So far I've smoked a chicken and a shoulder and both were fine, not sure if they were great, but the point is I am a raw newbie to smoking.
So I want to do a brisket and asked the wife to look for one at Costco the other day. No luck there, but she comes home from Food Lion today with cut of beef labeled "Beef Brisket Flat Cut Beef Chuck". It weighs in at just under six pounds, about half of what I was thinking a brisket would be.
My main question is what do I have in the fridge? Then, do I proceed using one of the brisket recipes on this site?
Other ideas welcomed.
Thanks.
Sounds to me like you have a "market trimmed" brisket.
If it does not have a fat cap, it will not fare well in the smoker as a smoked brisket.
However, it may be a good candidate for pastrami.
This is the pastrami recipe I use:
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?157-Beef-Pastrami&p=185#post185
Pastrami is always a good way to go. :)
It looks like very creative labeling. Too early in the morning to identify beef parts, so I had to edit this post. I don't know what that can be, if it is not the flat end of the brisket.
If you have a 1/4" of fat cap left on the brisket, you can smoke it. Untrimmed flats are mainly what I only can get in my area, and they turn out well.
Fat cap? There is some fat on both sides, one side appears to be all fat. Is that the cap?
Quote from: jbuzzerd on August 01, 2011, 05:32:37 AM
Fat cap? There is some fat on both sides, one side appears to be all fat. Is that the cap?
Sounds like the fat cap. I think you got a large brisket flat. If so, you are good to go. On the fat cap side, trim the fat down to around 1/4 of an inch.
As KyNola stated trim it down to about 1/4", you should be good to go. Also trim any brown discolored meat you may find on the edges.
I usually don't ask for pictures, but I would be curious to see if they left part of the chuck attached.
I'll give pictures a shot. Probably this weekend.
Quote from: jbuzzerd on August 01, 2011, 02:30:17 PM
I'll give pictures a shot. Probably this weekend.
It's not important. I was just curious, I myself don't have much patients to take pictures.
FYI Costco will sell you a untrimmed Brisket. I spoke with the butcher there and he said they trim them up for sale, but they will sell it as is and the cost is cheaper per pound as well.
Good to know. When my wife was in there she was looking in the meat case, but could not find someone to speak to.
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