First bash at Brisket

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First bash at Brisket

Postby Novo » 17 Aug 2016, 19:33

Evening,

I've done a few chickens now on my WSM and even a joint of beef (which came out beautiful). I'm going to have a bash at some Low and Slow beef brisket.

I've done my fair share of reading up and I'm feeling ready to give this challenge a go.

There are a few points I was hoping people could shed some light on:

1) I want to carve the flat and make burnt ends with the point but I don't feel confident enough to be able to split the two cuts.
I've seen some guides telling you to trim down the fat and split it before it's cooked and others saying split it once it's cooked. I think I would struggle to get either of those right.
I've found that Tuner and George actually sell the two cuts separate, would that be the better option?
http://www.turnerandgeorge.co.uk/packer ... isket.html

2) If I do choose to cook the two cuts separated but at the same time, is there a marked increase in cooking time or will it still be around 1hr / 1lb ?

3) Once the flat is up to temp I was planning on wrapping it with foil and letting it sit, is there a recommended time to let it rest before carving?

Thanks in advance!
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Re: First bash at Brisket

Postby Lord Grim » 18 Aug 2016, 07:47

Morning :)
First up, I want to say that I have never done a full brisket, only a rolled joint.
But I will have a bash at answering based on general cooking knowledge, and hopefully someone will be along to either confirm or tell me I'm an idiot!

1) I want to carve the flat and make burnt ends with the point but I don't feel confident enough to be able to split the two cuts.
I've seen some guides telling you to trim down the fat and split it before it's cooked and others saying split it once it's cooked. I think I would struggle to get either of those right.
I've found that Tuner and George actually sell the two cuts separate, would that be the better option?
http://www.turnerandgeorge.co.uk/packer ... isket.html

Having never done one before, I'd be tempted to buy them separately so that I could have a good look and get a feel for how the muscles fit together. That being said, to the best of my knowledge, the grain of the flat runs in a different direction to that of the point, so they should be fairly easy to tell apart and separate, so it's really down to your confidence.

2) If I do choose to cook the two cuts separated but at the same time, is there a marked increase in cooking time or will it still be around 1hr / 1lb ?

Cooking time per pound should remain about the same, give or take. However, I'd be inclined to go by core temperature rather than time. It's done when it's between 180 and 200 f, this is not a joint you want to cook medium rare!

3) Once the flat is up to temp I was planning on wrapping it with foil and letting it sit, is there a recommended time to let it rest before carving?

I'd say at least an hour to let the fibres relax and the moisture even out, and up to 3 or 4 if you wrap it in foil, then a towel and then place in a coolbox. Bear in mind that any bark will soften during this time though.

Hope this is helpful
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Re: First bash at Brisket

Postby Novo » 18 Aug 2016, 07:59

Lord Grim wrote:Morning :)
First up, I want to say that I have never done a full brisket, only a rolled joint.
But I will have a bash at answering based on general cooking knowledge, and hopefully someone will be along to either confirm or tell me I'm an idiot!

1) I want to carve the flat and make burnt ends with the point but I don't feel confident enough to be able to split the two cuts.
I've seen some guides telling you to trim down the fat and split it before it's cooked and others saying split it once it's cooked. I think I would struggle to get either of those right.
I've found that Tuner and George actually sell the two cuts separate, would that be the better option?
http://www.turnerandgeorge.co.uk/packer ... isket.html

Having never done one before, I'd be tempted to buy them separately so that I could have a good look and get a feel for how the muscles fit together. That being said, to the best of my knowledge, the grain of the flat runs in a different direction to that of the point, so they should be fairly easy to tell apart and separate, so it's really down to your confidence.

2) If I do choose to cook the two cuts separated but at the same time, is there a marked increase in cooking time or will it still be around 1hr / 1lb ?

Cooking time per pound should remain about the same, give or take. However, I'd be inclined to go by core temperature rather than time. It's done when it's between 180 and 200 f, this is not a joint you want to cook medium rare!

3) Once the flat is up to temp I was planning on wrapping it with foil and letting it sit, is there a recommended time to let it rest before carving?

I'd say at least an hour to let the fibres relax and the moisture even out, and up to 3 or 4 if you wrap it in foil, then a towel and then place in a coolbox. Bear in mind that any bark will soften during this time though.

Hope this is helpful


Thanks, appreciate your feedback.
I've seen the method of foiling, toweling and then putting in a cool box before. Think I'll give that a try.
Novo
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Re: First bash at Brisket

Postby essexsmoker » 19 Aug 2016, 09:22

Novo, handy info about flat and point from TG. Might have to order a point. Ta.

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Re: First bash at Brisket

Postby Novo » 20 Aug 2016, 07:38

essexsmoker wrote:Novo, handy info about flat and point from TG. Might have to order a point. Ta.

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No worries mate, never ordered from them but have seen good reviews from those who have.


