Brisket: Flat or Point?

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low'n'slow

Fire Starter
Original poster
Apr 10, 2007
62
10
Great White North
I'm thinking of attempting my first brisket on the MES this weekend. In the past, I've done it on the gas grill using a cut the butcher referred to as a "point".

Can someone tell me, in layman's terms, what the difference is between the flat and the point (and a packer cut, which I've seen referred to here), and which would be best for smoking? (I'm not looking to cook a huge hunk of meat - in the past, the points have been between 4 and 5 pounds, I think.)
 
Like Debi said, a packer is both cuts connected together, usually 8# +, the flat is even thickness, cooks evenly, the point is, well a point! I do packers because i like both cuts and i Love leftovers
PDT_Armataz_01_11.gif
See bigal's post about burnt ends on the basic brisket thread
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a true packer cut has the bone in it still. what we call a packer, that we get at the store, is like they said- a flat and a point still together. i buy packers, because my wife likes the sliced flat, and i like the pulled point. i always get a 8-10 lb'er.
 
You cut them apart and cook the flat to 190' and the point to 200'?

I was talking to a butcher the other day and the flat is way more expensive than the point. I don't know if the point has more fat in it or what? I guess that's why a pulled point would be better if that's the case. I know when I buy corned beef, the points are always about .59 cheaper than the flats.
 
Get the packer cut. Once done turn the point into burnt ends. It will take around 4 hours longer but MMMMMMmmmmmm they are good.

Just do a search here for exact directions on burnt ends. They basically are e point cut up into cubes. Then I cover them in some dry rub. I put them in a aluminum pan with a few holes poked in the bottom. I also put another pan under it in the smoker to catch the drippings. I do that part so the meat doesn't swim in renderings. About three hours into this I take them out, slather them in BBQ sauce and put them back in the smoker for another hour.

I don't know which get eaten faster burnt ends or ABTs, it's always a close race ;).

Take care,

Brian
 
i smoke them whole. then when ready, i cut the flat away from the point; slice the flat; then i pull the point. the point has way more fat than the flat. i won't/can't eat the fat. the only way i can eat fat, is if it is ground up in the meat (like sausage). i have noticed here that the corned beef flats are about the same way as you have seen, about $0.60 more here. hth
 
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