Brisket advice please

[pi guy]

It's been a long time since I smoked a brisket and to be honest I don't remember how I did it before (my one and only time I think).

Local place had what I thought was a great deal on whole brisket at $3.98/lb. Couldn't pass it up, so I'm throwing it in the freezer and will bring it out the first Saturday after Lent ends (gave up drinking for Lent, and want to enjoy some beverages the day of a long smoke like that).

Anyways, I'll follow some online instructions, but any tips or advice is always appreciated by you all here. Here's what I got...

Should I do the "point" and "lean" separately?
I'm gonna have WAY too much for us, so best ideas on saving for later? Thinking of vac sealing and reheating similar to how I did pulled pork last summer.

Thanks in advance everyone!

 

[tallbm]

It's been a long time since I smoked a brisket and to be honest I don't remember how I did it before (my one and only time I think).

Local place had what I thought was a great deal on whole brisket at $3.98/lb. Couldn't pass it up, so I'm throwing it in the freezer and will bring it out the first Saturday after Lent ends (gave up drinking for Lent, and want to enjoy some beverages the day of a long smoke like that).

Anyways, I'll follow some online instructions, but any tips or advice is always appreciated by you all here. Here's what I got...

View attachment 660684

Should I do the "point" and "lean" separately?
I'm gonna have WAY too much for us, so best ideas on saving for later? Thinking of vac sealing and reheating similar to how I did pulled pork last summer.

Thanks in advance everyone!

I got you covered buddy :)

Key things when doing a brisket.

1. It's done only when it is tender, never by time or temp
2. Start Checking for tenderness when the meat probe reports 195-200F temperature. If not tender, let the meat temp rise a couple of degrees and check again. Repeat until tender and pull when tender.
3. Check for tenderness by stabbing ALL OVER with something like a wooden kabob skewer and when it goes in with no resistance it is tender. Especially probe the thickest yet center most part of the FLAT muscle. The point will always be tender and never a problem, the FLAT is the problem child.
4. Place your temp probe in the thickest yet center most portion of the FLAT muscle, never the point muscle. The point will finish well before the flat and will be ok no matter what. The flat is what needs to really get tender.
5. I would NOT separate the point and the flat. A whole packer is easier to smoke than a separate flat. The point wont give you problems.
6. Trimming. Remove the hard deckle fat circled below. Cut away the green portion of the FLAT muscle so that what is left of the FLAT is about the same thickness throughout the flat muscle. Save the meat marked in green for stew or braise meat or for great burger grind.
   
   As for fat on the other side, if it's 1/4-1/2 inch thick don't even mess with it. Not worth the effort as most of it will render anyhow.
   
   
   
   
   
7. If you are going to wrap, I urge you to to not wrap until the Internal Temp (IT) reaches at least 180F. If you wrap too early you end up with roast beef flavor instead of smoked bbq brisket flavor. FYI, most people talk about wrapping the brisket around 160-165F STRICTLY to beat the stall. I care more about flavor than the stall and can plan more time so the stall is not an issue. Massive amounts of flavor is missed when wrapping early.
   
   
8. Time, time, time! Plan your smoke so you will finish about 4-5 hours before you plan to eat!!!! If you finish 4-5hours early just tightly double wrap in foil and tightly wrap in 3 bath towels and let it rest on the table/counter until 4-5 hours later when it is ready to eat and it will be piping hot and ready to slice and serve, I promise!
   
   If you don't finish 4-5 hours early well you have the extra 4-5 hours to hopefully finish and not have people waiting to eat :)
9. At a steady smoker temp of 275F and NOT opening the smoker until the thermometer tells u to check for tenderness, a brisket takes me about 1hr 5min per pound or so before the temp starts to tell me to check for tenderness. Again it is ready when it is tender. This info is simply to help you plan timing.
   With this smoker temp and info 10 pounds of meat in the smoker would take almost 11 hours or so before it may alert me to check for tenderness and be tender. Add 4-5 hours to that time, giving you a 15-16 hour time period of cooking and being ready.
   So if you want to eat a 5pm dinner, you would start at like midnight or 1am (16 hours before you plan to eat).
10. Do not worry about spritzing, mopping, etc. Keep the smoker closed unless you are wrapping or the temp probe tells u to check for tenderness.
11. Seasoning, you can go simple salt and double black pepper if you like. I personally go Salt, Onion, Garlic, and Pepper (SPOG) and no need for a binder, it is wet enough out of the bag. Brisket thrives with simple seasoning, anything more is just heaping more stuff on the pile of something that will already be great.
12. Storing left overs, simply vac seal. They will reheat fine in the microwave or SV or any approach you want to take and taste fantastic. No need to overthink reheating, just don't OVER reheat them. Vac sealing and freezing will get it done :)

