Some advice about my packer please!

howmeisterg

Hi!

I cooked a packer brisket last night and it was done well before I thought it was going to be. It probed tender at 195 after about 13 hours.

Anyway, I have it foiled, wrapped in newspaper, and in a cooler and it is at the point now where something needs to be done because the temp has dropped to 150.

I would appreciate advice for storing it until I need to serve it at 6:30PM tonight.

Do I slice it, and vacuum seal with beef broth? Do I keep it whole and just put it in the fridge? Do I put it in a double sealed bag and ice bath to rapidly get the temp down to 40 as Thirdeye has suggested in his Blog? Something else?

How do I reheat it? I have read reheating with Coke is populat and works well.

Thanks for your help!

thirdeye

I vote for the ice bath, rapid cooling back through the danger zone method. It works great.

For reheating later tonight...Remove the brisket from the foil pouch and place it fat cap up in an aluminum roasting pan. Take any of the beef jelly that is in the foil and add that under the brisket in the pan. You also need to add several ounces of brisket mop or a jazzed up beef broth. Be sure to warm up the liquid in the microwave before adding it to the pan. With the fat cap up, the meat side will be resting in some juices which will help to keep it moist. Cover the pan with foil. Set the oven temp to 250°. I’m thinking it will take 1-1/2 to 2 hours total for the reheat. After heating for 1 hour, open the foil and check the internal temperature in a couple of locations. Have more heated mop ready and add some if needed, then reseal the foil cover. (If you are careful, you could turn it over in the pan at the 1 hour mark. I’ll leave this decision up to you) Monitor the internal temp of the meat during the rest of the reheat…..you are shooting for 140°-150° internal temperature. Don’t go much higher or you will risk driving some of the moisture out. Now it should be ready to slice. (About the only other option you could have would be to remove the foil and use the broiler to crisp up the fat side a little. Be VERY careful so you don’t burn it. I’ll leave this decision up to you)

Be sure and save the pan juices, they can be added to the BBQ sauce or served by themselves as a second table sauce. Some can be mixed into another sauce to give you three options for table sauces.

Oh yeah, make sure you slice against the grain. If it's so tender that the slides start to fall apart, just make thicker slices.

Crimsongator

Yeah, just what he said :-)

Brisket is tough to reheat. Pork does great, brisket can fall apart easily and you would really like to keep the slices intact. It also starts to dry out the instant you slice it. Do your best to keep the juices with it and help it with a broth or mop.

howmeisterg

Thanks so much Thirdeye! So - I will double seal in the vacuumless vacuum bag right in the aluminum.

How do you recommend I jazz up the beef broth?

Lemme tell you - I am convinced that the charcoal grate tool I got from you is amazing. So simple, yet I never do a cook (especially a long cook) without it! Last night's cook was a rock solid temp with a full load a lump up to and touching the plate setter!

Regards,
Howard

thirdeye

This first one will work okay, remember you will have a lot of seasoning from the brisket to help it along. I've also included RRP's Prime Rib Aujus, as well as another Aujus which was inspired from his recipe.
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Brisket Juice
1 can beef broth
2 to 3 teaspoons of beef soup base, paste form (this must be to taste as the strength changes from brand to brand)
1 or 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
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RRP's Au Jus Recipe for Prime Rib
Began with a basic recipe off internet which I tweaked 7 times so it's mine!, Ron

1 14 oz can Swanson Beef Broth
1 10-1/2 ounce can of Campbell's French Onion soup
½ of the soup can cold water
½ teaspoon white sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon of garlic salt
1 beef bouillon cube

Bring ingredients to a boil in saucepan, letting it boil for 1 minute then
strain and discard onions. Serve hot. Can be made 2 days ahead. Makes 3 cups.
______________________________________________
My slightly tweaked version of RRP's Aujus

1 14 oz can Swanson Beef Broth
1 packet Lipton Beefy Onion Soup (dry mix)
1/2 to 3/4 of the soup can cold water
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt
1 teaspoon Herb-OX beef bullion
1 teaspoons Aujus dry mix
2 teaspoons Montreal Steak rub
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Bring ingredients to a low simmer in a saucepan, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Try to avoid having the liquid come to a boil. Additional water can be added if flavors are too strong, or if liquid gets too thick. Pour through strainer to remove the onions and coarse pieces from the Montreal Steak rub.

fishlessman

i would separate the point from the flat and make burnt ends from it, maybe follow thirdeyes advice with the flat

VPW

Totally agree with Fishless...