Too much Packer


 
J

John Furdyn

TVWBB Pro
A whole packer is too much meat for my family.

Has anyone say cut the packer into 2 pieces, and froze the second piece for another day ?

Or is it better to cook the whole thing at once and then freeze the leftovers like you might do with leftover ribs or butt ? Vac pack/quick cool then freeze ? any info appreciated.

If so is it better to freeze sliced or as a piece ?
Thanks
 
Okay I will cook it whole.

Just came home from walmart, bought a 9.3 lb packer one of the smaller ones. Tried to get one that was pretty even.

I think Bryan or someone posted on this forum that all walmarts meat is enhanced. As I recall maybe something about watching the amount of salt you put in the rub when it's enchanced?

I ran into an older fellow with a large marked down butt in his cart. I asked him how he was going to cook it etc (crock pot). He saw me looking as the brisket and came over an told me he smoked brisket "Without" trimming it ? He said just smoke it 12 hrs and it will be fine. No mention of temperature or anything.

I plan on trimming mine some. Had been reading Chris's Brisket selection and prep section.

Plan on pretty much following Chris's midnight cook. Want to try out the WSM @ 250 ish, only did high heat cooks so far since buying the WSM.
I have the 2 gallon H2O pan from my Brinkman, so I'll fill it with warm water should last a good part of the cook. Fill the charcoal chamber Minion and awayway we go.

Should I freeze the leftovers sliced/pulled or a chunk ?

Thanks
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John Furdyn:
Okay I will cook it whole.

Just came home from walmart, bought a 9.3 lb packer one of the smaller ones. Tried to get one that was pretty even.

I think Bryan or someone posted on this forum that all walmarts meat is enhanced. As I recall maybe something about watching the amount of salt you put in the rub when it's enchanced?

I ran into an older fellow with a large marked down butt in his cart. I asked him how he was going to cook it etc (crock pot). He saw me looking as the brisket and came over an told me he smoked brisket "Without" trimming it ? He said just smoke it 12 hrs and it will be fine. No mention of temperature or anything.

I plan on trimming mine some. Had been reading Chris's Brisket selection and prep section.

Plan on pretty much following Chris's midnight cook. Want to try out the WSM @ 250 ish, only did high heat cooks so far since buying the WSM.
I have the 2 gallon H2O pan from my Brinkman, so I'll fill it with warm water should last a good part of the cook. Fill the charcoal chamber Minion and awayway we go.

Should I freeze the leftovers sliced/pulled or a chunk ?

Thanks </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Check to see if the brisket has a nutrional label on it. If it does read the sodium content, it should be 100mg or less if it's fresh (not enhanced). If it contains 300mg or more sodium and/or says "contains solution or self basting" it's enhanced. The WalMart around here used to sell fresh select packers that were fantastic, then they switched to enhanced flats which I never tried......now they don't sell either.

All of the pork in the WalMarts around here are enhanced....

You can trim the brisket if you want. I used to but now do not trim at all until the brisket is done.
 
I don't trim either. If I am serving to people who are anal about fat I'll trim before serving. Fortunately I don't have to do that often.

I pretty much never separate the point from the flat after cooking to return it to the cooker to cook more. I separate it sometime after serving and freeze it separately. (It becomes chili, sauce, filling for meat pastries, whatever, sometime in the future). Remaining flat I leave whole and freeze. You can freeze sliced, if you wish, but in either case when you reheat, only reheat to serving temp, not more, lest the meat overcook and dry. It happens rather quickly with slices so be careful.
 
Larry

It says 65 mg Sodium thats per 4 oz serving as I read it. Total wt. 9.45 lbs.

Kevin

I will freeze a chunck of the leftovers as opposed to freezing it sliced, i kinda thought it might be better to freeze it in bigger pieces.

thanks for your inputs guys.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John Furdyn:


It says 65 mg Sodium thats per 4 oz serving as I read it. Total wt. 9.45 lbs.

</div></BLOCKQUOTE> That's a fresh one!
 
Larry Thanks

Since it's Fresh then I don't have to worry about the salt content of my rub ?

You and Kevin have convinced me to not trim the brisket "before" cooking. Am I correct in assuming there will be a little less "Bark" by not trimming ? My family are not big bark eaters. I believe, I also read somewhere about cooking a butt fat side up for less bark ? Is that true for brisket as well ?
 
Cook fat side down.

I trim the some of the heavy hard fat in the cavity between the point and flat.

You'll have less bark with the point attached.

It's a personal preference for most, and I find it easier to deal with the packer intact.

As for too much, I save the point for other things, and rarely do i serve it with the flat unless requested.
 
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