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Brisket ... First Attempt ... Questions

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ShinAmano
ShinAmano Posts: 90
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
So I have looked over the recipes and i plan to grab a Brisket this weekend for my dads birthday.

Anyhow it seems simple enough, but where would the best place be to pick one up? I can go to a SAMs Club, A butcher, Fresh Market or just a grocery store.

Also what should I expect in size/price?

Thanks, I will have pics of the completed cook.
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  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
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    Try to get a whole packer not just a flat. When you pick up the brisket at both ends, it should bend easily in the middle. That usually is a sign of a good cut. Prices will vary at all of those places. I usually try and get mine at Restaurant Depot...
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  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
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    DSC00687a.jpg

    I like to buy the whole ones in the 12 to 13 pound range. You are going to loose about half the weight to fat and shrinkage, so this will give you 6 or 7 pounds of meat.

    Having more mass, a large brisket will stay moister than a smaller one. I also keep trimming fat to a minimum, and do it when slicing.

    Most grocery stores stock select grade of beef, my Sam's carries choice grade angus. I don't know about your other store and the butcher shop. As far as pricing goes Sam's briskets are in the $2 to $2.50 range which I think is a good value, especially for choice grade. I would bet the butcher shop might carry choice but be higher in price. I know it's hard to tell in the cryovac bag, but you best bet is a limber one, and one that does not taper down to 1/4" on the end of the flat. This one was about 3/4" thick on the end of the flat.

    DSC07771a.jpg
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
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  • ShinAmano
    ShinAmano Posts: 90
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    Thanks for that great information...some of the recipes were mentioning 3.5lbs at about an hour a pound 225 degrees.

    Those are much bigger so would I be going for a 13 hour cook?
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  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
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    Yeah, brisket is a long cook..... Personally I wouldn't by one less than 6 or 7 pounds, and that will just be the flat. At about 9 pounds you can find a whole one if you look really hard. Most whole ones go from 10 to 15 pounds. I think the biggest I've ever seen was around 23 pounds.

    Timing and pit temp have been the subject of lively discussions for years. For over 20 years I stayed in the traditional temp zone around 250°, and that will take you 3/4 to an hour per pound. In the last 6 years or so, I have started to cook them hotter, but the cook is a little more involved. I would recommend staying in the 250° range (which would be 270°-275° on your dome thermometer, as the cooking grate temp is lower than the dome temp) for your first few.

    All that said, the best advice is to not go by time or internal temperature alone.... cook it until it's tender. And by tender, I mean when it gets to about 195° internal, stick it with an ice pick or a fork and see if it feels like a half-baked potato... not a lot of resistance going in or out. If it does, it's ready to pull off and rest. If not, it needs more time.
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,776
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    you want to stay away from the smaller brisket flats, someone already cut all the fat off of it and way over trimmed it. the packers most likely have the fat still on it, you want that for a low and slow
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • ShinAmano
    ShinAmano Posts: 90
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    Thanks again for the heads up. I was planning on cooking one for dinner on Sunday...guess I will need to get up early :laugh:
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  • BigA
    BigA Posts: 1,157
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    oh you wont be getting up early, you will be getting to bed late. make sure you have a good fire going, prob 30 min or so, and stable at your desired temp, throw your hunk o meat on and let her cook, if you get a 12 pounder you can count on atleast a 10 to 12 hr cook, and you want to wrap it in foil and cover with towels and let rest in a cooler for atleast 1hr. i usually do 2 hrs or so. so make sure you add that to your time, if you want to eat at 12 noon, you want to pull it off at 10, wrap and rest, so you will want to put it on no later than 10pm the night before, remember if it gets done earlier you can always let it rest longer, but sometimes you can get a hunk o meat that will take 1.5hrs per pound. so error on the side of caution until you get handle on cooking a brisket, they are a tough piece of meat to conquer!! just remember briskets are done when there done! :):) goodluck and post your pictures of the cook. listen to thirdeye and fishless, they have conquered this hunk of meat!! ;)
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  • ShinAmano
    ShinAmano Posts: 90
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    Cool so I guess I will fire the egg up Saturday night say...2AM...so that everything is good to go Sunday evening. Basically what I do when I cook a butt.
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  • Cruezn
    Cruezn Posts: 317
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    It'll be very similar to a pork butt cook. It'll be great. Brisket is my favorite thing to cook and eat!
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