Brisket 101 -- Need your Questions and Input

I still have not tried a brisket yet. Partly because, I'm a little intimidated by 15# of meat for me, my wife and 2 yr old daughter! Yeah, I know that I can freeze it.

For me ... Pictures, Pictures, Pictures - from putting it in the CS with the flat folded over, to taking it out (show the shrinkage of the same piece as you put in), and the slicing. I know the grain runs in a few directions.

See ya later.

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Happy Qin' - AAHH

Hey,Smokin'.AAHH's thoughts about pictures are great,especially when trying to describe cuts of meat to non- butchers or occasionally inexperienced cooks.It seems we always tell everyone quickly about" buy the perfect brisket" and all the rest of the advice is how to cook and serve it.They run out to the local grocery.... and it doesn't exist,so they buy more chicken and go home disappointed.Some thoughts on where to find them,i.e. superwalmart and Costco may put their selects and choices all out together at $0.99 to $1.19 .Choice... and the rare prime ,might have no markings at all from Montfort or Excel. The guys doing the carcass grading are pressured to grade and move the meat out.They don't shoot for perfect scores. If you buy several, ask the meat dept. mngr. to help you find those 8 to 10 lb.briskets that are evenly thick all across the flat and have a more rounded point.Look for the brisket you can bend in half in the middle or hold in the middle and get the most droop at the ends.Look from the side to try and see some marbling throughout,rather than just a fat cap and thick fat triangles.See if the fat is white from beef cattle which are younger and fed a good creep feed mix,rather than yellow from old tough grassfed dairy cattle.You can't always find all you are looking for ,but these tips were shared with me and have helped over the years. Mention that even those 12 to 14 lb. briskets can still be from a good beef steer and be bent enough to go in a CS,if that is all you can find.It is still better than a couple of lean trimmed 4 lb. flats.I praise the mngr. for being the only one in town to carry those "choice cuts" and the expertise to help you pick them.Sometimes,if he got me some cheap butts,I'll cook an extra one for him and take him a ketchup bottle of vinager based sauce.Triple wrapped in heavy foil and you have a friend for life.LOL.....Well,I better get out of here before they accuse me of making a Smokin' post.Thanks for all your time,effort and expertise.Tom.

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Good Q 2 Ya,Tom.

Smokin: I'll look forward to what you have to say about brisket smoking. I have done one, count 'em, one good smoked brisket. So, no expertise here, but happy. What I'd like to hear you talk about is burnt ends. My god what a thing. I have the smoking book by Cheryl and Bill Jameson. I did what they said to do to get burnt ends. It was nirvana. It was another level. I can't understand how the burnt ends process made the result so good. acarriii

Feedback<br /><br />I live for this stuff. Thanks. And Tom, sounds like you have more info. If you want to put it in here or email me, feel free. I also give credit to everyone for the help, this IS a team effort.<br /><br />Now keep 'em coming. All you lurkers and forum members who haven't cooked brisket yet, why not? What's so scarey?<br /><br />If you cooked a brisket and it turned out bad, what didn't you like? Tough, burnt, chewey, what?<br /><br />And acariii (okay, explain the handle?) I planned on added the idea about burnt ends. for those who haven't been to Kansas City and bought a bad of burnt ends... you don't know what you're missing. I have a slightly different way of preparing that I'll put in the 101 post.<br /><br />Keep 'em coming, Smokers, Keep 'em coming!!!<br /><br /><br /><br />------------------<br />Smokin Okie<br />It's not the Cookers...It's the Cook<br />Cookshack BBQ Guide Page

AAHH,we've talked about what to do before with leftover pulled pork and this is just another good excuse to pull out the old CS.and experiment.The only down side of a 10 lb.brisket, that didn't suit you ,...would be 5 lbs. of lean smoked meat....That's the basis for a good smoked beef hash for breakfast,chopped brisket sandwiches for lunch,a great smokey chunk chili for dinner,and the worst of it gets simmered and shredded for tacos and enchiladas.....Then you have the perfect excuse to cook the next brisket.LOL....Then I can honestly tell my wife "I have to get out the CS 'cause we're out of brisket."

