First overnight, first full packer brisket, Input greatly appreciated.

anton

I have had great luck with flats and finally found a worthy choice full packer in a Smart&Fatal. Good price too for here in planet California.

I trimmed about a pound or two of fat off, leaving a 1/4 inch or more, rubbed with s&p and paprika.

Put on egg with Royal Oak and pecan chunks at 225-250F at 12:15 am PDT.

Had to fold brisket over to fit on my medium egg, I read that in this forum suggested by some experienced eggers.

Egg stabilized at 225F, I will thermapen it in about 9-10 hrs and see where I'm at. Any suggestions? Tips? I would like to do this one without crutching, good idea? bad idea?

DIAD

Unless you need to serve it at a specific time, no need to crutch.  Just let it ride.  I have never folded one over so no input there. 

Enjoy!!

SGH

@anton
Brother Anton sorry that I'm late responding my friend. It's been a heck of a day for me. Down to business. Wrapping, crutching, foiling or whatever you chose to call it is not necessary at all. Yes it serves a few purposes that have been beaten to death but if time is not a issue and you know what you are looking far, then no do not wrap until the cooking is complete. It adulterates the final product. Crutching with paper instead of foil is the lesser of the two evils, but still unnecessary. A few weeks back, myself, brother Nola and brother Tex turned out more briskets in a few hours than most people will turn out in a year. I bring this up to make the point that none of them were wrapped. None my friend. I want to make one small suggestion if I may. When you probe, do not concern yourself with the internal temp at all. Ignore it for it will deceive you my friend. Once you notice the probe starting to easily slide in, start handling your brisket every 10-15 minutes from this point on. Why? You are looking for a "feel" not a temp. The best analogy that I can use to describe the feel without being sexual in nature is to say that it should feel like a firm water ballon in your hand. Firm but flexible and pliable. "Loose" if you will. Also remember to probe in the section of the flat with the most girth and mass. Don't even waste your time probing the thin parts. Why? They will turn loose long before the thicker part. You are just poking needless holes in the meat. Good luck my brother and I hope this helps.
Standing by to see the finale.
One last thing. The above is just my thoughts and opinions and what works well for me. Others mileage may vary.

SGH

And as far as folding it, no worries at all my friend. Let her ride.

MeTed

I wish you good luck @anton. I am putting a 16 pounder in about 2 hours with royal oak,oak chunks and salt and pepper 50/50 mix.Also with no crutch.

SGH

@anton- If you have any questions my friend, just ask. I will do my very best to answer.

robnybbq

Let it ride and don't sit near the Egg.  You WILL get hungry form the aroma coming out.

Enjoy.  In my avatar is a 15lber on my large that I had to bend on a inverted V-rack to fit.  Came out great.  I should do one again one of these years.

anton

@DIAD @SGH @robnybbq Thank you all for the input, @SGH perfect timing actually, I just woke up, egg chugging along at 225F, your suggestions are exactly what I wanted to hear,. thank you sir, and that is how I will finish it up, its in the stall right now 151F, thank you again for the invaluable info SGH.  @MeTed Great luck to you also sir, lets go for two successful briskets this weekend!!


It straightened itself out some, surprised at the shrinkage, but that's good, my medium was overwhelmed!

lousubcap

All good above-but I would offer that you not go down the burnt ends road.  Much better to slice and eat the point.  Best part of the cook.  Aaron Franklin has a great video on how to Texas-style slice that hunk of beef.  Give it a look sometime. FWIW-

(edit) Lookin good -great eats await!

anton

@lousubcap , thanks, watched his slicing video, very informative, agreed, no burnt ends, I wanted the whole packer for the point, I love the fat layer chopped in with flat, and sliced point as well!!

cazzy

Here's how not to cut a brisket:

http://youtu.be/hGAP1DG_Vs8

@SGH‌ His knife made me think it was you for a half second.

anton

At 13 hrs at 225-250F it is past the stall and slowly climbing, internal is 179F at thickest part of flat.

MeTed

Awesome looking cook @anton! Thanks for posting, mine still has a long way to go and I hope it looks as good as yours.

anton

@cazzy lol, now that was interesting, he not only scraped the flavor away so unceremoniously, but let's start with dragging it all over the newsprint as well...Bleccchhh. I think I will go with Franklins slicing method.. seems simpler too!
>-

DMW

@cazzy I cringed as soon as he started scraping the fat off. WTH, crowns, plates??? Trimming should be done before cooking, not after. I'm not from Texas, but I know that's wrong.

logchief

Good job Anton, I can't wait to do one.  That looked like a sacrilege scrapping all that away.  I've never cooked one (shortly though) but ate a whole lot of brisket across Texas at every BBQ joint I could find working out there in 2011.  That's half the flavor for me.

