Brisket question

[smokerlover]

Ok, I'm not on here much, but I know this is the place to go to get good help. I have a 4 lb flat. Half of it is probe tender, 1/2 is not. What do i do?

 

[BigW.]

Hopefully you cooked it a bit longer. How did it turn out?

 

[sandyut]

generally, I would say it needs to be probe tender all over. Is it just on the grate? Flats by themselves can be tricky.

 

[Astralogics]

As David said, brisket flats on their own can be a little tricky. What kind of cooker are you using? Let's say the flat is trimmed and pretty much level all around, fat cap included, the difference in tenderness/temp could be due to which side was facing the heat source.

Since it is leaner and doesn't have much fat to protect it, you could try using foil tips to act as a blocker. Additionally, you could try adding some sort of heat diffuser/baffle to help disperse the heat and cook more evenly. If you wrap it and face the side that is lagging behind towards the heat source, it'll catch up, but keep an eye on it. As a last resort, you can spritz the side that's hotter to try to cool it down and let the other side get up to temp. You definitely don't want to overcook it, as it's already a pretty dry cut.

 

[civilsmoker]

I'm kinda late but I would have just let it run for another 2 degrees higher INT and probe again..... And depending on the cook, it you are at a INT of 200 or a little higher you can wrap it in foil (or foil boat covered) and then hold it at 180 degrees in the house oven for 2-3 hours and that will help as well...... The long hold at temp will really improve the tenderness......

 

[smokerlover]

Thanks everyone, so much better than non-answered sarcasm on fb! Anyway, I waited a while longer, but it ended up pretty dry. I'm using a pit boss pellets grill with a flame diffuser. It's just the wife and I, so I hate to buy a whole brisket, but I might have to next time.

 

[Astralogics]

You could try SmokinAl's recipe out! It's very solid.

BRISKET FLAT, MY WAY

It's no secret that a lot of folks have a problem smoking a small well trimmed brisket flat. I to had my struggles for a while, but a couple of years ago I found this method and have been using it ever since. So I would like to share my method with all of you. If you already are successful...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[JLinza]

I'm late as well, I'm with civilsmoker . Especially if I got hungry people waiting, I'll wrap. That seems to speed up the time it takes to get to tenderness. And not for nothing, but I'm guessing you know your hot spots of your cooker? I've had stuff cook different because half of the meat is on the hotter side. Seems like the difference can be 1 seam of the rack sometimes.

 

[chopsaw]

hate to buy a whole brisket, but I might have to next time.

I've been cutting whole packers across the middle , and smoking the point end .
Then doing the flat in the crock pot or instant pot . Cut it into cubes and use for soup or chili .
Makes great taco meat .

 

[sandyut]

I've been cutting whole packers across the middle , and smoking the point end .
Then doing the flat in the crock pot or instant pot . Cut it into cubes and use for soup or chili .
Makes great taco meat .

Never thought of this.

I have good luck with FP’s. Flats are a PITA The first briskets I tried were flats and none turned out good. Then some told me they were difficult and never looked back

 

[civilsmoker]

Thanks everyone, so much better than non-answered sarcasm on fb! Anyway, I waited a while longer, but it ended up pretty dry. I'm using a pit boss pellets grill with a flame diffuser. It's just the wife and I, so I hate to buy a whole brisket, but I might have to next time.

I learned this from a long time BBQ caterer (I use him for client functions), but the trick to having a flat section "NOT" being dry is dressing it with hot rendered tallow after you slice it. There is very little in the flat to keep it to the level of the point section, but if you dress it and then a splash of salt your whole dry flat world will change.....

To get the rendered tallow, take the trimmed fat from the packer, dice it into small pieces and then into a foil pan and place it on the smoker next to the brisket. Once your brisket has reached 165 ish you can even just place the brisket in the pan on the rendered tallow to finish, uncovered or covered. If you cover it will hit temp in about 2-2.5 hours tops, by placing it in the pan you flavor the tallow for the sliced dressing later and it keeps the bottom from getting too crusty......

And like chop I think it's best to cut a full packer down the middle that way you can cook the point to perfection and then deal with the flat if it doesn't play nice, however, you cook either the "flavor rendered" tallow is the final touch (don't be skimp on the dressing just pour it over it)!

edit....added the pic...like this

 

[chopsaw]

Never thought of this.

I've really got into a best use , multiple meals mindset . With everything , but so many great uses for brisket besides smoking .
Next time you grind one , save a couple pounds of the flat and do it as roast beef .
This was done in the crock pot with carrots and onions .

Did the cross cut point end in the mes 30 .

Two great meals plus a couple lunches .
If you have an instant pot , the flat shines as taco meat .
50 minutes high pressure , then cube up and into a skillet with some taco seasoning and liquid .

 

[tallbm]

Thanks everyone, so much better than non-answered sarcasm on fb! Anyway, I waited a while longer, but it ended up pretty dry. I'm using a pit boss pellets grill with a flame diffuser. It's just the wife and I, so I hate to buy a whole brisket, but I might have to next time.

I'm late to the game.

Brisket flats can and will dry out and often have a thin end. When doing a whole packer brisket I remove the thin portion of the flat by making a "U" shape cut where what is left of the flat is about uniform in thickness across the rest of the flat meat left behind.

If doing only a flat it's good to wrap at like 180F or so that way it doesn't dry out, and continue cooking until it is tender. If you wrap too early it will just taste like roast beef so going to a higher Internal Temp (IT) allows it to become BBQ instead of a roast :D

Keep at it and you will nail it after a while.

 

[sandyut]

I've really got into a best use , multiple meals mindset . With everything , but so many great uses for brisket besides smoking .
Next time you grind one , save a couple pounds of the flat and do it as roast beef .
This was done in the crock pot with carrots and onions .
View attachment 715885
Did the cross cut point end in the mes 30 .
View attachment 715886
Two great meals plus a couple lunches .
If you have an instant pot , the flat shines as taco meat .
50 minutes high pressure , then cube up and into a skillet with some taco seasoning and liquid .

I could this getting traction. We love our slow cooker and a lean flat in there sounds great!