Brisket questions

BamaEGG · May 2008

So I did a full brisket last weekend. It weighed just over 10lbs. I think it turned out pretty good although I have few questions for your vets. By the way, last night we took some of the shredded flat and made brisket soft tacos with corn tortilla's on a cast iron skillet. They were awesome.

Ok... Questions.

* Separating the point from the flat. Do you do this before the cook or when the flat is done?

* I thought that this cook would take a lot longer than it did. The flat acted like a turbo butt and was done in just over 12 hours. I was cooking at 225 grid using the stoker. Is this normal?

* I separated the two after the flat was done. What best way to do this?

* How do you know which way the grain runs on each muscle and cut accordingly?

It was a fun cook and everything tasted pretty good. I think the flat could have cooked slower and rendered longer. I made burnt ends from the point. They were fantastic.

Nature Boy · May 2008

Yo Bama
Separate the point and flat when the flat is done. 12 hours is not unheard of if you kept the grate at 225. Especially if your probe was in a spot that was cooler that others. Best way to separate the flat from the point is to feel the soft fat layer with your gloved hand, and then gently cut apart through the fat between the layers. The grain on the flat runs end to end. I usually cut a flat spot on the tip perpendicular to the grain before cooking. This will be your guide later. The point is really tender and fatty, and the grain direction is less important....though you can see the grain pretty easily even after cooked.

Glad it worked out for you! Doesn't get much better than brisket.

Cheers!
Chris

thirdeye · May 2008

Here's my $0.02.....

* Separating the point from the flat. Do you do this before the cook or when the flat is done?

You can do it either way. Cooking them whole is my favorite, but it's a timesaver when you separate the flat. Besides, you may want to save up several points for cooking a big batch of burnt ends later on. When I separate them before cooking I don't follow the natural seam...The way I look at it, there is usually a taper on the rear end of the flat anyways. and I don't want another one on the forward end, so I make a square cut, leaving some point remaing on the flat.

* I thought that this cook would take a lot longer than it did. The flat acted like a turbo butt and was done in just over 12 hours. I was cooking at 225 grid using the stoker. Is this normal?

It's a little less than my average 10# one takes, but when they get tender, they are done. Was it choice beef? They will cook faster. Same with injected ones.

* I separated the two after the flat was done. What best way to do this?

Using a "vee trim" method where you remove a triangle shaped section of the heavy fat along the bottom edge of the brisket before cooking will give the muscles a head start in separating. Most times however, the seam is noticeable after cooking and you just work a thin knife in there and follow it. It's not really cutting, because you are following the fat between them. If the brisket is good and tender, sometimes the back of the knife works better than the cutting side. Just sort of let the two muscles slide apart

* How do you know which way the grain runs on each muscle and cut accordingly?

First, the grain is different in both. Check it out before cooking and either mark by loping off a small piece on one end or by using toothpicks. Later after you cook a few, you won't need the indicators. Very worst case, one slice will let you know if you have to reposition your angle. You always want to be against the grain on the flat, it's not that big of a deal on the point. The slice on the right is across the grain, the one on the left is with the grain.

These slices are all point, except for one in the middle.

BamaEGG · May 2008

Thanks guys. Lots of good tips there. SHould make the next one even better.

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