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How to buy a packer (pics)

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The Cen-Tex Smoker
The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
edited April 2012 in EggHead Forum
So I bought a packer for the sake of posting pics on how to buy, trim and prep it today. Attached is a great example of the tale of 2 Briskets. You will hear folks say to always buy a "floppy" brisket, aka, one that bends when you hold it by the point (thick side). As you can see by these 2 pics, I stood 2 briskets up by the point and one folded completely over on itself and the other one stood up on it's own and didn't bend nearly as much as the other. The stiff one had a huge layer of hard fat on it (which is OK and can be trimmed off) but you could just tell the muscle fibers were really tight. Both of these were select grade (I normally would look for choice but I'm just kind of jacking around with this cook for pics) and both were refrigerated. There was a tremendous difference in the pliability of the 2 when side by side. The assumption here is that a brisket that is more tender in the cryo will be more tender when served. I honestly cannot tell you that that is the truth. It's just what I learned early on so I still look for floppy briskets today. Plus it's fun to act like you know something at the store when picking one out! i really should have bought both and cooked them to see if all this BS is really true. But I didn't so the myth lives on........for now anyway. I'll trim it up later and post pics. Cook tonight...more pics...you get the idea. 
Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    Dang it- Sorry for the sideways pic.of the floppy.  You can see better this way:
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • tazcrash
    tazcrash Posts: 1,852
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    Check it out! Cen-tex is making brisket levitate.

    Thanks for those pics. If I can ever find a packer cut and not just a flat, I'll pretend to know what I'm doing
    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    Check it out! Cen-tex is making brisket levitate.

    Thanks for those pics. If I can ever find a packer cut and not just a flat, I'll pretend to know what I'm doing
    That's all i ever do. Nobody seems any the wiser. I keep waiting for the butcher to say "you idiot, that because we use thicker cryo" or something like that. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,385
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    As this is the continuation (theory-to-practice) of your thesis of a few days ago, I will be paying attention.  Don't pretend to have the brisket experience you possess, but do enjoy the challenge (made a bit harder by only access to flats) and experiments.  My favorite BGE cook, perhaps because there is such a small margin between "hit it outta the park, a single, and a complete strike-out". 
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    As this is the continuation (theory-to-practice) of your thesis of a few days ago, I will be paying attention.  Don't pretend to have the brisket experience you possess, but do enjoy the challenge (made a bit harder by only access to flats) and experiments.  My favorite BGE cook, perhaps because there is such a small margin between "hit it outta the park, a single, and a complete strike-out". 
    you got it. I still have some that i just go "meh" after the cook. Some are definitively better than others. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • scooter759
    scooter759 Posts: 257
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    As this is the continuation (theory-to-practice) of your thesis of a few days ago, I will be paying attention.  Don't pretend to have the brisket experience you possess, but do enjoy the challenge (made a bit harder by only access to flats) and experiments.  My favorite BGE cook, perhaps because there is such a small margin between "hit it outta the park, a single, and a complete strike-out". 




    I haven't heard "Theory to Practice" since my days as an EDEA....on a nuclear submarine...in San Diego. Am I correct in interpretting your forum handle as affiliated with command of USS Louisville?

    Sorry,this is totally off the thread.....

    Extra Large, 2 Large, Medium, Mini Max, Weber Summit gasser, Weber Q. Mankato, MN
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,385
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    @ scooter759-sent you an e-mail and the short answer is yes-I was CO of USS Louisville in San Diego (best city in the country-in the worst state) in the early 90's.

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    As this is the continuation (theory-to-practice) of your thesis of a few days ago, I will be paying attention.  Don't pretend to have the brisket experience you possess, but do enjoy the challenge (made a bit harder by only access to flats) and experiments.  My favorite BGE cook, perhaps because there is such a small margin between "hit it outta the park, a single, and a complete strike-out". 




    I haven't heard "Theory to Practice" since my days as an EDEA....on a nuclear submarine...in San Diego. Am I correct in interpretting your forum handle as affiliated with command of USS Louisville?

    Sorry,this is totally off the thread.....

    Look at brisket bringing our fine servicemen together! Thank you guys for your service.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,385
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    @ The Cen-Tex Smoker; Thanks for the kind words.  I'm a firm believer in Satchel Paige's "Don't look back, somebody might be gainin on ya" and enjoyed my time in the USN but that was then and now I'm just tryin' to wrestle a brisket.  Brisket may be winnin!!!     

