LET'S TALK BRISKET!!

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I'm really glad to finally be able to join this thread.  I went to Costco yesterday and BAM, they are finally stocking beef briskets!!!  Recall I mentioned once before they had something called a beef brisket flat cut, which was ~$7 / lb.  I never wanted to pay this much so never got the chance to try it. 

But yesterday I found something called beef brisket flats, and they cost around $4 / lb.  I'm in for my first brisket!  They had some that were ~10.5lbs, and others that were around 4.5lbs.  Im going to try the 4.5lbs ones.

So where do I start?  Whats the jist of it?  I've read that you have to foil briskets.  So cook at 225F and foil at what temp?  Then then cook to what internal temp (I like beef rare to medium rare, the family would probably prefer medium). /excited.

I would start by reading this thread front to back or at least most of it. You will learn so much. The first thing you will learn is you can't cook brisket to a medium or medium well temp of 145-155 degrees. You have to cook it to 190-210 degrees internal temp to make sure the collagen renders down and makes the meat moist and tender. Use the "toothpick test" to know when it's finished. Like I said too much to explain in one reply. Read the whole thread and then give it a shot. I knew nothing about cooking brisket and after reading this thread I made a whole packer and it turned out amazing. Good luck and keep us posted on your first cook.
 
 
I'm really glad to finally be able to join this thread.  I went to Costco yesterday and BAM, they are finally stocking beef briskets!!!  Recall I mentioned once before they had something called a beef brisket flat cut, which was ~$7 / lb.  I never wanted to pay this much so never got the chance to try it. 

But yesterday I found something called beef brisket flats, and they cost around $4 / lb.  I'm in for my first brisket!  They had some that were ~10.5lbs, and others that were around 4.5lbs.  Im going to try the 4.5lbs ones.

So where do I start?  Whats the jist of it?  I've read that you have to foil briskets.  So cook at 225F and foil at what temp?  Then then cook to what internal temp (I like beef rare to medium rare, the family would probably prefer medium). /excited.
I would do 1 of 5 things with a flat:

1. Braise it like a pot roast

2. Cure it and smoke it like pastrami

3. Grind it up into burgers

4. Make beef jerky out of it (after cutting away all visible fat).

5. Cook it sous vide for 24 hours @ 150 and then slap it on a grill. (never tried that but I want to)

I would not try to smoke it like a whole brisket because, although I know some people have good luck with just flats . .I don't.  They always come out dry and disappointing if I smoke just a flat. 

If I was dead set on smoking it for bbq - I'd smoke it for a few hours and then wrap it in foil with a bit of liquid.  For bbq brisket - I always go way past well done to the collegen-melting stage - around 190-200+.   Happy smoking!
 
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Hello.  I am with Joe.  I know some folks say they have had good flats but except for standing on my head while smoking one I have tried just about everything.  They just come out dry  Just my experience.  Keep Smokin!

Danny
 
Thanks guys.  Yeah I did some reading.  Seems like foil at 160F, cook to 203F, and smoke at 225-250F.

Only thing I'm confused about now is the cut that Costco sells.  It sounds like the "flat" or "flat cut" are the wrong pieces?  What should I ask them for?

Am I looking for the "whole".  I found this pic:

 
Ah interesting read: http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?55222-Buyer-Beware

This looks exactly the same as my Costco counter.  Flat cuts (couple of lbs), Flats (4-5lbs, which is the flat cut without the fat removed), and the whole brisket (I assume this is the one I'm looking for right?), for ~10lbs.

Shall I get the whole?

______________

As we all know, meat knowledge is getting dumbed down more and more at the retail level. In many cases, meat comes into stores already wrapped in Styrofoam trays and the "butcher" is relegated to simply loading the trays into the cooler.

There's a little more going on at Costco. They are trimming and packaging a lot of meat in-house, and unfortunately in my opinion, blade-tenderizing most cuts of beef that are sold on Styrofoam trays. I wish they wouldn't do that and let the customer do it at home with a Jaccard meat tenderizer if that's what they want. (By the way, beef sold in Cryovac like whole beef tenderloins, whole briskets, and bags of tri-tip are not blade tenderized.)

But I digress...what I wanted to write about is brisket. It's getting confusing at my local Costco.



