Differences in smoking briskest, relative to meat grade.

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ninjasmoker

Newbie
Original poster
Jan 11, 2013
6
10
Firstly, thanks for all the great advice so far. My last brisket was so good everyone ate it to quickly for me to take pictures.

Now to my new question..

Thus far, I've only smoked mid-choice briskets. For my June cook, I'm considering jumping up to prime or wagyu. Maybe it's worth it, maybe it isn't (I'm still wrestling with it, so please feel free to give your thoughts). But let's assume I go for it. I'm concerned that the increased fat content will throw a seriou wrench in my cooking times and method (230 till 170 then wrap till 203, usually 12+hous). I could see this being especially true fr wag, as the fat itself seems to be so muh more tender then pure American stock.

So how would you guys cook these briskets?
 
Hello ninja.  I am going to guess you are just talking about a flat.  I only ever do packer style with flat and point.  I feel the fat content of the two together compliments each other.  Never thought to even look for it before but I guess you could find "prime" brisket.  Here is my opinion for what it is worth.  Others may have different advice.  This is only my opinion.  I would not spring for a "prime" cut of meat that I was not intending to cook hot and fast and serve rare; med. rare at the most.  Low and slow is meant to be used with the "cheap" cuts of meat.  The cuts like brisket, chuck, butts.  The cuts where you need the time to break down connective tissue and allow the fat content to break down, baste the meat and tenderise the cut.  You would not slow smoke or even braise a joint of Prime Rib.  Would be a waste of a great piece of meat.  On an amateur cooking show competition here in England I saw a genius use Rib-Eye to make chicken fried steak.  
wtf1.gif
  As if the Quality of the cut made a better chicken fried steak.  The chicken fried steak was a disaster as the rib-eye should not have been cooked that way.  Would you buy wagyu and then cut it up for stew or make chili out of it?  Just my opinion.  But HEY!  What the he** do I know??  
icon_biggrin.gif
  I will be interested in seeing your results.  Good luck.  Keep Smokin!


Danny
 
I agree with the above poster.  I would stick to USDA Choice.  Packer briskets that are choice would be my choice always [or choice flats if that's what your using]. Reinhard
 
 
Hello ninja.  I am going to guess you are just talking about a flat.  I only ever do packer style with flat and point.  I feel the fat content of the two together compliments each other.  Never thought to even look for it before but I guess you could find "prime" brisket.  Here is my opinion for what it is worth.  Others may have different advice.  This is only my opinion.  I would not spring for a "prime" cut of meat that I was not intending to cook hot and fast and serve rare; med. rare at the most.  Low and slow is meant to be used with the "cheap" cuts of meat.  The cuts like brisket, chuck, butts.  The cuts where you need the time to break down connective tissue and allow the fat content to break down, baste the meat and tenderise the cut.  You would not slow smoke or even braise a joint of Prime Rib.  Would be a waste of a great piece of meat.  On an amateur cooking show competition here in England I saw a genius use Rib-Eye to make chicken fried steak.  
wtf1.gif
  As if the Quality of the cut made a better chicken fried steak.  The chicken fried steak was a disaster as the rib-eye should not have been cooked that way.  Would you buy wagyu and then cut it up for stew or make chili out of it?  Just my opinion.  But HEY!  What the he** do I know??  
icon_biggrin.gif
  I will be interested in seeing your results.  Good luck.  Keep Smokin!


Danny
I agree with KC5TPY! The idea of low and slow was to break down cheaper and larger cuts of meat. But on the contrary i've seen Myron Mixon roll up on a TV show and spend $120 on a full Waygu Packer. So i think that's something to think about. 

I would imagine that you just have to babysit it more...your cook times will likely be far less then normal because of the more tender cut of beef
 
Kc5 is correct. Choice brisket will get you a more moist and tender finished product. The history of BBQ is actually low and slow cooking by usually poor folks who couldn't afford or only had access to cheaper cuts. Wagyu beef, Vidalia onion, etc etc etc. Marketing masters get paid big money to brand something to get more money out of you. Bigger isn't always better....just like more expensive isn't always better. Some people just like to be separated from their money. I've been at a bbq fest where Wagyu brisket was being sold as sliced or pulled sandwiched at $9.50 a pop. And people were actually standing around trying to convince each other how good it was because it was Wagyu. I tried one just to see if it could be that much better. Bull! Brisket I have made myself and had from others beat these overpriced sammies hands down. More flavor, more tenderness. Give me choice.
 
geerock, right on the money. Marketing !!!   I can't tell you how many people I know that "Brand Name" is all that matters to them.  They will eat at some snooty, crappy tasting food place and go on and on about how good it was, and don't know good food from bad. I have stopped at no telling how many hole in wall places and had some of the best food I ever had. Same with brisket, so many people overthink it and make it complicated. You can take a packer brisket, rub it with salt and pepper, and smoke it low and slow and have some of the best eating around. Doesn't have to Wagyu , aged for 45 or 60 days you get the flavor from the smoke and seasoning and moist and tender from slow cooking.

Gary
 
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