat cap on the bottom and the weight is in the 5-7 lbs range. I left mine rest for 1-1.5 hrs before slicing, never had issues with bad bark. Also, I inject.
 
I have only done one brisket so take my advice as that...I injected my brisket and it was pretty moist and way over done...fell apart on me...my brisket was a small flat only also
 
One of the biggest keys is to try to get USDA Choice meat or better. Most supermarket beef is USDA Select. Leave a 1/8 to 1/4 of and inch of the fat cap on. I'd wrap later than 150 because the stall is really when your crust is forming but that's also what eats up your time. Like Joe said, 165 is more like it. I normally add some beef broth when I wrap (with foil) but your spritzing may cover that. The rest of it sounds ok. My only concern is that when you remove the butcher paper you may hit a second stall. That may not be as pronounced as with foil. I don't inject but that obviously could help. I always cook full packers and lately haven't been wrapping my briskets.
 
I rarely cook flats but when I do I cook higher. There's no need to milk the time by cooking at rather low temps. Foiling is the key to better, more efficient heat distribution (and thus cooking and rendering). Foiling sooner than later (if you're temping 150 is fine) is important. Higher ooktemps means bark is better established even if the internal temp is low.

Spritzing/mopping isn't necessary if you're going to foil. Again, I wouldn't cook all that low (probably 275 at minimum); foiling with a little liquid will get you to tender. Tender and moist is the most important thing. Don't concern yourself too much with bark texture at this point. Get the brisket cooked right - tender and moist - and deal with bark just prior to serving by giving the meat a few minutes direct, before slicing.
 
Thanks everyone for the tips. Made me rethink my Sunday strategy. Appreciate it. Will run a little hotter and wrap sooner and see if I can't cheat my way into some decent brisket.
 
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