Wagyu Brisket


 
H

Hayden McCall

TVWBB All-Star
Ok. I recently did a high-heat USDA Prime brisket. It was roughly 9 lbs. I cooked it via the HH method as explained in a post by Andy Erickson. It was fabulous. Well, I'm stepping things up a notch for the 4th of July weeekend. I'm going to be cooking a similarly sized American Wagyu brisket. My question is, with the insane marbling such a cut possesses, does anyone think I should cook this HH, or LNS? I don't have a ton of experience cooking LNS on my Performer, although I have done it with Boston butts (for pulled pork) and this last brisket. All turned out wonderfully. I just want to make sure I don't put a really expensive piece of beef at risk. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
 
Not to be a PITA, but you might get more responses if this was in the barbecue section.
K Kruger says, "Primes and Wagyu I low/slow, at temps lower than typical. Selects and Choices I HH. It's a good method for Selects because foiling helps retain moisture and rendering."
Here in the Beef Recipes section. Makes sense to me. Good luck!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Gary H. NJ:
Not to be a PITA, but you might get more responses if this was in the barbecue section.
K Kruger says, "Primes and Wagyu I low/slow, at temps lower than typical. Selects and Choices I HH. It's a good method for Selects because foiling helps retain moisture and rendering."
Here in the Beef Recipes section. Makes sense to me. Good luck! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm going to just have to try and take what I can get from that link and run with it. I posted this same thread in the BBQ section, and haven't had any responses yet. Weird. I'll make it work one way or another.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chuck_B:
Def low and slow. To good of a cut not to. Last thing you want to do is make an expensive error! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's exactly why I'm considering doing it high heat! LOL This is only my 2nd full brisket. The last one was prime grade, and turned out wonderfully. This one's even better. I'm scared to abandon what I did last time. LOL I did a flat once, and it made show leather seem like butter. So, I'm happy the last one went well. I'm thinking the marbling on this, along with the fat cap, should be sufficient enough to allow the HH method to succeed.
 
I would think flats would do well high heat. They're very lean, so HH wouldn't run the risk of drying out. Wagyu has plenty of marbleized fat, and would seems to me would benefit from low and slow.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Gary H. NJ:
I would think flats would do well high heat. They're very lean, so HH wouldn't run the risk of drying out. Wagyu has plenty of marbleized fat, and would seems to me would benefit from low and slow. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I did the flat lns. AND...it didn't have a fat cap.

Now...if I do this LNS, is there a key to getting a nice bark? Also, is anyone here versed on what's involved with getting burnt ends?
 
I've done several and based on my experience the lower the better. I've gone as low as 210 with AWESOME results.

Here's a shot to wet your appetite. The "sheen" on the brisket slices, that's from the marbling of the Wagyu no finishing sauce applied. This one happened to be a flat. Click to enlarge:


Burnt Ends:
If you r making them same time here's my method (actually Kevin K and Bryan S. taught me this): Remove point from flat. Throw back on smoker for 3 hours. Remove and cube, toss in favorite BBQ sauce (I use SWB mixed with Honey and Chipotle powder), throw back on the smoker for about an hour and you're golden. If you not doing at the same time after you've sliced remove point and vac seal and freeze for a later date. I do this all the time with excellent results. Same time on smoker when I put her back on.

Bark, I've never had an issue getting bark using a dry rub. Where I run into trouble is using a wet rub. Can you not get decent bark? Are you foiling?
 
Larry: Thanks for the response. Have done exactly TWO briskets. The first I did was just a flat. It had no fat cap, and came out like shoe leather. LOL The last one I did, was a USDA prime grade brisket of about 9 lbs. I do not have a smoker. I cook indirect on my Performer, using a pair of firebricks to create a retaining wall whereby I can stack coals up all the way to the grate on one side, and put the brisket on the other. I light 8-10 coals and let the adjacent coals light until I get to my target temp, then I zero in my vents. I place a drip pan under the brisket, and put a water pan over the coals. The prime brisket was cooked using the high heat method. It turned out marvelously. I DID foil the brisket, and to me, it seems like during that time, the brisket steamed inside the foil, and no bark formed. In fact, I found the surface to be a bit...mushy...as the rub appeared to have absorbed moisture as a result of the steaming. The Wagyu is decidedly more expensive than even the USDA prime brisket, so, I just want to make sure I give myself the best chance for success. Also, because I'm not working with a traditional smoker, the configuration isn't ideal for adding and removing spent charcoal. I'm also nervous about having the coal last long enough to cook an entire brisket of this size over that time frame. Now...I DO have TWO Performers. As such, I could always have the second one set up to resume duty where the first left off, but would prefer not to have to facilitate such a transfer. Suggestions?

By the way...having had both USDA Prime and Wagyu briskets previously, can you give any insight on the difference between the two? Is it truly noticeable and enough to justify the additional expense between the two?

By the way, how do I know where the flat ends, and the point begins?
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In my case Prime and Wagyu are basically the same price so I've never thought of it in those terms. However, I do feel Wagyu is worth "a" difference in price.

I understand the concern going low and slow on a performer. I've never done a smoke on my performer or kettle for that matter but I think I've read guys getting 6 hour burn times on them at low temps. You'd probably only have move three times.

Chris has a good illustration of a brisket in the cooking topics and some pictures of a point separated from a flat. It's really pretty easy, just follow the vein of fat and you're golden. My first time was intimating but after I separated my first one I thought, "what the hell was I worried about, that was a piece of cake." Much better than another "first" I had but this is a family forum
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Hope this helps. All this brisket talk has me itching to do a briskie myself, may have to hit my butcher today.
 
Getting a little psyched, and a little nervous about my upcoming cook this weekend. Hope all goes well. I'm going to try to cook this at 210-225F with an initial target temp of about 180...see if I'm fork tender at that point. If not, I'll keep her goin'. I may even reintroduce the point to the kettle to attempt some burnt ends.
 
Low and slow, it the way go to, for Brisky, in my opinion. Never had a bad brisket, with an over night, 235-245F, cook. Wine Oak wood staves, is an awesome wood, to use, on a brisky. Gives it a great taste. Let us know, how your brisky turns out. I think you will be fine.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hayden McCall:
Getting a little psyched, and a little nervous about my upcoming cook this weekend. Hope all goes well. I'm going to try to cook this at 210-225F with an initial target temp of about 180...see if I'm fork tender at that point. If not, I'll keep her goin'. I may even reintroduce the point to the kettle to attempt some burnt ends. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's exactly what I would do Hayden. The pic Larry posted is proof positive he knows of what he speaks (nice brisket Larry!). You will likely be challenged with maintaining the temp, but I think you will be rewarded sometime the next afternoon.

I look forward to the pics.

-mike
 
This is a go. I have the brisket marinating for 8 hours. Gonna flip it over in about an hour and a half. Should go on about 5:30 tomorrow morning. I'm using Chris G's recipe. Can't wait for tomorrow evening.
 
Well, it's a beautiful morning, albeit 4:15 AM...LOL I got the brisket marinated and patted dry. I've slathered it in yellow mustard and applied the rub. I'm just bringing it to room temp, and I'll get it on the kettle. Goes on in about an hour. Should be done by late afternoon, early evening...longer still if I decide to do the burnt ends.
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She's goin'. Trying my best to keep it between 210 and 225...But I have it parked at 230, and that's good enough for me. Long day ahead. Supposed to be 93F today. Yuck.
 
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