pastrami and corned beef

[hillbillysmoker]

It's been a good weekend.

[Carter]

Hey Hillbilly,

that looks great.  I want to make corned beef that looks like that, but I'm having trouble with this brisket thing.

When I go to my butcher, what should I be asking for to get what you've got.  When I ask for brisket, my butcher always wants to give me a little flat with no fat cap.  I never know how to tell him, "duhhh, I want what the guys on the Bradley Smoker site use."

Just curious.

Carter

[FLBentRider]

I had the same problem at the butcher. I told them that the Sam's brisket did not turn out well, and he said that the "first cut" brisket was not what I wanted. He proceeded to sell me a brisket that was _not_ a first cut, but he didn't tell me the name either:

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=7046.msg69980#msg69980

[hillbillysmoker]

These were actually two "corned beef brisket flats" from Walmart. You can usually buy corned beef briskets as either flats or points. With regular briskets you can purchase either the flats or the points (fatter larger sections) or packer briskets which is the entire brisket with both intact. Hope this helps.

This link should help:

http://www.cookshack.com/brisket-101

[Carter]

Thanks a lot. I checked out the site.  That was really helpful.  Now it's all about sucking it up and going for it.

Much appreciated.

[FLBentRider]

I'm right there with you. I've been feeling the urge to get in touch with my inner brisket. My first (any only Q) one did not turn out to my standards. The pastrami, OTOH, was awesome.

I'm going to the butcher and getting one for this weekend.

I might even use ...... mesquite!

[iceman]

I might even use ...... mesquite!

EEEEKKKKK!!!!!! The devils wood!!!  :D ;D ;) Just kidding. Go for it!  :)

[westexasmoker]

Did I hear/smell mesquite.....Come to the dark side!!

C

[Gizmo]

Hey Hillbilly,

that looks great.  I want to make corned beef that looks like that, but I'm having trouble with this brisket thing.

When I go to my butcher, what should I be asking for to get what you've got.  When I ask for brisket, my butcher always wants to give me a little flat with no fat cap.  I never know how to tell him, "duhhh, I want what the guys on the Bradley Smoker site use."

Just curious.

Carter

For pastrami, the Flat or first cut is the one most used.  When I buy briskets, I ask for a "whole packer brisket".  Since it won't fit on 1 rack, I seperate the brisket where it begins to thicken (area by the fat cap).  This will alow each piece to be taken out at different times when they reach the IT I am looking for as the thickness dictates the time that happens.  The Fat Cap part goes on the rack above the flat part.

[Oldman]

For what it is worth I only smoke the Brisket Deckle. After smokin' I cut it down the fat line in the middle of  the piece. This creates two nice pieces. I personally don't care for the flat as it does not have enough fat for flavoring IMO.

It is also known as the point.
Olds

[KyNola]

And then ya'll wonder why in KY, we leave the beef to the Texas folk like my learned mesquite friend, WTS.  Can't buy quality brisket in these parts.  Did Habs pastrami to the letter with a brisket purchased locally.  Simply was not up to the standards I was looking for due to the poor quality of the brisket itself.

Smoke on guys and gals,

KyNola

[Oldman]

KyNola,

Allow me to offer a suggestion. Unless it is utility beef I believe you can get good flavoring out of all briskets. The trick is to purchase a whole brisket that is vacuum packed at the meat packing house--no repack by your local butcher. Wet age it in your refrig for 3 weeks @ 36-38 F.

After that period of time remove it from the vacuum pack and wash it off. Then trim fat as needed and then try Habs recipe again.

Olds

EDIT: Here is a link on a Sirlion I aged: http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=118