Slicing Brisket

Outnumbered

Outnumbered

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I know about the slicing across the grain, etc., but what I can't seem to do is get a good consistent thickness to my cut. It's probably my attention to detail, but are there any tricks? Can you use an electric slicer in a comp legally? What are the tricks you pros use?
 
I gave up on the electric knife for brisket - too hard to get even thickness and straight slices. Switched to my ancient (very sharp) cleaver and nabbed us 17th out of 118 last weekend :)

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Get a good sharp knife and let it do the work for you. Don't apply to much down pressure and concentrate on where the cut is made.
 
Recently bought a 12 granton edge slicing knife. Used it yesterday and it made a huge difference...all 8s and 9s in appearance. That's where the good news ended...but at least I've got the appearance down now and knife was a big help.
 
We use an electric knife at comps. The trick is to get your brother-in-law good and drunk so that he can coach you through it.
 
start at pencil width, if your brisket is tough, bring it a little tighter than pencil, if its falling apart, make it a little wider than a pencil
 
If you need practice, start making your own vegetable soup and slice up the veggies yourself. Potatoes, celery, onions, carrots, etc. Just picture brisket in your minds eye. Won't take long before you start to get some consistency in thickness.

Russ
 
I'm right handed. I hold the brisket with my left hand using my thumb and index finger as a guide against the blade. I can ussually get pretty consistant slices. BUT.....make sure you watch your gloves. I've cut the tips off without knowing it. If those end up in the box it's a DQ.
 
We use both electric and regular knives, depending on our mood and the condition of the brisket. I favor the electric knife, but good qualify sharp knife works well too. If you have a thin flat and need to cut on the bias, that's very difficult to do with an electric.
 
Yes it legal to use a slicer. But be careful. Slices can break real easy. If I'm doing a bunch for a party I let it cool first then the slicer works great. Put back in a pan with cooking liquids and beef stock and bring back to temp for serving. Or cool completely before slicing and then pan after slicing and can reheat the next day, not recommended for comp.
 
I close my non-dominate eye and 'aim' the knife. Takes practice to be consistent. Also, one of those Bad Ass brisket slicing knives sold by the MABBQA helps ! :)
 
Get a sharp knife and then sharpen it some more. I have used a bread slicer similar to the one pictured below.

31fcSpn09zL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
 
make sure your knife is longer than the brisket is wide. Stand over the brisket looking down over it. Lay your know on the top of the brisket and make sure you have a straight line and you can vision what the slice will look like. make sure you cut straight.
 
We just picked up a very nicely designed Wusthof slicing knife from Slamdunkpro (Aporkalypse Now). You can buy them through the Mid Atlantic BBQ website. www.mabbqa.com
 
Or you could save yourself $100 and buy a [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-12-Inch-Granton-Slicing-Fibrox/dp/B0000CFDB9/ref=sr_1_6?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1335835139&sr=1-6"]Forschner Victorinox 12-Inch Granton Edge Slicing Knife with Fibrox Handle[/ame].

This is the knife we've used since we first started competing and it has served us very well.

Whatever type of knife you use, keep it very sharp and, with practice, it will perform.
 
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