Honey, I said get a brisket, not the whole damn cow!

OK, so SWMBO and I are doing a little BBQ this weekend. Brisket & Ribs. We normally get such items at Costco but I said this time, lets go to a butcher shop. Not having a vehicle today I asked if she could swing by the butcher shop for me. No problemo she says. I get home and I see she got the whole damn cow:



She said she was asked if she wanted a "Texas Cut" or "Trim Cut". Guess which one this is?!?! My issue, what the hell do I do with it? Smoke it like normal? Cut it in half? Should I start it now???! I know we have some smoker/bbq pros out there....

Ok, I am not understanding the delima here, that looks pretty small to me for a brisket. How many pounds is that?

just over 11lbs. I'm used to say...6lbs. So maybe it's just the size that's getting me.

I did a thread on smoking beef ribs a week or so ago.

#1 Remove the connective tissue from the back side (bone side) and I would trim A LOT of that fat off.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f19/hickory-smoked-beef-back-ribs-128115/

WAIT, is that RIBS or BRISKET, I guess you never said...

Pol, these ain't ribs...ribs she got were perfect and I'm fine with them. It's just the brisket.

deathweed said:

Ok, I am not understanding the delima here, that looks pretty small to me for a brisket. How many pounds is that?

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It's an vegan Oregon brisket, not a Texas Brisket.

After you are done trimming it, make some diagonal cuts in the fat cap, then rub the bottom side with yellow mustard, then cover with a dry rub. Cover with plastic wrap and flip, then repeat with the mustard and rub. Put in fridge overnight and wait till your smoker is up to 225-250 and stabilized. Smoke indirect till the internal temp is 195 (about 1.5 hours per lb.)

Here's my rub recipe. If you are not a heat fan, cut back on Chipotle and Cayenne pepper.

EdWort's Spicy Brisket Rub

4 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
4 Tablespoons Paprika
1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
4 Tablespoons Turbinado Sugar
1 Tablespoon McCormick's Ground Chipotle Pepper
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder

It's got a nice kick!

Tofu...yummy!

Kilted Brewer said:

I'm used to say...6lbs. So maybe it's just the size that's getting me.

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LOL that is a sig quote if I ever saw one!
Just do what come naturally. errr I mean lower the temp and smoke it a bit longer. MMMMMM, good eats!

ok, it looks a bit smaller in the picture, I was guessing 5-7 lbs. The ones usually cook are in the 10-14lb range. Shouldn't be any different from what you are used to, just cook a bit longer. I usually do about 6-8 hours at around 250deg in the smoker for what I do. Just until the internal temp hits about 155-165 for a medium cook.

I would bet that is the flat and the point combined. The point will have grain running the opposite direction and will have a layer of fat seperating it from the flat. You probably get a super trimmed flat from costco.

Trim it down leaving 1/4" or slightly more fat. I have left the point on and smoked, but you can cut it free. Just remember when you slice it to check the direction of the grain on the two sections of meat. If you are pulling it, who cares... smoke that thing!

Here is a good linky for you....

Brisket Selection & Preparation - The Virtual Weber Bullet

deathweed said:

. Just until the internal temp hits about 155-165 for a medium cook.

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A brisket will sit at that range for hours as the connective tissue that makes it tough renders out. Smokers call it the plateau.

If you smoke it slowly to 195 internal, the fat and connective tissue melts away. BBQ judges will take a slice of brisket and gently pull on each end to check how much tension is needed before the piece pulls apart. Tender brisket does not take much to pull a part.

lol thats a tiny brisket.
and dont take too much fat off.
smoke it fat side up and the fat will melt across the meat keeping it moist.
after you are done smokeing the brisket you can remove the remaning fat sheet with very little effort, it will slide off with a spoon like it was a mound of jelly.

Ed, stop... you are getting me all excited. Geez.... now I will have to have another beer to relax!

EdWort said:

A brisket will sit at that range for hours as the connective tissue that makes it tough renders out. Smokers call it the plateau.

