First time Brisket

Mayberry

So, I've read all the forum posts and I'm devising my plan for my first whole packer brisket this weekend. We're having friends over to watch the NCAA tourney on Saturday, and I thought it was a good time to try one. I don't know why I'm so intimidated by this. I do boston butts all the time, and the cook seems very similar. I just don't want to spend $100 and dry out a great piece of meat, and just as importantly, I want everyone that comes over to love it. I'm getting a Snake River Farms brisket in the 12-14lb range. Any tips that will make the cook more successful, or just low and slow until it's tender? Is it a good idea to try burnt ends the first go around, or should i just slice up the point and serve it with the flat? Thanks for any advice.

LBC Dawg

Personally i've never had trouble w/ brisket. Like you said, it's very similar to a boston butt cook. i cook em at 250 w/ salt and pepper and oak wood. Not to say i'll never have a bad one but it's just never been hard to me to get em right. For me, i like the point too much to make the burnt ends. The point is maybe the best thing to come off the egg. I can make myself sick off it. 

drewaars

+1 to what LBC Dawg said about the method and point.  Mine always seems to finish about an hour or 2 sooner than the suggested cooking times, which I haven't figured out yet.  Just keep it low and slow and have a thermometer handy.

pretzelb

My second brisket ended in the trash it was so bad. I think the problem was I went by dome temp and not grate. But the same issue didn't bother the pork shoulders that I did before. So I think brisket is less forgiving. My first and third brisket were OK but the pork shoulders have all been great.

Mayberry

Some say to remove the point and some leave it all on until the end. Any difference? Do you separate and slice the point just like the flat?

cazzy

Just some advice. It's admirable to go big on your first try, but you're planning on using one of the better cuts of beef out there on your first try.

Naturally, you won't have confidence as it is your first brisket cook. I'd highly suggest to get a $40 choice brisket and give it a whirl. Do a couple...Learn what type of seasoning you prefer and how to cut a brisket without the added pressure of a $140 brisket on your egg.

I've made some sick choice packers...nothing wrong with them.

cazzy

Mayberry said:

Some say to remove the point and some leave it all on until the end. Any difference? Do you separate and slice the point just like the flat?

I don't seperate the point at all...but I'm from Texas so I guess that's obvious. A perfectly cooked point is better than any burnt end I've had. I've cut up some Texas burnt ends. Sliced a strip on the end cut of the point, then cubed them up.

I personally think your friends will enjoy every thing you serve them!

lousubcap

I would suggest you take a look at the Franklin brisket video series on youtube.  Should answer many of your concerns.  And you must have great friends to spring for a SRF brisket on the first go 'round!  Enjoy the cook and eats.

LBC Dawg

The Franklin video/method is what i follow and it's worked great. Like cazzy said, choice briskets are great, actually the only thing i've ever done. I wanna try 1 of those SRF ones though. 

lousubcap

@LBC_Dawg-just be ready for quite an upcharge when you hit the shipping costs.  If a member and near a Costco, I have found prime grade packers there in the past month or so-a real rarity around here.  Sorry for the partial hi-jack.

Mayberry

It's not the SRF wagyu brisket, They also have a choice brisket that costs around $5-$6/lb. Plus, my local meat market usually hooks me up b/c I buy so much from them. I've done tons of pork butts and just want to try something new. Nowhere else around here sells just a choice packer....in Georgia, beef isn't typically smoked. The only grocery store choices for brisket are flats and the prepackaged corned beef briskets. So, if it's a packer, it's going to be the Snake River. I could drive to Costco 45 minutes away, but then I'm almost the same price factoring in gas, and I'll spend two hours getting there and back.

Mayberry

One other question. It seems that it's an age old debate whether to crutch or not.....i do love the bark of good brisket. Do I stand a greater chance of drying out the meat if I don't foil during the cook?

QDude

I have found that butcher paper works great for holding moisture and it doesn't destroy the bark.  If Aaron Franklin uses it, it must be OK!

cazzy

Mayberry said:

One other question. It seems that it's an age old debate whether to crutch or not.....i do love the bark of good brisket. Do I stand a greater chance of drying out the meat if I don't foil during the cook?

Foil should only be used to FTC...not during your cook.

cazzy

Mayberry said:

It's not the SRF wagyu brisket, They also have a choice brisket that costs around $5-$6/lb. Plus, my local meat market usually hooks me up b/c I buy so much from them. I've done tons of pork butts and just want to try something new. Nowhere else around here sells just a choice packer....in Georgia, beef isn't typically smoked. The only grocery store choices for brisket are flats and the prepackaged corned beef briskets. So, if it's a packer, it's going to be the Snake River. I could drive to Costco 45 minutes away, but then I'm almost the same price factoring in gas, and I'll spend two hours getting there and back.

That makes sense! Good luck!

NPHuskerFL

cazzy said:

Just some advice. It's admirable to go big on your first try, but you're planning on using one of the better cuts of beef out there on your first try.

