I wanted brisket for the party so I seasoned one up and put in the smoker Fri. night with 4 hr Oak and a cabnet temp of 230 F with friends showing up I didnt get it in the smoker till around midnight and fell asleep in my chair next to the Bradley when i woke up i misted it with some peach apple juice,foiled the brisket and stumbled to my bed.
Here it is all seasoned up, all i use is seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Yes I like to separate the point from the flat been doing it that way for over 20 years now and it always turns out great, had some pepole suggest that i leave more fat on it, tryed it and went back to the just barley any fat on it turns out moist for me. Just shows there are allot of different ways of doing things. First the flat.
(http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww263/OU812_bucket/brisket/Sep04_0002.jpg)
Next the point.
(http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww263/OU812_bucket/brisket/Sep04_0001.jpg)
Heres the flat ready for dinner
(http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww263/OU812_bucket/brisket/Sep05_0007.jpg)
Dinner time the gravy was made out of the drippings with only some potato water and some corn starch to thicken it up a little, yes thats the natural collar of it with nothing else added
(http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww263/OU812_bucket/brisket/Sep05_0008.jpg)
Looks great OU812. Making gravy using potato water reminds me of how my mom made it. Sounds great! ;D
Bummer you had to cook on your birthday.
It looks great!
Quote from: FLBentRider on September 08, 2009, 04:59:45 PM
Bummer you had to cook on your birthday.
The Ultimate sacrifice. Love your gravy recipe. I would have never thought of using potato water but will from now on.
Happy bday.
HR
One question..... where is the potato water in those little packets the potatoes come in. ;) ;D
Happy Birthday OU812! Mine was the 4th.
Which do you prefer (or both), the point or the flat? I read all through the brisket throw down. Coincidentally, my local grocery has brisket on sale this week, half or whole, for $1.99 so I intend to do some up this weekend. I understand the flat is leaner than the point. Is the point better for slow cooking?
Wow, I wish I could find brisket for that price, cheapest I can find is $5.00/lb. Needless to say, I have not had brisket in about a year. $1.99/lb I would be buying two or three. And Happy Belated Birthday to the both of you.
pens
Hi Pens,
One store has USDA Choice for 1.99 or Angus for 3.99. Another store has "first cut" for 2.99. I believe the first cut is the flat. That's why I'm asking my "which is better" question.
I did an Angus a while back that was out of this world.
I bought that one from a butcher, that was all they carried. The price was similar.
The ones from Sams club I use to make Pastrami.
I'm going to have to try that "bend test"
I guess I'm just going to have a look (and a bend). Gee, pastrami. I never even thought of attempting that. Out Maine Coon cat LOVES pastrami. OK, the wheels are turning.
I still haven't gotten an answer as to what's better for smoking/slow cooking brisket - flat or tip cuts or both ??? I wish the new brisket champs, WTS or JGW would chime in here. Thanks.
That's a good question Arnie that I don't know the answer to either :)
Someone will surely know.
OU812,
What a delish birthday dinner!
Makes me want to smoke a brisket....soon! :D :D
Carolyn
Quote from: ArnieM on September 09, 2009, 03:28:10 PM
I still haven't gotten an answer as to what's better for smoking/slow cooking brisket - flat or tip cuts or both ??? I wish the new brisket champs, WTS or JGW would chime in here. Thanks.
Not an expert on this Arnie, but the first brisket I smoked was a 5 1/2 flat that came out excellent. Have only done whole packers since.
I'm a whole packer guy also....really its just a matter of preference, they are both equal as far as smoking/cooking...The flat is better for slicing, I like the point for chopped beef as its not quite as lean as the flat!
C
I'm also a whole packer guy, but I'll take a good flat when it's all I can get. You can smoke either with equally great results. If you can't find a packer, get a flat.
If you cooked it and like it, that's all that really matters.
WTS - I like to chop up the point as well and throw it into pintos (and other stuff). Adds a great flavor to the beans :)
As a side note: Only us Texans know how to cook it. ;D :D ;) :) It's like a law or something. ;D
Quote from: JGW on September 09, 2009, 07:04:22 PM
I'm also a whole packer guy, but I'll take a good flat when it's all I can get. You can smoke either with equally great results. If you can't find a packer, get a flat.