If you smoke it slowly to 195 internal, the fat and connective tissue melts away. BBQ judges will take a slice of brisket and gently pull on each end to check how much tension is needed before the piece pulls apart. Tender brisket does not take much to pull a part.

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Thats a good tip, I like that and will have to try it next time. Most brisket I have I think is over cooked and is tough anyway. From what you explain it is probably being smoked too fast. Besides, I always liked mine a bit pink and extremely juicy + the rub (I typicaly just use brown sugar, onion powder, and brown mustard)..... Who needs BBQ sauce!

Damn I need to not read about food while I'm at work.

deathweed said:

Thats a good tip, I like that and will have to try it next time. Most brisket I have I think is over cooked and is tough anyway. From what you explain it is probably being smoked too fast. Besides, I always liked mine a bit pink and extremely juicy + the rub (I typicaly just use brown sugar, onion powder, and brown mustard)..... Who needs BBQ sauce!

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try that rub, but add in garlic, paprika and fresh salt and pepper

I just did a 10lb brisket on the smoker on Tuesday. I trimmed a good portion of the heavy fat from the brisket (leave enough for rendering into the meat). I rubbed the meat (I know that's a bad line) with a rub of several items (Cummin, Oregano, Garlic Powder, Brown Sugar, Sugar, Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper, White Pepper, Dry Mustard and Paprika (sweet), the night before and placed it in the fridge. Pulled it out in the morning to warm up a bit before placing it in the smoker.

200 degrees using Apple and Hickory, 12 hours later it was done.

EdWort is right...... my brisket sat a 150-155 for quite a while before it finally got up to 168 degrees which is when I pulled it out. Let it sit for 30 minutes, wrapped in foil, to settle and absorb the juices, then slice away.

This was my first brisket, but it turned out quite well. I plan to do another for an upcoming picnic with family and friends.

Good Luck.

Salute!

That is a nice chunk of brisket! I'm northerner from NJ, but have done my share of BBQing and smokin meats. The brisket looks perfect +1 on some of the prior posts. Do not get rid of the fat cap. Smoke it fat side up so that the fat has a chance to tenderize the brisket. Use your favorite dry rub for beef on it. I try to rub the meat the night before I smoke it wrap it tightly in plastic war and let it sit in the refrigerator. You'll need some patience with this piece of meat. Go low and slow with the cooking. I would maintain the temp of the smoker between 200 and 220F (no higher then 220). It will probably take between 12-14 hours to cook completely wait until the internal temp reaches around 170. Remove from the smoker. wrap it in foil and let rest for 30-45 min. Slice and serve with you favorite BBQ sauce(s) on the side. BTW, send some here!

Here's a "how to" on brisket I used a month ago when I was BBQing my first.

Barbecue'n On The Internet - Home of Barbecue, Barbeque & BBQ! -

It goes through everything from trimming to temps and the dos and donts. I think I got the link from another thread here about brisket...

ChefMike has already covered this, but here's how I do it.

Your wife purchased what the butchers around here call a "Packer Cut," which includes both the flat and the point. I buy mine from Walmart and it comes in a cryovac package. It is the only way I'll buy a brisket for BBQ. Don't remove the point, leave it on because it is more fatty and will provide a lot of flavor and keep the meat from drying out. You will want to cook the brisket to 190 degrees so that the connective tissue breaks down and the meat will become very tender. Place the brisket on the cooking grate point side up. At 250-275 degrees, it should take you about an hour and a half per pound, so make sure you have enough homebrew on hand to get you through the process. After 10-12 hours, some folks get antsy and foil the meat so it will cook faster.

When finished, take your knife and find the divide between the point and flat. Should be easy because there is a layer of fat that separates the two. Run the knife in between the two pieces of meat like you are filleting a fish. Should come apart very easily. I usually scrape the fat layer off and then let the meat rest for an hour. Slice thinly against the grain and enjoy.

I'm of the opinion that the fat cap rendering into the meat is bunk. The cut is already loaded with connective tissue and fat marbling to have plenty of moisture available after you pass the plateau.

Too much fat running off will just wash off your rub. Anything that detracts from Mr Brown is bad in my book.