I hope this helps. And as long as you do these main things you should have a good tasting brisket and can tweak and work on each of these points later to tune to your liking :)

 

[pi guy]

I got you covered buddy :)

Key things when doing a brisket.

1. It's done only when it is tender, never by time or temp
2. Check for tenderness when the meat probe reports 195-200F temperature
3. Check for tenderness by stabbing ALL OVER with something like a wooden kabob skewer and when it goes in with no resistance it is tender. Especially probe the thickest yet center most part of the FLAT muscle. The point will always be tender and never a problem, the FLAT is the problem child.
4. Place your temp probe in the thickest yet center most portion of the FLAT muscle, never the point muscle. The point will finish well before the flat and will be ok no matter what. The flat is what needs to really get tender.
5. I would NOT separate the point and the flat. A whole packer is easier to smoke than a separate flat. The point wont give you problems.
6. Trimming. Remove the hard deckle fat circled below. Cut away the green portion of the FLAT muscle so that what is left of the FLAT is about the same thickness throughout the flat muscle. Save the meat marked in green for stew or braise meat or for great burger grind.
   
   As for fat on the other side, if it's 1/4-1/2 inch thick don't even mess with it. Not worth the effort as most of it will render anyhow.
   View attachment 660686
   
   
7. If you are going to wrap, I urge you to to not wrap until the Internal Temp (IT) reaches at least 180F. If you wrap too early you end up with roast beef flavor instead of smoked bbq brisket flavor. FYI, most people talk about wrapping the brisket around 160-165F STRICTLY to beat the stall. I care more about flavor than the stall and can plan more time so the stall is not an issue. Massive amounts of flavor is missed when wrapping early.
   
   
8. Time, time, time! Plan your smoke so you will finish about 4-5 hours before you plan to eat!!!! If you finish 4-5hours early just tightly double wrap in foil and tightly wrap in 3 bath towels and let it rest on the table/counter until 4-5 hours later when it is ready to eat and it will be piping hot and ready to slice and serve, I promise!
   
   If you don't finish 4-5 hours early well you have the extra 4-5 hours to hopefully finish and not have people waiting to eat :)
9. At a steady smoker temp of 275F and NOT opening the smoker until the thermometer tells u to check for tenderness, a brisket takes me about 1hr 5min per pound or so before the temp starts to tell me to check for tenderness. Again it is ready when it is tender. This info is simply to help you plan timing.
   With this smoker temp and info 10 pounds of meat in the smoker would take almost 11 hours or so before it may alert me to check for tenderness and be tender. Add 4-5 hours to that time, giving you a 15-16 hour time period of cooking and being ready.
   So if you want to eat a 5pm dinner, you would start at like midnight or 1am (16 hours before you plan to eat).
10. Do not worry about spritzing, mopping, etc. Keep the smoker closed unless you are wrapping or the temp probe tells u to check for tenderness.
11. Seasoning, you can go simple salt and double black pepper if you like. I personally go Salt, Onion, Garlic, and Pepper (SPOG) and no need for a binder, it is wet enough out of the bag. Brisket thrives with simple seasoning, anything more is just heaping more stuff on the pile of something that will already be great.
12. Storing left overs, simply vac seal. They will reheat fine in the microwave or SV or any approach you want to take and taste fantastic. No need to overthink reheating, just don't OVER reheat them. Vac sealing and freezing will get it done :)

I hope this helps. And as long as you do these main things you should have a good tasting brisket and can tweak and work on each of these points later to tune to your liking :)

Fantastic!! This is why I LOVE this place, you guys never dissapoint and I have learned so much from you all.

