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Half Brisket On Small?

Hey guys - cooking for two here. I know "trimmed" flats aren't recommended to smoke, so I was wondering if there's some of you who have successfully smoked half of an untrimmed brisket? 

I cook on a Small, and never had the desire to cook a full packer for the two of us. However I am itching hard to smoke a brisket. 



Two things to take into consideration: 

1. I only own a Small - there's no way I can get a full packer on there. 

2. I will have left overs for months. I'd rather cook a brisket a few times a year - and make left overs such as chili, burgers, pizza, BBQ beans, etc. 


Would any of you advise this? Just purchase either a whole brisket, cut in half, smoke half, freeze half. 

Or just purchase half the packer and smoke? (Local butcher has no problem with this).




Thanks! :)

Comments

  • You can get a full packer on a small, but that is not really the issue at hand. Either buy the half packer (tell him you want the point end- the thick half) or buy a full packer, cut the flat off about half  way up the brisket (toward the point) and use the flat meat for other things.

    You could make corned beef, pastrami, barbacoa (tacos),  or grind it up for awesome burgers (did all of this today- post to follow)

    Smoke the hunk of flat/point you have left and you will be very happy.


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • FLbobecu
    FLbobecu Posts: 309
    Really!? When I see the full packers in my hand, and then when I think of my Small, I just don't see how it will fit. But maybe I am underestimating the size of the Small.




    And when you grind brisket for burgers, are you just grinding the flat, or do you also grind down some of the point? I was curious which parts are most often cut up, for grinding. 


    So the "half" packer I'd ask for, would be the point end + 1/3 of the flat, if I'm reading your response correct. And should weigh between 6-8lbs, I'd guess, depending on the initial size of the whole packer?

  • Solson005
    Solson005 Posts: 1,911
    Check out @R2Egg2QBrisket Flat on the Small post. It will help point you in the right direction. I do flats all the time and they all have turned out really good. 

    I haven't done a brisket on my small, but it is on the list of things to try.. 
    Large & Small BGE, CGW Two-Tier Swing Rack for BOTH EGGS, Spider for the Wok, eggCARTen & and Cedar Pergola my Eggs call home in Edmond, OK. 
  • FLbobecu
    FLbobecu Posts: 309
    @Solson005 I just found his thread a few minutes ago. Went ahead and tried "searching" for 'brisket small' and have to weed through 98% of the posts with folks cooking full size packers on a Medium and Large, and find those with "Smalls" and "brisket" cooks. :) 


    The search begins. Thanks!
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,951
    edited August 2013
    there was a guy on here that did a 17lb packer on a small! He used an inverted rib rack and draped the brisket over that.He had to take the thermo out as the brisket filled almost the whole dome. It was funny but it looked awesome........if you are ordering a half packer from your butcher, just tell him you want the thicker half. That will have the entire point and part of the flat that is attached to the point (stacked on top of each other). I actually have a pic from today that I'll post for you here in a second. We ground part of the flat for burgers today. You can add point to the burgers if you want extra fat/flavor but we saved the point for barbacoa. We made pastrami (currently in the brine) out of the rest of the flat (2 chunks around 3 lb each)
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • FLbobecu
    FLbobecu Posts: 309
    Thanks for the reply @Cen-Tex

    Looking forward to the picture. Let me ask this - do you save any of the fat trimmings from a brisket, for burgers? Thinking of getting an electric grinder one day, and grinding my own burgers. 


    I doubt my butcher will have any problem selling just the point. I have a good relationship with him, but I just never spoke up about getting the point half to smoke. Usually he trims up some point and flat for me, for burgers. Next time I'm there, I'll have him hack a whole packer in half for me to try! 

    Can't wait!!! :)
  • you don't want just the point. you want the half with the point (and flat). The point itself is pretty small but when cooked with the attached flat, they are both delicious. We grind ours in a food processor. We learned about that in cooks illustrated and it's awesome. let me find you some pics.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • FLbobecu
    FLbobecu Posts: 309
    Right - I knew what you meant. The point "half". I just didn't finish the end of the sentence. lol
  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136
    You can fit a small packer with some arching:
    Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos



    Here's the thread where I cooked that packer on a Small: http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1142879/packer-brisket-on-a-small-egg



    Here's the thread I believe Cen-Tex is referring to where someone cooked a 17 lb packer in a Med: http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1141447/17-lb-brisket-cook-on-a-med-cook/p1



    Cooking half with a point sounds great! Given that option I'd go for that for sure.
    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal, Summit S-620 NG

    Bay Area, CA
  • FLbobecu
    FLbobecu Posts: 309
    edited August 2013
    Well, this is the "point" half I ended up.. 5.40lbs.

    C.A.B. $3.79/lb. Around this area, not a bad deal. Flats sell for $5-6/lb. Choice brisket is $3.29/lb, Prime is $4.95/lb, and Wagyu briskets run $7/lb from the same local butcher. 

    Figured with C.A.B. I have a slightly better chance of succeeding, so I "splurged", lol. 



    Did I do right, @The-Cen-Tex-Smoker ?


  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    You did it right.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • FLbobecu
    FLbobecu Posts: 309
    Thanks! 

    He gave me two options. The first, you see above. Just slice in half, to whatever "final" weight I chose. This particular piece was a little shy of 11lbs - so I ended up with almost "half" the packer.

    Second option, was to make a triangular "cut" towards the point - I believe just trimming off the "deckel" or something - and then I'd have what resembled some-what of a tri-tip, if I understood correctly. 

    Anywho, very accommodating fella, and was willing to work with me. I'm still a tiny bit confused as to how to serve when it's done, and how to get any burnt ends, but I still have a few more "links" to read through tomorrow morning and during the long journey ahead in the afternoon; as to how to cut/trim off the portion to "cube' for burnt ends.. 


    Hopefully this is a success. I am extremely excited to say the least! :)
  • FLbobecu said:
    Well, this is the "point" half I ended up.. 5.40lbs.

    C.A.B. $3.79/lb. Around this area, not a bad deal. Flats sell for $5-6/lb. Choice brisket is $3.29/lb, Prime is $4.95/lb, and Wagyu briskets run $7/lb from the same local butcher. 

    Figured with C.A.B. I have a slightly better chance of succeeding, so I "splurged", lol. 



    Did I do right, @The-Cen-Tex-Smoker ?



    Yep
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • You don't need to do burnt ends. Just smoke this one until its done. I've never made a burnt end in my life. I've eaten plenty and they are great. But brisket point smoked right is better than burnt ends in my book.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • FLbobecu
    FLbobecu Posts: 309
    The Cen-Tex Smoker said: You don't need to do burnt ends. Just smoke this one until its done. I've never made a burnt end in my life. I've eaten plenty and they are great. But brisket point smoked right is better than burnt ends in my book. Oh. Right on then. I'll smoke it until it's done. Planning on at least 1 hour, to 1.45 hours per pound. If it finishes early, FTC. 

    Shows how much brisket knowledge I have! lol


    So just slice against the grain, all the way through, once it's done? Do I need to do any separating of the point when it's finished?

    Insert probe in the thickest part of the "flat" (or what's left of it), cook until 190-200ish or "tender", correct?



    I think I can handle this. :) 

    Hopefully...