I'm being a little post crazy today, but having fun and learning a lot from everybody

bcsnave

I have my first full packer 10.5 lbs trimmed on right now..put it on at 5:00pm CST...the egg is chugging along at 223 deg..the briskie is at 160 deg....(thanks again CenTex...I think I need one of these for the Wisconsin winter)...

 

Any suggestions on what to do?

Ladeback69

He at least he cut against the grain at the end somewhat. I thought the same thing about the newspaper and the brisket tasting like inked and I like the fat and it can be trimed off if you don't like it. The only reason to separate is to make burnt ends and I want the fat in them. I will stick to how I cut them.

anton

@logchief That is cool touring through probably the greatest state for brisket, I love being able to turn out those kinds of results in my own home on my Egg now! Try one , you will have a great time and much support from this forum. @bcsnave I hesitate to give instructions, as I am still learning, sounds like you are in the stall, I would refer you to @SGH, or one of the other very knowledgeable cooks on here. @Ladeback Agreed!

4Runner

anton said:

@cazzy lol, now that was interesting, he not only scraped the flavor away so unceremoniously, but let's start with dragging it all over the newsprint as well...Bleccchhh. I think I will go with Franklins slicing method.. seems simpler too!
>-

My thoughts exactly....besides butchering the hell out of the brisket, that is just nasty laying on newspaper.

anton

Just when I though it couldn't get any softer and "buttah" like, I was wrong. @SGH brother what can I say? You are a brisket genius, your easy to understand instructions worked great for me. The whole brisket is soft like a "water balloon" or "you-know-what" lol, And jiggles kinda sexy like! It hit internal of high 190's , so I pulled and FTC'ed in the oven at 170F for an hour since I don't have a cooler big enough.here are the money shots. @SGH thank you again!



This is soooo juicy, it is crazy. I do, however have a little to learn about trimming. I watched some videos after I already started this brisket ,so live and learn, next time I will trim more out between the flat and point , my drip pan was almost overflowing at the end.Don't get me wrong, I like the fat, but it was too much. The smoke flavor is medium strength(good), and super moist. First a sandwich, then eff that bun, it's just getting in the way!! Continued consuming it by the pile!

SGH

@anton‌
Always glad to help when I can my friend. Glad it turned out well brother Anton.
Now let me say with honor:

cazzy

Looks pretty great, especially for your first attempt.

For a short hold like yours, no need for a cooler or a 170 oven, just put it on the cutting board for an hour or till it's cool enough to handle.  Either holding technique risk the chance of overshooting and are really designed for extended holds.  These are not fine cuts like a steak so there really isn't anything to redistribute.  What appears to be moisture or juice is actually gelatin.  I rest my briskets just so I don't burn my finger tips when I slice them up.  

anton

Appreciate that seal @SGH, means a lot!! @cazzy makes a lot of sense, duly noted and thanks as well. I was burning my fingers slicing! lol  I left what wasn't eaten in hunks , like Aaron Franklin suggested only slicing what you are going to eat. I have great leftovers and some giveaways to a couple of fellow carnivores without eggs. I will foodseal some hunks and give to my friends.

anton

@MeTed good luck again to you sir, hope to see your money shots tomorrow!

henapple

It straightened itself out some, surprised at the shrinkage, but that's good, my medium was overwhelmed!

@anton‌ ...do you realize how far I just spit my drink?

@SGH‌...Centex did wrap one in paper...

SGH

@anton‌
Here is a solid tip my friend. Always let you brisket fall to a solid 140 degrees before slicing. This rule applies to very slow or rapidly cooled brisket. Either way 140 is the Golden Rule. I do not have time at the moment to delve more into why. But if you would like a explanation I will gladly give it when time allows. Again, excellent job my friend =D>

SGH

@henapple‌
After it was cooked.

Lvnthedrm

Great job. I hope to try one soon.

anton

henapple said:

It straightened itself out some, surprised at the shrinkage, but that's good, my medium was overwhelmed! @anton‌ ...do you realize how far I just spit my drink? @SGH‌...Centex did wrap one in paper...

@henapple glad you appreciate a subtle dirty double entendre, that one kinda just happened, after typing I thought, "someone will catch that".

anton

SGH said:

@anton‌ Here is a solid tip my friend. Always let you brisket fall to a solid 140 degrees before slicing. This rule applies to very slow or rapidly cooled brisket. Either way 140 is the Golden Rule. I do not have time at the moment to delve more into why. But if you would like a explanation I will gladly give it when time allows. Again, excellent job my friend =D>

140 it is then, what I actually did was set the oven to 170 (lowest setting) and after it came to temp and I put brisket in and then shut off oven, let brisket sit for 1 hour. I still did burn my fingers , so 140 is the golden rule, will save me on finger pain as well!