Brisket chilli question

[bfelgar]

I was thinking of smoking a brisket for my chili and pulling it at 160 then finish it in the chili cook. Any suggestions/ experience?

 

[pc farmer]

Not any experience but if it were me, I would fully cook it. Then add to the chili

 

[motocrash]

+1 The bark will make the chili.Gonna be a long time comin' chili....

 

[drunkenmeatfist]

Agree with fully cooking the brisket. Enjoy some for a meal and then add the leftover to the chili. What are you using to cook the chili?

 

[bfelgar]

Crock pot

 

[drunkenmeatfist]

Crock pot

I was asking questions about doing the same thing here just a couple of weeks ago. I cooked the brisket fully and saved a good chunk of the point. I put everything except for the meat in the pot for about 5 hours on low. Then I threw the cubed/chopped brisket in for the last 3 hours. It was awesome.

 

[#smoker_nation]

I'll use my smoked brisket to get my chili going...I'll start out with chopped bacon then when browned, I'll add smoked sausage, the brisket, then kidney and black beans with T-sauce. Will add the chili powder, garlic and onion powder, cumin, and to sweeten it up...brown sugar.

 

[wahoowad]

Smoke the brisket and take whatever good slices come out and set those aside. Then chop up the rest, burnt ends, etc. At least that is what I did and it was awesome.

 

[Rings Я Us]

I used raw brisket cubed up in some beef stew on the smoker in beef stock and chopped onion. I browned the brisket 1st . It stayed on the smoker in a pot for 4 hours simmering before I put the other ingredients in the stew pot. Simmered in liquid cooks faster than on a rack. Needs 6 to 8 hours to cook diced up brisket in chili from raw to done.

 

[noboundaries]

I can't remember the last time I used a flat for chili, but I absolutely LOVE brisket point chili. I have used it prepped just about every way imaginable before putting it in the chili; smoked completely then cubed, smoked for merely two hours then cubed, cubed raw and browned in the pot. My two favorites are smoked for just a few hours (usually 2) then cubed, or cubed raw and browned in the pot (no smoke though).

Personally, I've found the raw/browned and incompletely smoked brisket points become more melt in your mouth tender when braised in the chili. The chili is done when the cubes still have structure, but just dissolve when you bite into them. That can happen anywhere from 4 - 6 hours. I usually count on 4 to 5.

The reason I don't like using a fully smoked brisket point is that it breaks down too much when simmered for a long time. When a brisket point is fully cooked, the chili is ready in 2-3 hours. Something magical happens to chili though when it has been simmered for at least 4 hours (same thing happens to tomato-based spaghetti sauce). The flavors become more blended and the ingredients take on a oneness that cannot be hurried by higher heat or shorter time.

If you want a chili that will knock your socks off, use an incompletely smoked or raw brisket point and simmer it for at least 4 hours.

Dang, I'm suddenly hungry for chili! Just made a huge pot of turkey vegetable soup yesterday, so it will be a few days before I can scratch that itch.