The Raw Brisket Flop Test For Tenderness

[JandJbuidasmoker]

I find this thread very helpful, I'll sit back and take notes!

[SDAR]

There is a difference between prime and wagyu in my opinion. It's almost two different meats as far as taste and texture based on my limited experience. Again, this is my opinion.

I really like the primes I've been getting from Creekstone though. I can get a choice to be as tender and probably close to as juicy, but the taste is wow without any help. They beat the heck out of the choice I can get around here.

With that being said, I talked with a buddy of mine that sells meat and I asked him why we don't get prime briskets in my town. He said that we probably do...that most of the CABs are graded "choice or better" and you have to know the difference when selecting them from the counter.

I still think the last few Creekstone's I've bought were better. It may be wishful thinking based on what I paid for them, but the guests seemed to agree.

[Q-Dat]

Originally Posted by Haveuseen1?

I dont put much faith in the flop method, and I'm not sure I would put much faith in the squeeze method. Kroger freezes their briskets, and all of them might. So if you squeezed one that had not fully thawed out you might think it was firmer than one that had fully thawed.

It may not make a difference, but I should note that I tested the squeeze test yesterday at Restaurant Depot where everything is fresh never frozen. There were significant differences in meat texture from one brisket to the next. Not thickness of meat differences, or thickness of fat differences, or tightness of packaging differences, or temperature differences.

Very different textures in the MEAT from brisket to brisket all IBP, and all the same kill date.

[Bludawg]

Originally Posted by Q-Dat

I know this. With all of the fat that I have had to trim off of packers lately, I am really questioning how much money I am actually saving vs buying trimmed packers like CAB

Daddy always told me "Son don't let another man handle your meat he might be heavy handed"

[Fatback Joe]

Originally Posted by SDAR

I really like the primes I've been getting from Creekstone though. I can get a choice to be as tender and probably close to as juicy, but the taste is wow without any help. They beat the heck out of the choice I can get around here.

I'll second the Creekstone. As mentioned earlier by the platypus, this is Q Talk and I am not sure I would spend the extra money for one for backyard cooking/eating. In 15 comps, I had 2 top 10s in brisket (using Wagyu and CABs) prior to switching to Creekstone, after the switch, I had 3 top 5s in 5 comps (one being a win).......and one of the two where I was outside was at the Jack so I was not shocked to be outside the top.

Maybe they just fit my cooking style, but I have been very pleased and have had very good comp results with the Creekstone Primes.

[Fatback Joe]

Got off track on that last post.........I do the "flop test" also, but don't rely on it, it does make me happy though when I find one that I like and it gives a good flop. I have had some selects from Walmart (that flopped) that cooked up wonderfully.

[JS-TX]

I've never thought of doing the flop test when picking out a brisket. The thickness of the flat and marbling are the main things I look for. I do enjoy a good wobbly brisket after it's cooked though. :)

[landarc]

The photo below is an untrimmed packer, 16 pounds, Select grade, from Cash and Carry. I have done nothing but remove the cryo.


I can tell you that is flopped a little in the overly tight cryo, but, by pressing and lifting it, it had a 'soft feel' to the meat. You sort of have to learn to feel for it. This brisket was cooked for someone else, and the report back, was that after reheating, I had cooled it for transit and due to delays in delivery, the brisket was meltingly tender.

[Wampus]

Yeah, I like the flop test myself but I also agree that depending on the tightness of the cryovac, I can't always get a good reading. Seems, however, that even if it doesn't "flop" well, but still feels soft, then once it's unwrapped it'll fold nicely like landarc's photo above.

I read Mr. Biggles' comment some time ago that if you start out with a set of muscles that is already limber, soft and has a yielding texture, then the finish product is likely to be better (providing you don't fark it up during the cook) than a brisket that starts out stiff and rigid.



Face it....the briskets that come out of the large slaughterhouses are from all SORTS of cows (size, age, feed, etc). What OTHER than the flop test and general appearance do we have to go off of in the store?

[Q-Dat]

Just thought of a good description of the raw texture differences in briskets that I have noticed just by squeezing or poking them.

The firmer more dense briskets have a texture similar to a rump roast or eye of round. The softer briskets feel more similar to a chuck or sirloin.

Remember this is the MEAT texture that I am referring to not the fat.

[jacksedona]

i dont use the flop test anymore. i buy a fatty brisket and smoke it and always have a great brisket provided you buy one with the fat untrimmed

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