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Good Q 2 Ya,Tom.

Brisket 101.

Here's what I'm working on this weekend.
I have two briskets, an 8lb and 11 lb cooking and I'm taking way too many photos (for you AAHH).

Let me know if you have additions, questions, etc:

Table of Contents:

• Photos
  
• Buying
  
• Parts
  
• Preparing
  
• Smoking Instructions
  
• Loading the Smoker
  
• Cooking Log
  
• Serving Suggestions
  
• Options
  
• What to do with leftovers
  
  

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Smokin Okie
It's done when it's done
Cookshack BBQ Guide Page

IN response to brisket 101, the big question for me as a newbe is buying the meat. When I have gone to the meat market to purchase brisket, they don't understand what I am asking for. What should I tell the butcher and how should the meat be cut? The butcher asked with bone, without bone? I never knew there was a bone and I have never heard of one. He will get whatever I want, I just need to know what I want. If that would be area that can be addressed in 101, it would help me.

Second question is meat preparation - i.e. trimming, etc. Pictures would be a great idea.

Thanks.

PS - I just got my Smokette and it has been great. Just did some beef back ribs (wow). Never knew they could bed so good.

quote:

Originally posted by Craig A:
What should I tell the butcher and how should the meat be cut? The butcher asked with bone, without bone?

Your butcher can buy beef brisket two ways: a whole fresh brisket or corned brisket. Ask him/her to get you a whole, fresh, Choice beef brisket and ask him/her to leave it in Cry-O-Vac. What you'll end up with is about 10 lbs of meat. I'll guess you'll pay around $25 for the brisket. The Cry-O-Vac wrap is airtight plastic that will keep the meat for a week in the fridge. Do not let the butcher cut the brisket - you want to smoke it whole.

If he/she still is confused or asks you about the bones, it's time to hunt down a new meat market.

Once you get the meat home, check in with SmokinOkies Brisket 101.

Good luck,
Topchef



[This message has been edited by topchef (edited May 12, 2001).]

Just so you know, I am cooking 12 whole briskets per day (5 days/week) in my CS 250.

I am trying to get ahead, but this brisket is going so fast on my buffet... I am cooking brisket and pork loins daily for my restaurant. I do this at my catering commissary across town...

My BIG rotisserie smoker, (wood fired) will hold 42 briskets, so I think I will fire it up this week to get ahead.... this stuff freezes great....

Carl

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Don't Postpone Joy!

So what are you trying to say CaterGreat?

That's too many briskets. How do you think that sounds to a poor little 'ole Smokette user who can only cook 2 or 3?

Braggin?

But I know you've learned a thing or two, obviously, so please jump in when I post the Brisket 101. Always will to hear back about my posts.

do you have any Digital Pictures you want to share? Well, enter the contest...hahaha

Or put them out there for us to see your Briskets in action.

Smokin'Okie

[This message has been edited by SmokinOkie (edited May 13, 2001).]

Thought I'd put out a few pictures while I'm building the Brisket 101. It's taking me a while to build this because there is so much infomation...and you KNOW Smokin' can't type any short messages.

...so, while we wait, here are a few photos:

What is a Brisket? Where does it come from? What are the parts of a Brisket


What�s a Deckle? What�s a Flat? What�s a Point? What IS that thing?

The Brisket is essential in two parts. The �Flat� has more meat, The �Deckle� or �Point� (different names, same part) has more fat (there will be specific photos later to help). Here are the two test subjects: which you can see in this photo:



Large Photo

Load Smoker

Large Photo

Finished Product

Large Photo

Separating the Deckle from the flat

Large Photo

Cut across the grain

Large Photo

Flat before the fat is "scrapped" off

Large Photo

Flat after the fat is scrapped off

Large Photo

...more to come

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Smokin Okie
It's done when it's done
Cookshack BBQ Guide Page



[This message has been edited by SmokinOkie (edited May 14, 2001).]