Thank you, I'll be sure to detail my smoke, as I try to do with most of mine. Wishing I could do this sooner, but damn Lent LOL!!

 

[tallbm]

Fantastic!! This is why I LOVE this place, you guys never dissapoint and I have learned so much from you all.

Thank you, I'll be sure to detail my smoke, as I try to do with most of mine. Wishing I could do this sooner, but damn Lent LOL!!

Glad you find it helpful!

Yeah, this community is amazing.

I look forward to seeing what you come up with and I understand giving up stuff for Lent. Beef time is coming real fast for ya though :D

 

[SmokinEdge]

No need to repeat this, it’s explained perfectly. Follow this.

I got you covered buddy :)

Key things when doing a brisket.

1. It's done only when it is tender, never by time or temp
2. Check for tenderness when the meat probe reports 195-200F temperature
3. Check for tenderness by stabbing ALL OVER with something like a wooden kabob skewer and when it goes in with no resistance it is tender. Especially probe the thickest yet center most part of the FLAT muscle. The point will always be tender and never a problem, the FLAT is the problem child.
4. Place your temp probe in the thickest yet center most portion of the FLAT muscle, never the point muscle. The point will finish well before the flat and will be ok no matter what. The flat is what needs to really get tender.
5. I would NOT separate the point and the flat. A whole packer is easier to smoke than a separate flat. The point wont give you problems.
6. Trimming. Remove the hard deckle fat circled below. Cut away the green portion of the FLAT muscle so that what is left of the FLAT is about the same thickness throughout the flat muscle. Save the meat marked in green for stew or braise meat or for great burger grind.
   
   As for fat on the other side, if it's 1/4-1/2 inch thick don't even mess with it. Not worth the effort as most of it will render anyhow.
   View attachment 660686
   
   
7. If you are going to wrap, I urge you to to not wrap until the Internal Temp (IT) reaches at least 180F. If you wrap too early you end up with roast beef flavor instead of smoked bbq brisket flavor. FYI, most people talk about wrapping the brisket around 160-165F STRICTLY to beat the stall. I care more about flavor than the stall and can plan more time so the stall is not an issue. Massive amounts of flavor is missed when wrapping early.
   
   
8. Time, time, time! Plan your smoke so you will finish about 4-5 hours before you plan to eat!!!! If you finish 4-5hours early just tightly double wrap in foil and tightly wrap in 3 bath towels and let it rest on the table/counter until 4-5 hours later when it is ready to eat and it will be piping hot and ready to slice and serve, I promise!
   
   If you don't finish 4-5 hours early well you have the extra 4-5 hours to hopefully finish and not have people waiting to eat :)
9. At a steady smoker temp of 275F and NOT opening the smoker until the thermometer tells u to check for tenderness, a brisket takes me about 1hr 5min per pound or so before the temp starts to tell me to check for tenderness. Again it is ready when it is tender. This info is simply to help you plan timing.
   With this smoker temp and info 10 pounds of meat in the smoker would take almost 11 hours or so before it may alert me to check for tenderness and be tender. Add 4-5 hours to that time, giving you a 15-16 hour time period of cooking and being ready.
   So if you want to eat a 5pm dinner, you would start at like midnight or 1am (16 hours before you plan to eat).
10. Do not worry about spritzing, mopping, etc. Keep the smoker closed unless you are wrapping or the temp probe tells u to check for tenderness.
11. Seasoning, you can go simple salt and double black pepper if you like. I personally go Salt, Onion, Garlic, and Pepper (SPOG) and no need for a binder, it is wet enough out of the bag. Brisket thrives with simple seasoning, anything more is just heaping more stuff on the pile of something that will already be great.
12. Storing left overs, simply vac seal. They will reheat fine in the microwave or SV or any approach you want to take and taste fantastic. No need to overthink reheating, just don't OVER reheat them. Vac sealing and freezing will get it done :)

I hope this helps. And as long as you do these main things you should have a good tasting brisket and can tweak and work on each of these points later to tune to your liking :)

 

[chopsaw]

I've been smoking and grilling since my 20's ( I turned 62 last December ) . Never smoked a brisket until 3 or so years ago . tallbm gave me the same advice , and was on " speed dial " while I was cooking .
I've since adapted to my own method , but will say he has great advice , and like said above follow it . He showed me the basics of what I needed .