In this photo, there are two types of brisket. The one on the left is labeled "BEEF BRISKET FLAT CUT BONELESS USDA CHOICE #76224" and it's a super-trimmed flat. The one on the right is labeled "BEEF BRISKET WHOLE USDA CHOICE VACUUM PACKAGED #26637". I get to looking at these whole briskets and the biggest one is about 9 pounds. The smallest one is just over 5 pounds.

I motion to the guy loading meat into the cooler and ask if there's a chance they've mislabeled these "whole" briskets, because a 5 pound whole brisket is highly unlikely. Perhaps these are untrimmed brisket flats, with most or all of the point removed? He says yes, they're flats with the point removed. "We just call them 'whole'", he says.

At the Costco Business Center, they sell untrimmed brisket flats as "BEEF BRISKET USDA CHOICE VACUUM PACKAGED #84281" and real whole briskets as "BEEF BRISKET WHOLE USDA CHOICE VACUUM PACKAGED #26637".

Maybe this is just a labeling issue at my Costco. Still, it's a reminder of the old adage "caveat emptor", or "let the buyer beware". It pays to be well-educated about the meat you buy to make sure you get what you're paying for. In this case, for the saavy buyer wanting untrimmed brisket flat, the error goes in favor of the consumer...they're getting untrimmed flat for the price of cheaper whole brisket. For the uneducated consumer trying to buy a whole brisket, he's not getting what he wants and may not even know it.
 
Brisket has the flat and the point. Most of the time you will see flats. Points are usually sold as corned beef .
I have smoked many flats and they come out great but I like to inject before smoking. What you want is a packet.. It is a big hunk of meat . Which is both the point and the flat. That's what you really want!!
 
Brisket has the flat and the point. Most of the time you will see flats. Points are usually sold as corned beef .
I have smoked many flats and they come out great but I like to inject before smoking. What you want is a packet.. It is a big hunk of meat . Which is both the point and the flat. That's what you really want!!
Look at the pic.  Is the one on the right the right one?
 
Alright I'm pretty sure the briskets are still labelled incorrectly (1 year later.....).  What I need is a ~10lb whole brisket.  Sweet!  I'm going to Costco on Thursday.
 
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Granted I only read the first post, so maybe what I am saying is contradicted or discounted in the arguments above.

I live in North Alabama, pork and chicken country, so I only find select or choice untrimmed full packer briskets.  I also will make a disclaimer that I have only done a handful of briskets, but I will say, all mine have turned out great.

Firstly, I prefer the bark, so I do trim before smoking.  The problem when it come to trimming is some do not know how thick to trim.  You got to leave just enough to keep it moist, but not too much to have too much fat in a bite.  I like a little fat in my brisket.  The full packers also have that huge chunk of fatty gristle mess, that some may not know to remove.  Only leave the edible, dissolvable fat, maybe 1/4-1/2 inch thick.  

I then give it a mid Texas rub, Black Pepper and Kosher Salt. (Some would say to let it sit out for a few hours to come to room temp before putting on the smoker, I do not know how the Admins feel about that.  But one might think the salt prohibits any nasties from thriving)

I throw her on the the smoker at 250 for as long as it takes to get to 190-200.  I pull when it stalls out and wrap in foil, maybe add a little butter or apple juice.  When it reaches temp, I let it rest in a cooler for a few hours.

Also with the full packer, the grain runs in two directions.  You need to separate and cut across the grain.  If you do not, one will be tender, and the other tough.  

I have also been known to finish in the oven inside the house once I apply the crutch.  Granted that may not be smoking it, but once it is wrapped it isn't going to get anymore smoke, and it will have taken in enough smoke in that time. I do this, because the oven has a thermostat, when my COS CGDw/SFB does not.  

My whole thoughts on the matter is you have two types of cooking.  Fast and Slow.  Fast cooking: grilling, frying, etc.  Slow cooking: Roasting, baking, smoking, etc. The method depends on the meat.  You grill steak, you smoke butt.  Why?  Connective tissue and collagen.  You have to break down connective tissue and dissolve collagen. Meats that are full of them, need to be cooked low and slow, to a temp that most meat would dry out at.  A 200 degree steak bad, 200 brisket good,  The collagen will moisten the meat.  If you cook too hot or fast, you will melt collagen and it would be gone and the connective tissue will "bunch up" and make the meat tough.  

