Brisket seperation question

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catz-cradle

Newbie
Original poster
Sep 18, 2008
14
10
I've got a large party coming up this saturday, and I want to make sure I've got things figured out before it's irrepairable.  First off, since I have an MES, I do have a bit of space consideration, and silly me bought three very nice looking13.5 lb packers.  After a tape measure, I realized, that I couldn't fit it on the grates.  So I trimmed, and seperated the points from the flats, and now have 3 8lb (ish) flats, and 3 4lb (ish) point cuts, and I tossed a lot of the big fat pad between the parts away for a scrap of a bit more than a lb it seemed.

So my plan for a noon-time serve, is to put the flats on at 10pm the night before so they should be pull-ready between 10-12 and let them sit in the cooler.  Toss the points on at 4am for about the same pull time, cut up the points into some cubes to make some burnt ends. while the flats rest. 

In the past I've had some trouble with packers because the thinnest part of the flat gets overdone, so I thought I'd try something different.  Anyone else try to shove what is going to be about 36 lbs of brisket in a MES?
 
You didn't say if you had a 30 or 40 MES. That amount should easily fit in a 40. Keep the thin part of the brisket on the left side of the smoker where it's cooler.
 
ah, didn't know it was cooler on one side.  I have a 30",  the grates are about 12x15 inches, and the full packers were about 21-22 inches I now have the flats down to 14 inches, and I should be able to get two points on one grate
 
q-view tomorrow, however all I had time to snap was a picture of the first flat I pulled.  I now fully understand the allure of the "burnt ends".  Everything came out per calculations, though the points were a bit slower than the weight suggested.  So the full monty of what transpired:

8:30pm, brought smoker up to temp, and added first loading of chips half when turned on, half when temp was reached.  I did a mix of whiskey oak and mesquite.  The three rubbed and rested flats went on the top three racks, with an empty tray between the meat and water pan.  Added chips on the hour till 12:30 AM, then took a 2.5hr power nap.  At 3am the points were added with more chips....(well two points, one went into the oven as I ran out of room) and the drippings tray was removed and defatted for later use. 

@ 5:30 refresh chips after another short nap.  At this point I had reached 183 and felt pretty good about hitting my 10am time. 

Right at 10 I hit 199, and pulled, wrapped, and put in the cooler.  

@11, pulled the points out of the cooler, cut into cubes, added a bit of bbq sauce, some extra rub, and a touch of the drippings.  Placed into pans, and back into the MES till serving time

@12:30 pulled 2 flats out of the cooler, sliced, added 3-4 ladles of dripping and put in a electric fry pan set to warm. Sauce was optional in a crock-pot.

So a few lessons for me.  While the brisket was moist, wonderful, of the texture and flavor that made it the hit of the event.  That last flat was still seriously piping hot 5 hrs later when I was cleaning up and putting food away.  It was still in the cooler, so it can rest for longer.    I couldn't believe how hot it stayed. 

Next time, I'll put three points in and 2 flats.  While the flats were succulently wonderful.  The burnt ends went so fast, I could barely get in a taste myself.  I didn't "burn" them, but two hours of additional smoke at 225 after a bath of juice, sauce and some rub made for morsels I'd pay some serious coin for in a restaurant.  Yeah, more fat, etc, but sheesh were they good.  Can you do basically the same method with the flat?

Anyways, the party was successfull.  Brisket was excellent, and I know now my limit :)  Thanks for the replies.
 
th_What_NO_QVIEW.gif
 
ok, just downloaded the camera

Here is one of the three flats as it came out of the MES

8307c63f_potluckbrisket.jpg


and all that was left was a little flat, and the poor point that used the oven....
fade6f9a_dayafter.jpg
 
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