Untrimmed brisket. How do you prep?

Ozzie_Isaac · March 2015

Ok so quick synopsis/lessons learned:

1. I have had relationships shorter than this cook. (17 hrs and 1.5hrs rest)

2. Pit controllers are awesome when it is rainy, windy, and cold.

3. My family can put away the brisket. 9.5 lbs pre-cook and we have 4 slices of flat and half the point left.

4. Brisket is a finicky mistress.
- Flavor was out of this world
- Sliced point was the best part!
- As a whole the flat was dry and a portion was overcooked and crumbly.

5. Changes next time
- Get a brisket with a thicker flat. Instead of getting the cheapest one.
- If I get a thin flat again I won't trim so much fat on the cap.
- I will cook at 250 instead of 235/240.
- I will wrap in butcher paper sometime after the stall, when the bark is how I want it.
- I will start at 9PM instead of 1AM.

Biggest lesson learned? This board is made up of the best people. Your guys willingness to share your experience is unparalleled. You made my first brisket cook a success.

Thank you all for your help!

XC242 · March 2015

Nicely done!

logchief · March 2015

Way to go and thanks for all the postings. Really helps us noobs getting all the feedback. I can't wait for my first brisket

Ozzie_Isaac · March 2015

logchief said:

Way to go and thanks for all the postings. Really helps us noobs getting all the feedback. I can't wait for my first brisket

I hope you picked up on some of my mistakes so you can avoid them.

I see why the brisket is seen as such a hard cook. Shoulders you pretty much can't screw up. The brisket seems the opposite, but well worth the effort though.

I'll keep my eye out for your cook!

Ozzie_Isaac · March 2015

XC242 said:

Nicely done!

Thanks! I owe my success to the board though. They pretty much walked me through it.

I'm glad I listened to @lousubcap and sliced the point instead of burnt ends. That was awesome.

DoubleEgger · March 2015

Looking good. Briskets are fun

pgprescott · March 2015

Ozzie_Isaac said:

XC242 said:

Nicely done!

Thanks! I owe my success to the board though. They pretty much walked me through it.

I'm glad I listened to @lousubcap and sliced the point instead of burnt ends. That was awesome.

Fatty brisket is where it at for me. Like he said, it's like going over to the dark side, no turning back. I've never done my own burnt ends because I can't bring myself to cut it up and keep cooking it. I will have to try and find just a point to do extra! Nice post!

cazzy · March 2015

Jeepster47 said:

Since it's past dinner time back home, it looks like a 50/50 test would work. Cut the brisket in half ... FTC one half and eat the other right now. Then check out the FTC portion as a night time snack.

FTC has it's purpose but it can be risky if used incorrectly.

This is my response from another thread explaining:

Pulling it off when it's perfect, then FTC'n can easily overshoot your temp. It's not necessary to FTC if you don't need an extended hold. Tossing it on the counter is more than suffice.

Dstern asked:
So are you saying that if your brisket is done early then pull it before it is perfect and FTC?

My response: It's tough. Depends how long you need to hold it. If I have to hold, I pull my brisket and let it sit on the counter for about 30-45 minutes, then FTC it. I'm trying to avoid overshooting at all costs, but that's not always possible if you have to hold for many hours. I hold 5% of my briskets, and when I do, it's usually around 4 hours at most.

I read it all the time. "I think this brisket is going to be great. It had a nice jiggle." Then, "I don't know what happened, it's dry" etc. I attribute alot of those failures to briskets going into FTC immediately. It's still cooking for a lil bit, especially when you insulate it with foil and towels. Would be cool to have someone probe a FTC'd protein and get some raw data.

Cen-tex has used that strategy though (i think), pull it lil before and let it get happy in FTC.

If you make a steak, chop or a chicken breast, you're getting carryover during rest...which usually is sitting on a cutting board/plate tented or not. Now, we have a brisket that has 10-15x the mass and you're wrapping it in foil when it's 195ish degrees internal. Foil is a heat conducter and a thermal insulator, so don't understatement what that can initially do to your internal and exterior temerature. You heighten that by insulating it further with towels and cooler.

OK, I guess I'm done...

Eggerty · March 2015

Great looking cook @Ozzie_Isaac! Since we have gone down this chute, @cazzy do you feel there would be a difference in using butcher paper as opposed to foil in the FTC? Would you be more apt to FTC sooner with the butcher paper since it is not insulated as much or would you still let it rest some to get the IT down before FTC?

anton · March 2015

Right on dude, first brisket success. Glad it worked out well for you and you're past that hurdle. Now the challenge is perfecting, and getting it just how you want. I need at least one a month!

lousubcap · March 2015

Congrats on nailing the cook. When your family makes it disappear you know you hit a home-run. Great synopsis and valuable lessons learned for the next one.

Ozzie_Isaac · March 2015

Thanks @anton ! I will be doing one again. Hopefully in a few weeks.

cazzy · March 2015

Eggerty said:

Great looking cook @Ozzie_Isaac! Since we have gone down this chute, @cazzy do you feel there would be a difference in using butcher paper as opposed to foil in the FTC? Would you be more apt to FTC sooner with the butcher paper since it is not insulated as much or would you still let it rest some to get the IT down before FTC?

I have never done a FTC with butcher paper. I'd be concerned with the paper wicking because of the compression from the towels.

