Halving point and flat or maybe another way

[zwiller]

I realize most guys are purists but I am not. We prefer our smoked meats in chunks, like a large chop if you will. I have to at least separate the point in the flat anyway since it won't fit whole in my MES. I'd like to to break it down a little more to speed things up a bit. I think maybe just halve both so I have 4 pieces. Or maybe keep flat and point together and cut into 4 pieces. Anyone ever done anything like that? I love my results from halving a butt and thought it might work similar on brisket. Any input appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[tallbm]

I realize most guys are purists but I am not. We prefer our smoked meats in chunks, like a large chop if you will. I have to at least separate the point in the flat anyway since it won't fit whole in my MES. I'd like to to break it down a little more to speed things up a bit. I think maybe just halve both so I have 4 pieces. Or maybe keep flat and point together and cut into 4 pieces. Anyone ever done anything like that? I love my results from halving a butt and thought it might work similar on brisket. Any input appreciated. Thanks in advance.

It should work. You just have to treat the Flat only chunks a bit differently than the Point or Point + Flat chunks.

I personally would foil wrap (not paper wrap) any Flat only chunks, treating them exactly how I treat a Chuck smoke. I would take them to about 180F then put on foil, splash in about 2oz of a liquid like water/beer/leftover wine/etc and then tightly wrap in foil. All to keep it from drying out.

Anything Point related will be ok no matter what you do as long as you dont burn it or over cook the crap out of it :)

 

[SmokinAl]

When I cut up a full packer, I separate the point from the flat. I use the point for pastrami, then I cut the flat in half. I use one half for corned beef & smoke the other half for smoked brisket.
Al

 

[DanMcG]

liquid like water/beer/leftover wine/

Left over? how can that happen? lol

Sam give it a try and let us know how it works out. it will be quicker and should have more bark then a whole brisket.

 

[SmokyMose]

I also usually separate the point from the flat and use the flat for something else, partly because I use smaller sized packers and the flat just doesn't come out as well (at least for me).
I don't know why cutting it up into "chunks" wouldn't work, and like you said it would cut the cooking time down.

 

[tallbm]

Left over? how can that happen? lol

Sam give it a try and let us know how it works out. it will be quicker and should have more bark then a whole brisket.

Hahahaha. Left over wine usually happens when I'm NOT the one who opened the bottle to begin with and I wasn't drinking.
Usually what happens is that I look down on the lower rack of the fridge door and notice half a bottle of wine that was hiding there for over 2 weeks. Well it becomes cooking wine at that point hahaha :)

 

[chopsaw]

zwiller Sam not sure if you saw this or not . I wanted to do more testing , but stuff got hard to come by so I never did .

Had an idea while grinding a brisket .

I was grinding a nice choice brisket .I have 3 no roll in the freezer . Grabbed the wrong one . This one was really flexible and tender out of the bag . As I was cutting I had a couple pieces that just seemed to need attention in another way . So I culled them out and saved them from the grinder...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[Bearcarver]

I realize most guys are purists but I am not. We prefer our smoked meats in chunks, like a large chop if you will. I have to at least separate the point in the flat anyway since it won't fit whole in my MES. I'd like to to break it down a little more to speed things up a bit. I think maybe just halve both so I have 4 pieces. Or maybe keep flat and point together and cut into 4 pieces. Anyone ever done anything like that? I love my results from halving a butt and thought it might work similar on brisket. Any input appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Or you could take that "Short" Drive from Ohio to PA, and pick up a FREE MES 40 Generation #1, so you can fit bigger pieces of meat into it than you can in that little MES 30.

Bear

 

[zwiller]

Thanks guys! I thought for sure the purists would prevail on this one. This sounds encouraging. Honestly, if I could get clod I'd go that route.

DanMcG on point: more bark. Time savings is also a plus as I have a tough time in the double digit smokes.
Bearcarver I am totally down for a trip like that but so much on my plate right now. If they are still around when I have time I'll be there!
chopsaw LOL everyone was thinking that was a brisket burger thread... It's not! As usual you are one step ahead of me. I have a full packer in the freezer and need the space.

Since I have all the big guns in this thread: chuckie vs brisket. Am I nuts? I don't think they taste the same and prefer brisket. I find it richer and more steak like flavor and chuckies have a pot roast-ish flavor. I am gonna try and order a clod from a butcher and see how it tastes.

 

[chopsaw]

LOL everyone was thinking that was a brisket burger thread... It's not!

Thanks for paying attention .

 

[SmokyMose]

I'm no big gun LOL but I agree. Totally different taste. For what it's worth, I gave up on chuckies in the smoke and just use them for pot roast. Too unpredictable.
After that post about clod a few days ago I've been thinking about asking about it but I'm afraid I'd get the same blank look I get when I ask about tri-tip...

 

[zwiller]

Took yesterday day off to run this. When I broke the packer down I decided to just grind the point for burgers. Been wanting to do it and the point was not that big. That said this flat was larger than expected. I decided to halve it to about equal sizes. 15m light TQ fake ring rub and rinse. Injected with water, red wine, salt, msg, and STPP. Rubbed equal parts black pepper, garlic, and pasilla chile powder (dark stuff). Overnight pellicle in fridge hoping for meteorite bark. Achieved. No money shot and parked in the fridge but did sample and was tasty. Undecided how to serve but thinking 12hrs foil wrapped at 140F in MES a la Franklin Alto Shaam type rest.

 

[browneyesvictim]

Am I the only crazy one that likes to smoke the point as a roast and grind the rest?
Man that flat looks fantastic Sam... Especially treated like you did!

 

[zwiller]

Thank you sir! All that stuff I did sounds like a lot of work but it isn't. I am by no means a brisket expert but in my case the point just didn't look like smoking material. Pretty fatty. Maybe it mostly renders. This is all kinda to funny because I planned to chop the whole thing but the flat turned out so well shaped. It is screaming DON'T CHOP ME!

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks guys!

Bearcarver I am totally down for a trip like that but so much on my plate right now. If they are still around when I have time I'll be there!

The way it looks now, you could have both of them.
Makes the trip more worth it.

Bear

 

[chopsaw]

Looks good Sam .