How would you cook this Brisket point...

[buckshot billy]

Picked this up from my typical meat packer. They sell them as a brisket point and it's trimmed right up and only weighs 3.25LB so decently small.

I can't picture where this is located on a whole packer as I'm fairly new to brisket. To me it looks as if it's trimmed up right about where you'd want a brisket.

I'm wondering how brisket gurus would suggest tackling it being so light compared to a whole packer.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[bdskelly]

I’d smoke it in a aluminum pan I think with some beef broth in it. That would help it from drying out. Fat cap up. But watch that IT like a hawk. B

 

[zippy12]

Did one last night

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/a-quick-point-brisket.276803/

 

[gmc2003]

Listening to B's advise on brisket is spot on. He knows what he's talking about when it comes to brisket.

Chris

 

[buckshot billy]

I’d smoke it in a aluminum pan I think with some beef broth in it. That would help it from drying out. Fat cap up. But watch that IT like a hawk. B

Will that allow any bark formation or is it just not really attainable with a brisket cut like this? I should also clarify, I'm shooting for approx 200° internal correct?

Did one last night

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/a-quick-point-brisket.276803/

Thanks Zippy, I never actually noticed that thread. It seems like you got some decent bark formation and that it cooked pretty quickly like within 4hr.. What temp were you cooking at and did you wrap/rest in foil at all? I wasn't sure if I'd be able to cut slices out of it if it's only the point but it seems like I can.

 

[JckDanls 07]

Perfect candidate for Pastrami ??

 

[AllenRR]

I use a Masterbuilt bullet smoker (that I modified a lot,) and cuts that size are actually what I usually cook. I do a lot of points because the wifey and I love us some burnt ends. bdskelly is spot on. You just don't turn your back on it. Understand that smaller briskets turn out just as well when you watch that IT carefully. I use a Maverick digital thermometer because the display turns green when the IT is in range. It's easy to see from the porch.

 

[SmokinAl]

Again I agree with Keith on this one, that would make some beautiful pastrami!
Al

 

[radio]

The last one I did finished really quickly and even though it probed tender, the fat was not rendered the way I like it, so I put on a rack in a pan with beef base and brewed coffee and covered tightly with foil. I lowered the temp on my pellet grill to 200° and held it there for a couple of hours, then rested a couple more. The fat almost dissolved and it was very moist and tender. Might be the best one I have cooked yet!

 

[buckshot billy]

I decided I'm gonna throw caution to the wind and just cook the sucker without worrying too much.

Seasoned it up dirt simple Texas style S&P. Figured I'll use kettle since it's pretty little and not likely gonna be a huge cook. Divided kettle in two with a couple bricks. Filled with 4 golf ball size white oak blocks and Royal oak briquettes. Got a dozen or so white hot in the chimney and tossed em to one end of the loaded kettle. Foil pan filled with water on cool side of grill and tossed on the beef at 11:30am at a clean burning 265° with thin blue whisping away.

An hour in and that IT is rocketing away!

We'll see how long til 160° and how the bark is looking. I'll keep the thread updated as I go. It's dead still and 63° overcast and humid so somewhat favourable weather for a kettle cook which can occasionally go haywire as we know.

 

[gmc2003]

Looks good so far.

Chris

 

[buckshot billy]

Whoops triple post sorry.

 

[buckshot billy]

Hour and a half in, 145°IT

 

[buckshot billy]

3hr in and it's stalling at 165°, I'm thinking I'm gonna wait til it's just half a shade more brown then wrap but I've got half a mind to just let it sit as is until it's poke tender... Wondering if I'll end up whipping the insides to dry dust if I do though.. Any thoughts SMF?

 

[buckshot billy]

Hit 180° internal at 4hr, bark looked nice so I chickened out and foiled in in a pan. I tossed it back on the fire and figure I'll leave er go til 190 or so then cooler it til dinner time.

 

[bdskelly]

Throwing caution to the wind often produces awesome results. I like that gold kettle by the way. Mine is green. My oldest son has the gold. Nice touch. Like! B

 

[buckshot billy]

Throwing caution to the wind often produces awesome results. I like that gold kettle by the way. Mine is green. My oldest son has the gold. Nice touch. Like! B

Thanks B, weber calls it copper and I was truthfully wishing it was a little more orange/red metallic but I love it. Had a black one for years and years. Finally left it at the inlaws for occasional weekend cooks and upgraded to the copper with upgraded ash catcher and dome thermometer model for home.

My pa had a bright red one from the early 80s with wood handles and I loved it. To this day, any time I hear the word BBQ I picture that red kettle.

 

[buckshot billy]

Well it hit 195° at 5hr15min. I yanked it off and wrapped with towel. Skipping the cooler method as I'd be happy to eat in an hour or so, therefore I'm good with it cooling down some as it rests.

Made a little pot of Aaron Franklin recipe pinto beans for a side dish. Used half a lb of shredded pork butt from a previous cook since I didn't have any chopped point to add as per recipe.

Some simple roasted potatoes and a side salad will accompany. Hope that beef is ok, I've made only one before and it was tender but dry and a little stringy. We'll see how it goes in an hour.

 

[AllenRR]

I put mine in a thermal bag for the cooldown/resting. Yours looks great. Those beans look good too. Nicely done sir..

 

[buckshot billy]

Overall it was a success. I'd give the brisket a 7/10.

The bark was great, attractive smoke ring, seasoning was perfect. It was reasonably tender and not crumbly like last time I made one and overall it was a tasty dish but just slightly dry and could have used more internal moisture.

I tried the “pull” test but it kinda stretched out before breaking so I think it failed by typical brisket test criteria. Not sure if it needed more time, higher heat, longer wrap, shorter wrap, dryer environment, etc etc and for what it's worth the grade of this point wasn't overly high (AA up here in Canada which I believe translates to USDA select) so for all I know I did everything right but the marbling just wasn't there.

It's funny how different brisket is compared with a pork butt. So much less forgiving. I feel like a pork butt almost can't turn out bad but with tough briskets there's a real ballet dance to achieve and a wide range of outcomes it seems.

Again, I'm happy with the turnout. My next brisket will be of a higher grade though and I may just man up and do a whole packer instead of trying to make the smaller cut do something it maybe just can't do.