Ozzie_Isaac · March 2015

@cazzy thanks for the FTC explanation. I wonder if FTC pushed mine over? I think I treated it to much like a shoulder. Only way to find out is do it again

pescadorzih · March 2015

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Ok so quick synopsis/lessons learned:

1. I have had relationships shorter than this cook. (17 hrs and 1.5hrs rest)

2. Pit controllers are awesome when it is rainy, windy, and cold.

3. My family can put away the brisket. 9.5 lbs pre-cook and we have 4 slices of flat and half the point left.

4. Brisket is a finicky mistress.
- Flavor was out of this world
- Sliced point was the best part!
- As a whole the flat was dry and a portion was overcooked and crumbly.

5. Changes next time
- Get a brisket with a thicker flat. Instead of getting the cheapest one.
- If I get a thin flat again I won't trim so much fat on the cap.
- I will cook at 250 instead of 235/240.
- I will wrap in butcher paper sometime after the stall, when the bark is how I want it.
- I will start at 9PM instead of 1AM.

Biggest lesson learned? This board is made up of the best people. Your guys willingness to share your experience is unparalleled. You made my first brisket cook a success.

Thank you all for your help!

Good job. Looks like you learned a lot on your first brisket.
I try to get briskets 13# or larger. You can always freeze the leftovers.
Also, like you mentioned, larger flats.
I had one that had a small end to the flat. It ended up overdone and dry.
Like Aaron mentioned in his video, cut the thin flat part off.
I will do that on my next one if it's thin. It'll probably end up as a burger for lunch that day.
Keep at they'll get better and they're GOOD eating to boot!

cazzy · March 2015

Ozzie_Isaac said:

@cazzy thanks for the FTC explanation. I wonder if FTC pushed mine over? I think I treated it to much like a shoulder. Only way to find out is do it again

Possibly. I tried...you didn't listen.

Yep...do another one!

Ladeback69 · March 2015

cazzy said:

Jeepster47 said:

Since it's past dinner time back home, it looks like a 50/50 test would work. Cut the brisket in half ... FTC one half and eat the other right now. Then check out the FTC portion as a night time snack.

FTC has it's purpose but it can be risky if used incorrectly.

This is my response from another thread explaining:

Pulling it off when it's perfect, then FTC'n can easily overshoot your temp. It's not necessary to FTC if you don't need an extended hold. Tossing it on the counter is more than suffice.

Dstern asked:
So are you saying that if your brisket is done early then pull it before it is perfect and FTC?

My response: It's tough. Depends how long you need to hold it. If I have to hold, I pull my brisket and let it sit on the counter for about 30-45 minutes, then FTC it. I'm trying to avoid overshooting at all costs, but that's not always possible if you have to hold for many hours. I hold 5% of my briskets, and when I do, it's usually around 4 hours at most.

I read it all the time. "I think this brisket is going to be great. It had a nice jiggle." Then, "I don't know what happened, it's dry" etc. I attribute alot of those failures to briskets going into FTC immediately. It's still cooking for a lil bit, especially when you insulate it with foil and towels. Would be cool to have someone probe a FTC'd protein and get some raw data.

Cen-tex has used that strategy though (i think), pull it lil before and let it get happy in FTC.

If you make a steak, chop or a chicken breast, you're getting carryover during rest...which usually is sitting on a cutting board/plate tented or not. Now, we have a brisket that has 10-15x the mass and you're wrapping it in foil when it's 195ish degrees internal. Foil is a heat conducter and a thermal insulator, so don't understatement what that can initially do to your internal and exterior temerature. You heighten that by insulating it further with towels and cooler.

OK, I guess I'm done...

My point was done before my flat yesterday so I separatefrom them, put the flat back on double wrapped in foil and took it to 195 and it probed like butter. I also cubed up the point into burnt ends and let them cook until the flat was done. Before I cut the flat I let it rest on the cutting board for 15 minutes. That made a big difference I feel. When I took it out of the foil it was steaming hot, by letting it rest let's the moisture come back in to the meat. The best thing is I have leftovers.

Ozzie_Isaac · March 2015

@Ladeback69 next time I will monitor the point and the flat. I may try splitting. That looks mighty tasty too.

Wonder if I can talk Mrs. Isaac into another brisket this weekend?

cazzy · March 2015

Ozzie_Isaac said:

@Ladeback69 next time I will monitor the point and the flat. I may try splitting. That looks mighty tasty too.

Wonder if I can talk Mrs. Isaac into another brisket this weekend?

Lol...I'm going make your brain hurt even more. I never monitor my point...haven't in almost two years. I used to be overly concerned with it and it was all for nothing. I never probe it...just monitor the flat.

Stress free results:

lousubcap · March 2015

As noted by @cazzy- the point is along for the ride. The higher fat content keeps it moist throughout the cook. It will also run at a higher temp than the flat (but the point temp is irrelevant to the cook.) Ignore the point til time to eat-then it's the star of the show.

Ladeback69 · March 2015

cazzy said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

@Ladeback69 next time I will monitor the point and the flat. I may try splitting. That looks mighty tasty too.

Wonder if I can talk Mrs. Isaac into another brisket this weekend?

Lol...I'm going make your brain hurt even more. I never monitor my point...haven't in almost two years. I used to be overly concerned with it and it was all for nothing. I never probe it...just monitor the flat.

Stress free results:

It had been a while since my last brisket, so I guess I may have over thought worrying about the point. It still came out good though.

JonWesson · February 2021

bump

Mark_B_Good · February 2021

Brisket prep is one of the most important things to do to get a good result. Less fat on the tip (thickest part) and much fat on the flat (thinnest part). Cook fat side down ... this allows protection of the thinner part, so both flat and tip end up at the same temperature at the end of the cook. This is a great video to watch, which does show how to trim a brisket.

https://youtu.be/azwKFQKAqxs

Untrimmed brisket. How do you prep?

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