Weird Brisket Anatomy

xiphoid007

I picked up a brisket from my butcher and set about trimming for my cook tomorrow. Unfortunately the butcher took almost all the fat off both sides. Also, the point is arranged very weird. It is long and skinny and running long ways with the point.

I'm still going to smoke tomorrow, but I'm looking for some pointers to keep it from drying out since the fat has been trimmed away. My plan is to keep the point down and wrap once I have good color to keep from drying out. I was considering a water pan to protect the bottom from drying out, but I hate babysitting the water pan, and I don't really think it's necessary with the egg.

feef706

Wow he really did leave you with no fat, do you know what grade it is? Hopefully prime..

Chubbs

I think you should inject it with that Jäger and you should be fine 

xiphoid007

Don't really know a grade, but everything I get from my butcher is fantastic. The thing folds in half under its own weight.

Ironically @Chubbs that's the box the butcher gave me to carry the meat.

Botch

Salt pork, sliced thin and laid across, or even bacon?  
I pour my bacon grease from every breakfast into a 28-oz tomato can, wish I could send you one to coat the top!  

xiphoid007

Started it this am. We'll see how it goes. Never gonna get better unless you practice right?

Egg is chugging along at 270. I figure I'll cook to color and wrap with foil. Flipping when I wrap. Cook till it's done and see how we did.

As I don't live in Texas, am not from Texas, no one in my family is from Texas,  and my Dad still likes ribs from Chili's, the bar is set low!

EggDan

Good luck!  If it ends up being dry, it will make for some good Brisket Chili.  I would definitely wrap that with foil through the stall. Maybe even with some beef broth, but I have never tried doing so with the broth. 

Tinyfish

I'm sure it will be great or else make some gravy. 

sctdg

Might want to wrap that somewhere around 150 IT with something for moisture ,haven't wrapped in a long time but in the case of that piece it may be necessary . EggDans suggestion about the broth is the route I would go .

SmokeyPitt

I think you may be fine because it looks like the briskey has a good amount of fat throughout the muscle fibers.  If you can bend it in half as you mentioned that is a really good sign.  I would play it by ear.  Have some foil ready but you may find it is cooking along just fine without it.  

If you do decide to wrap in foil just be careful not to overcook it.  It can go from perfect to falling apart pretty quickly. 

xiphoid007

4 hrs in and I'm chugging along. Entrenched in the stall at 160 on the nose. At this point I'm gonna wrap with foil when it hits color and go until jiggly. I haven't decided on fluid in the wrap yet. I've heard of beef broth, apple juice, coffee, beer, etc. I'm leaning towards coffee for the flavor, but I may just wrap too.

RedSkip

@xiphoid007 May I ask who your butcher is?  I see your local to Pittsburgh.

xiphoid007

Thomas's meat market in Saxonburg, south Butler County.

Their pork is excellent also, and cheap.

xiphoid007

Just pulled off. Was probing pretty good, but I may have waited too long to foil. A rest may help. Foiled at 8 hrs when it looked like this. Forgot to snap a pic when I pulled off. I'll do my best to get some slicing pics, but I tend to forget. Stomach is growling just waiting during the FTC.

lousubcap

Trust the "feel".  Find the best flat or least point appearing section and go with it.  if it feels good then you are there.  I'm sure it will be quite a banquet-enjoy the eats.

saluki2007

Tell him to leave the fat on next time and lower the price $1/pd. Can't hurt to ask. Hope it turns out regardless. 

xiphoid007

Well, was a little dry, but overall tasted great. Nice smokey flavor, good bark, good seasoning. Had with my wife's baked beans and my mother's potato salad. Getting better every time. I definitely think more fat would help, but I could've wrapped earlier too. 

My biggest question is how to develop that good bark color. Never really got black. Maybe a lower temp? I was at 275, maybe drop to 250. That was grate temp with the maverick too, not dome temp.

My wife got me Aaron Franklin's book for Christmas, and one of the biggest things I took from it is just get cooking. The more you cook, the more you learn. 

This is brisket number 3, and definitely the most edible. 

The point was definitely in a weird orientation. Still tasted good though.

lousubcap

Congrats on the result-we are our own harshest critics.  Regarding bark and color I have no problem getting the "meteorite color" with the simple S&P and some paprika and garlic.  I don't foil or paper wrap and ride to the finish-line totally nekked (brisket that is).  Arron Franklin has a great video about the paper, foil, nekked deal that will likely just add confusion to the whole process.
Enjoy the eats.  A banquet for sure.

xiphoid007

Thanks @lousubcap ! I think I've seen all of his videos. I had the feeling if I didn't wrap I really would be had a dry one.

What temp to you cook your brisket at?

lousubcap

@xiphoid007 - I generally aim for somewhere around 260-280*F on the calibrated dome and of late ( last 10 or so) I have been seeing about 0.75-1.0 hrs/lb for planning purposes.  I don't plan for that time ( I plan for around 1 1/4 hrs/lb at the prior temp band) and have leaned quite heavily on a heathy FTC to get to the slice and eat time.  FWIW- As you are aware, it's all about the feel in the thickest part of the flat and that is a variable on its own.  
That's why the brisket cook is such fun on the BGE-
Again-whatever road gets you there is all that matters.  

xiphoid007

Thanks @lousubcap ! Was definitely a fun cook. The funny thing is I was sweating when the temp was raising so fast, then the stall hit and it slowed right down. Oddly enough I was much calmer when it hit the stall.

In retrospect it probed tender in terms thickest part and was tougher in the thin parts. I may have overcooked slightly.

If I get a better cut next time maybe ill try no wrap, or butcher, or foil again!

Even a bad one is still pretty good!

shadowrider

I'm not convinced that the fat on the outside does anything to keep it moist.  I have trimmed more each time and now just trim it down as thin as I can get it and have not had a bad one yet.  

I think it's the piece of meat and the temp you cook at.  225-250 is the magic number.  I also don't open the lid for a good 8 hours on a whole brisket cook and never foil unless I'm pressed for time.