 

[bigfurmn]

What tallbm said. That's the perfect guide.

 

[HHYak]

Fantastic!! This is why I LOVE this place, you guys never dissapoint and I have learned so much from you all.

Thank you, I'll be sure to detail my smoke, as I try to do with most of mine. Wishing I could do this sooner, but damn Lent LOL!!

I am planning on doing my first brisket soon, really appreciate all this advice!!

Question on probing for tenderness... do you just start poking holes all over through the paper wrap or do you pull it out of the wrap when you start probing? They never show that part in youtube videos...

 

[tallbm]

I am planning on doing my first brisket soon, really appreciate all this advice!!

Question on probing for tenderness... do you just start poking holes all over through the paper wrap or do you pull it out of the wrap when you start probing? They never show that part in youtube videos...

I don't wrap, but if I did, I would open the paper wrapping and do the probing.

Just know that even though it is the thickest portion of the brisket, the point muscle will basically always be tender when it's time for you to check.

The flat muscle that is the stubborn area so check it ALL OVER for tenderness. Especially the thickest yet center most portion of the flat muscle. This is also the spot to aim your temp probe at :)

 

[HHYak]

I don't wrap, but if I did, I would open the paper wrapping and do the probing.

Just know that even though it is the thickest portion of the brisket, the point muscle will basically always be tender when it's time for you to check.

The flat muscle that is the stubborn area so check it ALL OVER for tenderness. Especially the thickest yet center most portion of the flat muscle. This is also the spot to aim your temp probe at :)

Thank you again!

 

[schlotz]

Yup, tallbm is spot on! His advice will get you there without question.

Regarding leftovers, I always make sure to vac & freeze a properly sized piece specifically for smoked brisket chili.

 

[KimberlyO]

Though I have had some very successful briskets, I have bookmarked this method to try. Always good to try new methods! Thank you, this sounds good!

 

[Coreymacc]

I have been wrapping my briskets because im not brave enough (yet) to go full cook unwrapped. I poke through the paper to probe but have gotten bit doing that because its tricky to get a good feel. I make a few holes in various spots when i hit 200 and just probe through them, not making a new hole each time. You just angle probe a little different each time and it gets you a pretty good feel. I use a quick read for a probe so i can check temp at the time of probing. I have noticed a discrepancy in my fixed probe to my quick read so its nice to have a back up temp check for reference.

My 2 cents
Corey

 

[Buckeye1]

Thanks tallbm for the straight forward advice. I am going to attempt my first full packer tonite. After reading several threads, videos ect I was getting confused on this . Wrap/ no wrap, paper foil boat, inject don’t inject, tallow the list goes on!

I do have a few questions for those with pellet grills, I will be cooking on the smaller recteq 340 so gonna get a smaller packer. A few questions:
Fat side up or down?
Upper shelf (if I can fit)vs lower shelf?

Thanks in advance!

 

[tallbm]

Thanks tallbm for the straight forward advice. I am going to attempt my first full packer tonite. After reading several threads, videos ect I was getting confused on this . Wrap/ no wrap, paper foil boat, inject don’t inject, tallow the list goes on!

I do have a few questions for those with pellet grills, I will be cooking on the smaller recteq 340 so gonna get a smaller packer. A few questions:
Fat side up or down?
Upper shelf (if I can fit)vs lower shelf?

Thanks in advance!

Glad the info helps!

I don't run a pellet grill but I would place the meat with fat towards the heating source. For my smoker this is fat side down. Also lately I've been taking the trimmed fat and laying it on the meat side up over the FLAT muscle. Especially around the ends and then in the center. It keeps basting the meat with fat juice and it seems to be mitigating any extra crusty spots from forming on the meat side for me. I don't those extra crusty meat splotches often but this seems to be eliminating them all together for me :D

I hope this info helps :)