All that being said, the key to any smoking is cooking it low and slow.  Don't rush it.
 
Hey guys.  Is brisket cook time the same as pork seeing as though your taking it to 195-203F?  I normally budget 2.25 hours / lb at 225F for butts, but that's unfoiled.  If I'm foiling my brisket at 165F, how long can I expect to cook this baby (~10lbs).

TY.
 
This is what I found by watch all the big boys smoke brisket..
You have to trim the fat cap, no you don't.
You must inject before smoking , don't pierce the the meat
You have to have layers of flavor and many spices in your rub, only use salt pepper and garlic
Fat side down, fat side up
Smoker set at 250 low and slow. 300 hot and fast
At 160 you have to wrap.. Let it go unwrapped
At 200 wrap and let it rest!!
That how you do it!!!!
In other words .. Whatever works for you. There is no right or wrong way...
Thank you Myron thank you Franklin thank you bar nice pit boys...
 
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You got it, What ever flavor profile suits you and your families taste, is the Right way,   I like simple,     Salt & Pepper, fat side up no injecting and low and slow

Gary
 
This is what I found by watch all the big boys smoke brisket..
You have to trim the fat cap, no you don't.
You must inject before smoking , don't pierce the the meat
You have to have layers of flavor and many spices in your rub, only use salt pepper and garlic
Fat side down, fat side up
Smoker set at 250 low and slow. 300 hot and fast
At 160 you have to wrap.. Let it go unwrapped
At 200 wrap and let it rest!!
That how you do it!!!!
In other words .. Whatever works for you. There is no right or wrong way...
Thank you Myron thank you Franklin thank you bar nice pit boys...
HAHA pretty neat list.  TY. 

For me:

-fat cap trimmed

-no injecting

-salt and pepper only for beef

-fat side up

-smoke at 250F

-wrap at 160F

-pull at 200F and let it rest
 
Hi Guys.  I am with gary s. on this one.  The Texas boys are sticking together here.  
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  Salt, pepper and fat side up.  I do sometimes smoke hotter and faster but not always.I just feel that it is important to understand that when smoking a whole packer; it is not "panic time" if your smoker hits 325-350.  If you want 225 just relax.  Get it under control.  The brisket will not be ruined.  If you chose to cook your brisket at 325-350 then that will also work.

The thing I think I have noticed is that the folks talking about hotter and faster are leaving something out; I know I did.  IF you are talking hotter and faster  that brisket takes a LOT  more "tending".  This is not set it at 350, throw it on and forget it for an hour or maybe 2 so long as the temp is correct.   like low and slow.  It is not relaxing, passive smoking.  It is proactive smoking.  If I am smoking hotter I am checking my brisket every 20-30 minutes.  No longer than 45 minutes AT A PUSH!  EVERYTHING to hand before I start.  I turn my big joints with a cloth.  Wife standing by with a platter in case I need  to remove the meat to tend the coals.  Garden trowel handy to remove the grill and tend the coals. Lid off, I QUICKLY turn the brisket, assess the heat needs ( hotter or colder ), grill off if needed.  Tend the coals if needed.  Replace grill.  Move the brisket to a hotter or colder place.  Lid on.  Very little heat loss.  WAY under 2 minutes.  That operation is not needed every time.  But good to be prepared when you start seeing a drop in temp.  That is the process for my Weber.  When using the horizontal offset I usually just moved the brisket to another part of the smoker.  Hope this gives folks ideas.  Keep Smokin!

Danny
 
Just did four more briskets the other day and documented them here:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/238928/4-more-briskets-with-qview

This post by Danny was very helpful.  I encourage you to go back and read the entire thread if you haven't yet.  My experience this last week was good and presented some very good brisket.  Still have a few changes I want to make the next Brisket I do, but I'm well on my way to getting some good results.

Brian
 
Mummel I'm not sure if your questions were answered or not.  Yes the brisket on the right looks like a whole brisket.  Most whole/packers I find are in the 12-15 lb range.  As far as time, I estimate an hour a pound but if my fire is running hot it comes out closer to 45 min a pound actual cooking time.  Plus a couple hours afterwards to rest.  Others may have different results.
 
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