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • centex99
    centex99 Posts: 231
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    Hmmmm... throwing a ~12-13# packer on tonight/tomorrow am... gonna cook at 250... trying to determine how to season... then plan to make some burnt ends with the point....
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    @ The Cen-Tex Smoker; Thanks for the kind words.  I'm a firm believer in Satchel Paige's "Don't look back, somebody might be gainin on ya" and enjoyed my time in the USN but that was then and now I'm just tryin' to wrestle a brisket.  Brisket may be winnin!!!     

    Well said. We move forward with smoked meats!  I'll be doing one tomorrow and I'll take pics (and maybe even notes, God forbid) and pass them along. I may not be the best guy to learn from but I have certainly screwed up my share of low and slow briskets on the Egg. Hopefully I can save you some of the pain I have endured trying to get that finicky cut of meat to behave on command. I don't think I'm even 100% there yet but I think I can at least cut some time of your journey. It's never perfect until you take all you learn from others then nail one YOUR way. Then it gets fun. Hell, this is the first forum I've even been a part of and I've only been active here for 10 days or so. You are way ahead of me!
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • centex99
    centex99 Posts: 231
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    well, my brisket is on... cherry wood chunks... seasoning of salt/pepper mix plus garlic and tubinar sugar (for bark)...Once its done tomorrow, plan to take point and make burnt ends with some random rub from the pantry.... maybe some sweet rays bbq sauce in with em towards the end...
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  • TxAg93
    TxAg93 Posts: 124
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    Good luck on the cook. I'll be starting my 15 pounder in 7 hours for Easter lunch.
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  • centex99
    centex99 Posts: 231
    edited April 2012
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    Mine is 12-13 or so....cooking it for tomorrow lol
    Don't have any planned cooks for easter dinner... 
    I'll make a new post and put up pics tomorrow....
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    Awesome guys. I got clearance from the tower to do mine for Easter as well. Not what I had in mind but we'll see how it works. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • TxAg93
    TxAg93 Posts: 124
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    Cen-Tex - how's the brisket this morning?
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,385
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    Good luck to all you brisketeers and your journey-I was not lucky enough to get clearance for a brisket for Easter so I will be doing a simple spatchcock chix with veggies.  Too short a cook to be a journey.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • TxAg93
    TxAg93 Posts: 124
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    Ain't nothing wrong with that. I've been enjoying different brining recipes for spatchcock chickens. I never knew until learning about brining how much flavor you could pack into a chicken.
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  • centex99
    centex99 Posts: 231
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    TxAg, I started a new thread for my brisket... its going... up to about 167 now seems to be moving past that 160 stall...
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    I drank too much beer and didn't put it on :) i did those bacon wrapped thighs and then really didn't feel like changing my setup etc. Lazy! It's still sitting in the fridge taunting me. I'll throw it in this afternoon.



    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • centex99
    centex99 Posts: 231
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    beer... maybe I'll drink some of that today... I do have a kegerator filled with 4 varieties of homebrew....
    Brisket and home brew tonight... I'll sell tickets to join me! :-)
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  • TxAg93
    TxAg93 Posts: 124
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    Home brew and brisket. Sounds like a winning team to me.
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  • centex99
    centex99 Posts: 231
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    TxAg, plus I'm an Aggie... :-)
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    beer... maybe I'll drink some of that today... I do have a kegerator filled with 4 varieties of homebrew....
    Brisket and home brew tonight... I'll sell tickets to join me! :-)
    In
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    beer... maybe I'll drink some of that today... I do have a kegerator filled with 4 varieties of homebrew....
    Brisket and home brew tonight... I'll sell tickets to join me! :-)
    In
    In all my travels, I've always found that my favorite beer and briskets are always someone else's (less work for centex)!


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • centex99
    centex99 Posts: 231
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    if you're in central texas, you should start driving now!  I live up in DFW (McKinney to be exact).
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    if you're in central texas, you should start driving now!  I live up in DFW (McKinney to be exact).
    I know....but you have beer and brisket. My sister lives in Van Alstynne and my mom's in Sherman. I could play it off like I'm coming to visit for Easter (although they would immediately know I was up to something sinister).

    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • TxAg93
    TxAg93 Posts: 124
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    Whoop! Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of '93
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  • TxAg93
    TxAg93 Posts: 124
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    Obviously.
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    Obviously.
    Least sneaky handle ever :)


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