Brisket point options

[gotbags-10]

Just wondering what people do with the points other than burnt ends? Chopped or pulled? I've never done anything but burnt ends

 

[forluvofsmoke]

If you have to chop it, it isn't done cooking...points cook-up very tender due to their inter-muscular fat. I've only pulled or made burnt ends, and occasionally made thick slices (to tender to slice thin). Try an Au Jus with it, if you haven't yet...make crusty french bread sammies with pulled point and slice across the loaf after filling with PB...mmm-mmm-mmm!

Eric

 

[bbqnuts]

A. Burnt Ends

B. Slices

C. Cube and use in Chili

D. Shred and add to baked beans

E. Shred or chop and mix with 80-20 beef for burgers (2-1 ground beef to brisket)

 

[gotbags-10]

So i'm confused. Pulled or sliced? Also if I cook it as a whole packer is the point done when the flat is or does it need to go longer to render out more of the fat?

 

[bruno994]

The point will need to cook out longer.  Typically 2 hours more of heat, depending on temp your cooking at.  I cheat when cooking at home, once the flat is done, I'll separate and throw the point back in the oven covered for 2 hours at 300 degrees.  I prefer chopped over pulled or shredded, but I do I love the point meat, so I'll normally slice it and make sammies, but I have also chopped and vac sealed with a bit of au jus, makes for great quick dinners with sammies or stuffed baked pototoes or enchiladas or whatever you can think of that needs some meta on it.  Save some and make some tamales with it chopped or shredded, don't get any better than that.  When I say 'chop", I don't mean it's too tough to pull or slice, I mean that I'll cut it into slices then chop or cut again to make it into smaller morsels of chopped brisket. 

 

[forluvofsmoke]

So i'm confused. Pulled or sliced? Also if I cook it as a whole packer is the point done when the flat is or does it need to go longer to render out more of the fat?

Depends on what you want to use it for. Tacos, Fajitas, Enchiladas and chili are all great with smoked pulled or shreaded beef. You can slice the point as you would the flat. One thing to consider is leftovers...this is where you can let your creativity flow freely. Finish the brisket the way you want to eat it, then when it's time to use those scrumptious leftovers, you take it a few steps further to get even more bang from your smoke.

The point will ALWAYS take longer to cook when smoking a whole packer brisket, due it's heavier cross-sectional density (thickness), so separation mid-smoke is a common practice, although when I want burnt ends, I only smoke the point to the upper 150s to lower 160s internal temp, for better texture and moisture retention in the burnt ends when they are finished.

OK, I can see this leading into a rather lengthy discussion, so let me take it a few steps farther by linking you to some of my brisket smokes which will explain how I do the various methods of finishing the brisket (those I've done so far, at least, with easily repeatable results). And, remember that everyone has a bit different techniques for doing what they do. Sometimes, I change my own methods based on different circumstances, so I don't always do everything the same way from one brisket smoke to the next:

Sliced flat and burnt ends:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...riskets-burnt-ends-taters-in-the-vault-q-view

Sliced flat, pulled point (typical old-school style brisket):

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/105105/i-dream-of-brisket-big-brisket-progressive-q-view

Burnt fingers, burnt ends, pulled flat (an interesting twist on the typical brisket smoke):

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/91225/burnt-fingers-ends-pulled-flat-what-pp-q-view

Brisket is a very versatile cut of beef. There are so many ways to use it...you are only limited by creativity. It does like to be cooked low & slow to produce the most tenderness, but other than that, the sky is the limit on what you can do with it.

Hope that helps you piece together what you'd like try next...GREAT smokes to ya!

Eric

 

[stickyfingers]

Better question is: Why would you want to do anything other than burnt ends??

 

[gotbags-10]

Trust  me I always do but I have to cook the briskey's then as soon as their done wrapped in a cooler I have a 3 hour drive I have to make with them. I know wrapped up whole it will stay hot for hours in a cooler but i'm thinking burnt ends would not make it 3 or 4 hours unless someone thinks they might?