7lb Brisket Flat-Suggestions?

Dragonwmatches

Dying for a cook this weekend, and a brisket novice, Sams only had flats available so I got a 7lb flat. I had previously read up a lot of full packers, but any suggestions for smoking just the flat as different from the big boy?

ChokeOnSmoke

Rub it, throw it on at 250º (grate temp), and don't peek until the internal temp reaches 190º-195º.  Then start checking it for probe tenderness until you're satisfied it's done to your liking.  Works every time.  Briskets get a bad wrap for being difficult to cook, they're really not, if you just keep it simple.

MCRyan

I'm doing two 2.5 pounder each with different rubs. I am doing what Choke said. Figure an hour/hour and a half per lb. I'm wrapping mine in foil 3/4 of the way through the cook and adding some liquid (coffee, juice, not sure what) to the party.

johnmitchell

Hi there..Type in "Travis method" in the forum search...A few people including myself have had good results following this method...Good luck and have a great weekend..

@travisstrck as you can see I am trying to give your recipe a bump (and you notice I said a few)..

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Dragonwmatches

I'd like to try it straight up rather than in liquid, but I'm getting the sense that the flat will be drier than a point, yes? It's gonna go on tomorrow morning - too late for today.

henapple

Travis method...great first brisket cook. Cook to tenderness and not temperature.

CtTOPGUN

 Travis method looks pretty foolproof. But is it BBQ Brisket? Or is it a version of Pot Roast? I am reading and watching plenty of vids on Briskets myself. Almost ready to pull the trigger on an overnight cook. I think I have temp control pretty well worked out. But definately do not want to ruin a big piece of good beef like this. Here in CT these are pretty expensive.

 

   Jim

lousubcap

Go with your gut feeling-and I won't venture into who's cook method works better with a flat or whole packer for that matter.  But I will offer that flats are more of a challenge than the packer just due to the cut/absence of the cap etc.  Regardless it will be great eats in chili if all goes south.  FWIW- from one who has likely hosed up more flats than most here.

Dragonwmatches

This flat has some fat cap to it. I'm thinking about foiling once we start getting towards 170-180 to ensure some moisture is kept in. I'll also be around all day so I can make sure the temp is kept as low as possible - I've struggled to keep the dome temp below 280-300 on any cook, so that's my goal is 225-265 on this one.

Dragonwmatches

And we're off! 300 dome, 221 grid. IT is 118 after about 90 minutes. Rubbed with Stubbs BBQ rub (with sea salt, pepper, paprika, little ground garlic and turmeric).

SeahawksEGGHead

looks good.  I'm interested in seeing final pics.  I'm doing  brisky today myself.  I usually do full packs, but today is a flat.

Dragonwmatches

Slow climb - 140 IT now, 226grid, 310 dome. Always a little freaked at my differences between dome and grid. Rainy day today, but not heavy and quite pleasant, actually. Lazy day, but counting on golf being played on TV eventually.

Dragonwmatches

All done. Threw on some russets for twice baked potatoes and had plenty of time to cook them over the plate setter side openings. Whole thing turned out great. I don't know briskets very well but after slicing it looks like there's a bit of point on this given the fat layer in the middle of one part and the different grain above it. I can't be much happier about it given only my second brisket.

CtTOPGUN

 That looks good to me! This certainly is encouraging. Did you take to a particular IT or use a probe to test texture/doneness?

Dragonwmatches

Honestly, I wanted to get around 200 IT in most spots, but struggle with a Maverick and Thermapen and inconsistency between them, so I have to really get close on the hardware and then play the texture by ear. I got the Mav up to about 190, tested with the Thermapen (always 8-15 degrees higher in similar spots, and some spots vary of course). I had read several times "fat pierces like butter", so I went with that - when the fat cap was nearly spreadable with the Thermapen, I pulled it and let it rest for nearly an hour while I dealt with the potatoes (no foiling). Despite a significant thickness difference from one end to the other, only the very end of the thin part was remotely dry, and the flavor on that end with the intense rub concentration, and really not dry, was fantastic.

SGH

Glad that it turned out for you. Enjoy my friend.

lousubcap

Most eggcellent!  Congrats on the cook.

squezz

About how long did it take for you cook at that temp?  Doing a 8.5# flat on Friday and trying to get a sense of timing.

TigerTony

@squezz I cooked a 8.5 lb flat last Sunday. Dome temp 300* ( it did sneak up to 320* for a brief period).... took 4 hrs to internal temp of 170*

 Then wrapped in foil and back on egg for two more hours until internal temp of 200*

I thought the cook would take longer. I was surprised with 6 hours.

 BTW: The brisket was very good, everyone loved it.

SmokeyPitt

Looks like it turned out great!  I am no brisket expert, but I think you might be right that you got some bonus point left on that flat. 

cazzy

SmokeyPitt said:

Looks like it turned out great!  I am no brisket expert, but I think you might be right that you got some bonus point left on that flat. 

He most certainly got some point on his flat.  What do I know though.

@Dragonwmatches

Looks great man...nice job!

Dragonwmatches

@squeez it actually was 5.275lbs on the label.  Put it on about 10:30, pulled it around 6.  I didn't plan on foiling at all, so I let it ride the whole way.  I'd have to get my butt outta bed and get it on earlier if I get one any bigger.  

I also lost my fire after about 3 hrs, but popped it in the oven for an hour while I got the Egg back to where I wanted it.  No detrimental effect, and the oven was at 250, so no real difference in temp.  

tulocay

Looks great. I had a slice of brisket today at la Barbecue in Austin. I'm no expert, in fact quite opposite, but I did enjoy the brisky. I also got some ribs and I would say they were better than the brisket.

Ladeback69

Looks very good and it looks to be point part of the brisket to me. It has the layer of fat in their middle where the flat doesn't and usually has more flavor. Its the part of the brisket my wife likes the most. The point is hard to find by it self. Again nice cook.