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Re: First bash at Brisket

Postby Highland Griller » 23 Aug 2016, 17:05

Hi

I am far from an expert in brisket but did my first one last weekend. It went down very well and I can't wait to do another one. I will give you my take on brisket from my little experience;



Evening,

I've done a few chickens now on my WSM and even a joint of beef (which came out beautiful). I'm going to have a bash at some Low and Slow beef brisket.

I've done my fair share of reading up and I'm feeling ready to give this challenge a go.

There are a few points I was hoping people could shed some light on:



1) I want to carve the flat and make burnt ends with the point but I don't feel confident enough to be able to split the two cuts.
I've seen some guides telling you to trim down the fat and split it before it's cooked and others saying split it once it's cooked. I think I would struggle to get either of those right.
I've found that Tuner and George actually sell the two cuts separate, would that be the better option?
http://www.turnerandgeorge.co.uk/packer ... isket.html

My brisket came from my local butcher untrimmed. It was huge and I trimmed several pounds off it. My advice would be to be brutal with the trimming. Splitting the point and flat would be quite simple - just follow the seam. Unless you really really want to split them, cook them intact to keep in the moisture.

2) If I do choose to cook the two cuts separated but at the same time, is there a marked increase in cooking time or will it still be around 1hr / 1lb ?

I would expect the cooking time to reduce as the thickness will reduce. A good meat thermometer will take much of the guesswork out. Go for one which stays in the meat as you cook. That remote one was back in stock at Clas Ohlson. It works on your smart phone although checking back at the smoker is part of the fun.
In fact I suppose one of the advantages of splitting the muscles would that you could cut the cook well under the time for smoking the whole thing.


3) Once the flat is up to temp I was planning on wrapping it with foil and letting it sit, is there a recommended time to let it rest before carving?

I didn't split my cuts but I wrapped the brisket at the stall, pulled it 203 deg f and let it sit in foil and towels in a cooler for three hours. It was fantastic. I did burnt ends the next night which were great, although I did have to drink about three pints of water in the night.

I think more important than all of the above is to use the best chunk of meat you can lay your hands on.

Good luck!


Thanks in advance!
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Re: First bash at Brisket

Postby Novo » 25 Aug 2016, 20:08

Highland Griller wrote:Hi

[color=#00BF00]I didn't split my cuts but I wrapped the brisket at the stall, pulled it 203 deg f and let it sit in foil and towels in a cooler for three hours. It was fantastic. I did burnt ends the next night which were great, although I did have to drink about three pints of water in the night.

I think more important than all of the above is to use the best chunk of meat you can lay your hands on.

Good luck!


Thanks in advance!


Thanks for the feedback, will give it a shot. The water remark did make me laugh ;)
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Re: First bash at Brisket

Postby Novo » 27 Aug 2016, 21:12

So the Brisket day came at last ..

Took delivery of a +3kg point and flat from Tuner and George on Friday, was very happy with the quality of meat.
Didn't require much trimming, I just removed any hard fat trying to leave 1/4 inch as recommended in many places.

Made up a quick rub of Black Pepper, Sea Salt, Garlic Powder and Cayenne. Stuck it to the meat with a splash of Worcester sauce.

Point, trimmed and rubbed
Image

Flat, trimmed and rubbed.
Image

Wrapped it in foil then left it to sit in the fridge until the morning.

05:00 -- Tired but very excited got the Smoker started and ready with a couple of chunks of Cherry Wood and some Hickory.
Image


Once I had a stable 110c, I loaded the smoker with the Point on the bottom rack and the flat on the top. Straight from the fridge as I understand this gives the best smoke ring.

Temps fluctuated a little here and there but in general I kept it between 110c - 130c with a little bit of vent manipulation.

The meat got up to 70c in around 2 hours and stalled (as expected). Decided not to wrap and let it ride it out, in total it took 8 hours to get the meat up to 93c internal (200f)

Whipped them off, double wrapped the flat and left it to sit while I cubed the point.

Tossed the cubes of point in some left over rub and put back on the smoker which was running about 140c now.

Left the flat sitting wrapped up for about 90 minutes and then carved it up ready to go:
Image
Image

Pulled the burnt ends off the smoker and tossed with some BBQ sauce .. wow!


Really happy with the way it came out for a first time, will definitely give it another go.. would do a few things differently:
Image

1) Less Pepper in the rub .. I loved it but blew guests heads off :)
2) Cook the Packer as a whole, now I have see the meat I understand how the Point and Flat come together.
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Re: First bash at Brisket

Postby Lord Grim » 28 Aug 2016, 00:09

Mate, that looks an epic cook, even the pics of the burnt ends had me salivating
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Re: First bash at Brisket

Postby Highland Griller » 06 Sep 2016, 12:51

That looks fantastic. Well done. Thought you were going to say you had wrapped it and used Irn Bru as the wrapping juice!
Know what you mean about the pepper. I did Meathead's Big Bad Beef Rub and the pepper was verging on the too hot, especially for the nippers.
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