I have done one flat and it turned out great. For my son-in-law's birthday, in a couple of weeks, I am going to try a packer. I am going to smoke it hot and fast. Do I smoke it the same as a flat or are there any changes or pitfalls I should look out for. I am going to use Boshizzle's method and go by color. I have read his directions but my packer will be 8-9 pds due to a smaller smoker. So the time should be a little shorter. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Flat vs packer
- Thread starter Oldpro1946
- Start date
The process is really the same as cooking a flat until the end. At the end, you can separate the flat and point (easy to do, there is a layer of fat between them) and then make burnt ends from the point. If you want to. The point on an 8-9 lb. packer will be pretty small, so you may not be able to do this. It depends on the brisket.
Do you have a source for the packer? I've had a hard time finding them in the stores around here. Restaurant Depot in Lombard is the most reliable. If you are a KCBS member you can get a day pass to get in.
Do you have a source for the packer? I've had a hard time finding them in the stores around here. Restaurant Depot in Lombard is the most reliable. If you are a KCBS member you can get a day pass to get in.
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What Ron L said. I can't imagine the point on an 8Lb. brisket making much of a difference in cooking times. I almost always chop up the point and vac&freeze to save for chilli.
I have found 2 stores that carry packers. One is in Elburn and is called Reams Meat Market. The other is a Super Wal-Mart on RT 56 (Butterfield) and Kirk Road in North Aurora. The packer at Reams is about $2.79pd and the packer at Wal-Mart is $2.38pd. Maybe if you check any Super Wal-Marts in your area you might get lucky. Good luck.
The Walmart at Butterfield and Kirk is hit or miss. Half the time I go there they don't have them and when they do have them they are select grade. I love Reams! I wasn't sure if you were close enough to make going out there worthwhile. Best brats I've found anywhere.
I never did notice the grade of meat it was. I will make sure I do not buy select. Thanks for pointing that out. I live in Batavia so Reams is not very far. Try their pre-cooked polish sausages. Very good. Now we need some place out here that carrys Plowboys or some other good rubs.
I buy mine from restaurant depot. Day passes from kcbs. $35 bucks for the year. Def worth it.
We usually run 8-10 packers (approx 14lb each) at a time and the process is no different from flats. Heavy smoke for about 3 hrs, wrap and finish for about 3 hrs, rest for 1-2 hrs. Pit temp throughout is 300F and we look for an internal of around 200F at end of finish. This may seem a bit high for temp but we pull our brisket, due to selling mostly at festival type events, instead of slicing and find the higher finish temp really helps get the texture we want. One tip I would pass along is be sure to smoke/finish with the fat side up to allow self basting which really helps to keep the product moist.
Anxious to hear how your turns out!!
Anxious to hear how your turns out!!
I wouldn't smopke a 8-9lb packer. I would find a way to fit a bigger brisket if I could!
I use an 18.5" WSM and I always fold a bigger brisket in half just so I can get moooooooore beeeef
Something to consider!
I use an 18.5" WSM and I always fold a bigger brisket in half just so I can get moooooooore beeeef
Something to consider!
I'm in Batavia, too! Small world. I'm near Randall and Fabyan.
A while ago I gave the guy at the Main Street Fireplace and BBQ the contact info for Todd at Plowboy, but I don't know if he ever followed up. I haven't been there in a while. He used to carry the Dizzy Pig rubs,, which are also very good.
I wouldn't smopke a 8-9lb packer. I would find a way to fit a bigger brisket if I could!
I use an 18.5" WSM and I always fold a bigger brisket in half just so I can get moooooooore beeeef
Something to consider!
That doesn't sound like it would work well but I hear on this board that many people have done this. What if I can't lay it flat after it shrinks a little? My grates are 13 3/4" by 11 3/4". Can you keep it folded for the whole cook? Being so thick wouldn't ittakeforever? And do you at some time take it out and separate the flat from the point or do you just keep it whole until it is finished and just slice it with the point and flat together?
