Best way to smoke point end of brisket

[DrPips]

Hi,

I thought I’d managed to explain to my butcher what I wanted (brisket with flat and point) but I think he’s given me just point end. Lost in translation I think.

It’s about 7lbs and I have friends coming over for dinner at 4pm Saturday.

Can I still cook in the same way I would a flat and slice it like that, or is there a better way?

I know it’s tricky to tell for sure, but when would I need to start cooking. I’m guessing it would need to be done about 2.30pm. Would I be better starting it Friday evening or would early Saturday be enough time?

I have a Traeger, so no problem leaving it on overnight.

Thanks,
Dom

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

I would err on the side of caution for time. The one packer that I have tried smoking took 17 hours to complete. It was 15.5 pounds. Obviously, the piece you are cooking should take less time due to size but make sure you give yourself a good hour to two hour window for a rest time in a cooler after it becomes probe tender. You won't have an issue with the tenderness from just a point but you will still have to cook that for a significant amount of time. I wrapped mine in butcher paper at 160 IT. If you are going to wrap it then you would want to do it about that point. I would give myself anywhere from 10 to 12 hours of cook time if I were planning on cooking it for my own company. Just my advice for what is worth.

George

 

[pc farmer]

I did a small brisket that was the point and flat, took 12 hours. It was six pounds.

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/my-holiday-cook.276026/

 

[BKING!]

Yep what George said. Also remember that cook time is influenced by the thickness of the meat and not the weight. Also remember to factor in a 2 hr rest.

 

[DrPips]

Am I right in thinking that I’ve got mostly point with a tiny bit of flat near the top right of the second photo?

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

Holy moly! Would you look at how thick that point is. My mouth is watering just thinking about that beef candy. I'm beyond jealous right now.

George

 

[DrPips]

I’m planning on a 12 hour smoke. Will that be long enough?

Will I still be able to slice this like a flat?

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

There is no telling time with a smoke. You want to watch the temp until it hits about 195 or so and then just probe it with either an instant read thermometer or a toothpick. Either one should feel pretty much like you are sticking it into a warm stick of butter. If the texture feels like that in most places then you are done. That's when you pull it off of the smoker and then wrap it up if you didn't wrap it for the stall. Then let it rest in a cooler with some blankets wrapped around it for an hour or two. You can also put it in the over set at about 170 for about the same time. That's when you finally pull it out and slice it. You can slice the point like the flat but it may be a bit messier due to the extra fat. The grain of the meat runs opposite on the point so you will want to cut it against that grain. Generally that means take the thickest part and have it face away from you and slice it from right to left or left to right whatever floats your boat. Enjoy that beef.

George

 

[DrPips]

A friend of mine said you shouldn’t probe brisket right from the start like you would with a pork butt. Apparently it makes the juices run out of the meat and dries it out. Is there any truth in that? I called BS when he told me

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

I'm not sure about it losing the juice but a heat probe when it first goes on is pretty meaningless. The thing is going to cook for hours unless you do a very high heat version. I didn't bother putting the probe in my brisket for the first four hours or so. I am betting I could have gone six easily. You could just use an instant read after four or five hours to get an idea if you are near the stall if you are going to wrap. If you are not going to wrap then it really won't matter for the first eight or nine hours. That's when I would stick the probe in to see when I reached 195. Then you can take the probe out and just poke the meat for tenderness every 20 or 30 minutes. Once it's warm butter pull, wrap, rest, and then enjoy.

George

 

[DrPips]

Yeh I guess so. It’s going in before I go to bed in a an hour then hopefully it will be done for 2pm so I can rest it for 2 hours.

It’ll only be on its own for 6 hours before the wife gets up