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Going to try Brisket

I want to try a brisket next weekend but I am a little intimidated. What is the difference between a Flat and Packer? Can someone give me a basic/safe way to cook on my first try so I don't waste a whole slab of meat. 
Dallas, TX

Comments

  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
    A packer is the full brisket. A brisket is two cuts and from front chest area of the cow. The two cuts are called the point and the flat. The flat is as it sounds flat and very little fat in it at all. The point has some good fat in it and to me helps keep the flat moist. A packer is easier to cook in my opinion, but can take a little longer. What rub are you using and ate you going to tenderize it?
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
  • TN2TX
    TN2TX Posts: 298
    Thanks for the help. I have some Down and Dizzy that I was going to use but I have read on here to just use S&P. Is a Packer generally more expensive? What's a good price per pound?
    Dallas, TX
  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
    You will want to cut as much of the fat as you can off of it. There will be hard fat that needs to come off that won't render down. You want about a 1/4" on the bottom and place the fat side down. Below is a packer untried, trimed and almost cooked.
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
  • TN2TX
    TN2TX Posts: 298
    Awesome. It seems like there are two camps on the fat side up or down. If you've done it this way with much success, I might try that first. 
    Dallas, TX
  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
    It's just how I was shown in my bbq class I took from and multiple grand champion winner on his technics and it has worked each time I've done it. It gets better every time. I use meat tenderizer to push some of the rub into the meat and helps it be more tender of course. Any other questions?
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
  • badinfluence
    badinfluence Posts: 1,774
    I do fat cap up. Neither is right or wrong i also foil when I hit 160 where others dont. I inject where others dont. I pull at 207. So there you have it.
    1 XXL BGE,  1 LG BGE, 2 MED. BGE, 1 MINI BGE, 1 Peoria custom cooker Meat Monster.


    Clinton, Iowa
  • RickyBobby
    RickyBobby Posts: 744
    I do fat cap up. Neither is right or wrong i also foil when I hit 160 where others dont. I inject where others dont. I pull at 207. So there you have it.

    Inject with what?
    My PitMaster IQ120 FREAKIN ROCKS!!!!!!! Current BGE arsenal: XL & MiniMax
  • Philly35
    Philly35 Posts: 858
    It's all preference. There's nothing wrong with foiling but I prefer not to if it's a whole packer. Also @Ladeback69‌ I prefer not to trim much off at all and have had good results. The fat will melt out. For me, that would be over trimmed. @TN2TX‌ Just throw it on there and go from there. Enjoy the ride! If it fails, just blame it on the meat and chop it up, and you'll have an awesome sandwich!
    NW IOWA
  • These 3 videos give you a great overview of one good way to cook brisket:


    I more or less follow what Aaron Franklin does in the videos. Main differences are that I don't use a water pan (not needed in the BGE, and the water pan can actually cause temperature problems in the BGE if all your water evaporates). I also cook fat side down, though there are plenty of people on here who go fat side up. Probably doesn't matter either way.

    Main thing is to watch those videos!
  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
    Philly35 said:

    It's all preference. There's nothing wrong with foiling but I prefer not to if it's a whole packer. Also @Ladeback69‌ I prefer not to trim much off at all and have had good results. The fat will melt out. For me, that would be over trimmed. @TN2TX‌ Just throw it on there and go from there. Enjoy the ride! If it fails, just blame it on the meat and chop it up, and you'll have an awesome sandwich!

    I didn't use to trim much either, but I didn't like separating the fat out when it was cooked. I took a competition brisket and butt class and that's how they showed to trim and just cut the hard fat that doesn't render much. Also it is less drippings in the drip pan. The last 3 I have done this way have been awesome, but you don't have to trim it all off, he just asked.

    @RickyBobby, I have injected with beef bullion and my brisket rub after I had put the rub on and tenderize the meat. The point is about the only place that will take injection. I don't know if I will do it again.
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,167

    A bit late to this party but what follows are some good links for brisket info:  probably more than you will ever need- http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/texas_brisket.html; http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/03/brisket.html  and

    http://bubbatim.com/Bubba_s_Brisket.php  Once you are confused by all you read-just default to the above posts.  Several run at around 260-280*F on the calibrated dome thermo and figure about 1.5 hours /lb.  But aim to finish early as you don't want to be stressing trying to push the cook across the finish-line.  Each will cook at its own pace.  You can easily hold for around 6 hours in a cooler.

    Key finish indicator is when you can probe the thickest part of the flat with no resistance.  Start checking at around 190*F but it could run into the low 200's.  Alsi don't worry that the point runs hotter than the flat.  The higher fat content protects it just fine. I cook with the point toward the BGE hinge as that is the hottest cooking area (due to air flow characteristics). It will likely be 5-10 *F (or more) hotter than the flat when you arrive at the promised land but don't worry about it.  And I'm in the slice and eat the point-not the burnt ends crowd.  FWIW-

     

    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.
  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
    For my first, I was intimidated too, however it came out well.  Keep your temp constant (I went 250°) for the entire duration.  Let it ride through the stall, and pull when you can run a probe or skewer through the flat with no effort.  

    Ultimetly it boils down to this: 

    1 - Prep well.  
    2 - Have plenty of lump
    3 - Keep temp constant
    4 - Patience 
    5 - Pull when skewer can run through easily
    6 - FTC if you like
    7 - Enjoy
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
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  • badinfluence
    badinfluence Posts: 1,774
    Injection i use is kosmoz injection Mike with white grape juice and water but that is just me
    1 XXL BGE,  1 LG BGE, 2 MED. BGE, 1 MINI BGE, 1 Peoria custom cooker Meat Monster.


    Clinton, Iowa
  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
    This seems to be the popular way to do it:

    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio

  • TN2TX
    TN2TX Posts: 298
    Thanks again for all the help. The brisket is going on tomorrow, I will share pictures. What does everyone eat with their brisket? I am a little lost on sides options. I always go with grilled veggies, but wanted to try something different. 
    Dallas, TX
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,167
    Beer for the sides (and life is too short for light/lite versions)!
    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.
  • TN2TX
    TN2TX Posts: 298
    edited September 2014
    I am going to experiment with a small flat first and see how that goes. It's just me and the wife so I didn't want to buy a $60 piece of meat. I ended up getting a 2.88 lb. flat but it has a nice layer of fat. Any recommendations before this thing goes on? I was going to go 225 until it reads 203 degrees....thoughts? Has anyone done a flat this small?
    Dallas, TX