If you cooked it and like it, that's all that really matters.
WTS - I like to chop up the point as well and throw it into pintos (and other stuff). Adds a great flavor to the beans :)
As a side note: Only us Texans know how to cook it. ;D :D ;) :) It's like a law or something. ;D
You might be right about only the Texans known how to cook it. But the rest of us are sure having fun learning from you two! ;D
I assume by "whole packer" you mean the whole brisket. You people talk funny ;) I guess I'll go for the whole brisket.
Hey, I was in Texas once for a whole week. I found myself talking funny too :) In my younger days I drove my 'vette out from CT. Spent a lot of time on RT 66. It seemed like most of it was under construction. In those days, the "waitresses" in the burger joints roller skated out to your car, clipped a tray to your window and sat your order on it, including beer. My, my, where has the world gone to since then?
Quote from: JGW on September 09, 2009, 07:04:22 PM
As a side note: Only us Texans know how to cook it. ;D :D ;) :) It's like a law or something. ;D
Felgercarb!
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=7661.msg78530#msg78530
;D ;D
Great job.
That was awesome looking. I bet it tasted even better.
I hereby dub you "Honorary Texan". ;D
Thanks!
Quote from: westexasmoker on September 09, 2009, 04:14:12 PM
I'm a whole packer guy also....really its just a matter of preference, they are both equal as far as smoking/cooking...The flat is better for slicing, I like the point for chopped beef as its not quite as lean as the flat!
C
I feel the same way as both wts and JGW on the whole packer but to me the flat is the holy grail of the brisket.
The point is for chopping up and makes a great BBQ beef samme, that's what i had for dinner last night on potato bread with some red beans and rice with some brisket added of course
Quote from: ArnieM on September 09, 2009, 07:26:38 PM
I assume by "whole packer" you mean the whole brisket. You people talk funny ;) I guess I'll go for the whole brisket.
Arnie, actually a "whole packer" is not a "whole" brisket! I haven't seen a whole one for sale in years. A whole beef brisket will include part of the sternum bone and parts of 4 ribs (4 of the 1st 5 ribs on a beef) and some misc cartilaginous bits and pieces (not too accurate, but descriptive nonetheless) and a bunch more hard fat (part of the "deckle") that would be on the flat (pec muscle). You'll never find this bone-in brisket at the supermarket.
The whole brisket you'll buy for barbecue is what is described in the industry as "beef brisket, deckle-off, boneless." Lots of packers call it "packer trim" or "packer cut"
As far as the question as to what part is best - the flat or the point! Any answer indicating one or the other as "best" would be spurious at best. It would be like asking what is best an apple or an orange. Therefore the determination of "best" would be a determination of what best fits what you are going to do with it! If you want dense lean sliced beef barbecue, then the flat is for you. But you have to be careful with the smoking as because of the leanness it will dry out and overcook more easily. If you want something moister and with more fat on it then the point is your cut. Because of the fat the point is pulled or chopped by many folks. However, when cooking a "whole" brisket by virtue of it's thinness, the flat or part of the flat often gets cooked to fall apart stage while the point is still at slicing stage. So the point gets sliced and trimmed of excess fat while part of the flat gets sliced and the rest gets pulled/chopped and/or made into burnt ends.
Either way, it is all good. You just have to decide what you want to do, what cut is available, what cut you can afford, how long of a smoke you have time for, are you Jack Sprat or his wife....etc....
Hi Caneyscud,
Thanks for the super info. It's great to learn new things. I'm going to get out to the stores today to see what their briskets look like - and of course bend 'em. I'll rub 'em tonight and start a smoke early Saturday morning. I ordered Oak bisquettes but haven't received them yet (darned USPS). I'll use my Hickory if I have to.
I'll post back with the results on Monday.
Sounds like theres going 2b a feast at Arnie's house sat night
Good luck and most of all Have Fun ;D
Two things
Hickory is good!
and the other - Can we come for supper?
Quote from: Caneyscud on September 10, 2009, 08:21:17 AM
Two things
Hickory is good!
and the other - Can we come for supper?
Sure, but leave early. It'll probably take you 10-12 hours to get here. But, we do have a guest room ;)