Naturally, you won't have confidence as it is your first brisket cook. I'd highly suggest to get a $40 choice brisket and give it a whirl. Do a couple...Learn what type of seasoning you prefer and how to cut a brisket without the added pressure of a $140 brisket on your egg.

I've made some sick choice packers...nothing wrong with them.

@cazzy‌ +1 on the Choice cut.
@Mayberry‌...Each cut is different. Different marbling, lump, wood types for smoke, spices, humidity levels inside and outside the egg, injected or not injected, etc, etc the list goes on and on. I use HDAF for FTC but, I don't normally use during the cook (not because it's right or wrong it is just a preference that has developed by smoking many briskets). Also brisket is a cut that it's just important to "feel" the meat and also temp it. I don't bump the temp up to push thru the stall {some folks do} and sometimes a brisket will have more than one stall). Slow & Low will help ensure your brisket has time for it to become like buttuh. Patience is key and a good supply of beverages for the wait :-). Look forward to the pics. ;-)

Mayberry

Just to make sure, I should allow 2 hrs per pound, just like with pork, correct? I know it may be 1.5 hrs per lb, but generally never beyond 2 hrs/lb with pork. Usually, I allow 2 hrs/lb + 1-2 hrs for good measure. Same principle with brisket? It will be 12-14 lbs and I'm feeding friends around 2-3pm. So, I should put it on around 3pm the day before? I'm fully prepared to FTC, and would prefer to do so. I just don't want to run over and it be 7pm before it finishes.

NPHuskerFL

@Mayberry‌.. agreed! I would rather it be completed early and have to FTC than to have my guests waiting. IMHO. Guesstimate on 12#-14# packer smoking at 220F-275F to an i.t. of 205F or like buttuh>>> close to 20 hrs. But, that is a guesstimate only.

LBC Dawg

I'm in Macon and i get choice packers from Sam's. Once in awhile Publix will have em too. I've never used foil or anything when i've done brisket mainly b/c i've only done em when i have plenty of time. I don't think it's right or wrong. Do whatever it takes to get it done. 

lousubcap

@Mayberry-thanks for the brisket clarification.  I know friends are great but that may have been over the top >-  As mentioned above by @NPHuskerFL-each hunk behaves on it's own and seem to have more variance in the hours/lb at temperature cook time than butts.  But his plan to err on the finish early and FTC is the right call-no need to add the stress of trying to punch it home during a hotly contested B'ball game.  Good luck and enjoy the eats-BTW don't slice til ready to eat as it can dry out before your eyes and Franklin has some good info on slicing the flat and point.  Gettin hungry just writing this!

Little Steven

lousubcap said:

@Mayberry-thanks for the brisket clarification.  I know friends are great but that may have been over the top >-  As mentioned above by @NPHuskerFL-each hunk behaves on it's own and seem to have more variance in the hours/lb at temperature cook time than butts.  But his plan to err on the finish early and FTC is the right call-no need to add the stress of trying to punch it home during a hotly contested B'ball game.  Good luck and enjoy the eats-BTW don't slice til ready to eat as it can dry out before your eyes and Franklin has some good info on slicing the flat and point.  Gettin hungry just writing this!

Me too and I had brisket for lunch

NPHuskerFL

Heading to butcher to brisket window shop right now. ;-). Was thinking burnt ends on the next one's point but, seeing all the points slice is....(drooling) making me reconsider. :-D

Mayberry

Well....turns out I was wrong. SRF may not carry anything other than wagyu. My local meat market does sell SRF and that's all they display usually. But, they also carry CErtified Angus brisket at $5.99/lb. The Snake River Wagyu is $8.99/lb. So, it looks like I''ll be taking your advice and getting the angus for this weekend. Honestly, from what I saw, the angus had just as good of a fat cap and marbling. It looked great. I'm sure I'll be bugging you again for last minute help on Friday night.

NPHuskerFL

Just picked mine up from butcher. 13.5# Choice packer in cryovac with beautiful marbling for $3.15 per#. Won't smoke this one for about 2 wks to a month due to work on call schedule but it will be safe in the deep freeze. @Mayberry‌ looking forward to seeing your thread on this one man! You've got this! :-)

cazzy

Mayberry said:

Well....turns out I was wrong. SRF may not carry anything other than wagyu. My local meat market does sell SRF and that's all they display usually. But, they also carry CErtified Angus brisket at $5.99/lb. The Snake River Wagyu is $8.99/lb. So, it looks like I''ll be taking your advice and getting the angus for this weekend. Honestly, from what I saw, the angus had just as good of a fat cap and marbling. It looked great. I'm sure I'll be bugging you again for last minute help on Friday night.

You'll be fine...CAB is good **** too! Let me know if you have any questions. Bottom line, It sounds like you have some great meat so don't over complicate it. Trim, season, and toss that fool on the egg at 250.