Brisket Help!!!: Pron update tomorrow and unrelated Pron now!

[sash501]

Who would have thought that the hardest part of cooking a Brisket, would be finding the brisket!!

I live in Palm Beach County Florida (Boynton Beach). Hit three places this morning looking for a packer brisket. Costco: only sells the flat; called the local meat shop: . . . only sell the flat; Called Publix: they sell brisket points and flats . . . but separated. No big deal, shouldn't be a problem that the point and flat are separated prior to the smoke.

So far, not so easy, which is disapointing as I've finally gotten the courage to do a brisket after reading Bigabyte's basic brisket tutorial a few times. I would have posted there, but a pop up said the thread is too old to reply in it.

Get home, watch a little TV, and a rising suspicion is growing in my head. If Publix separates the flats and the points before wraping, what else do they separate? You guessed it, the fat cap is missing!!

Any help on how this will effect the smoke and what I can do to minimize disaster due to a missing cap would be appreciated. Will update tomorrow with how it comes it. Pron will be provided.

However, because I don't believe in starting a thread without a little Pron, here's 3 racks of ribs, two chickens and a fattie from last week . . . and a homeless guy I gave a dollar to while shopping for the Brisket today.






But I forgot to take after shots . . . the party was rolling. So here's a few from a couple months back.

[Bludawg]

Glad to see that the bridge trolls are alive and well in the Old Hood ( I use to live in Pelican Point 20 yr s ago). Rub it bring the pit to 225 go two hrs run temp to 275 wrap it at 3 hrs pull it when its probe tender. let it cool to 150 and eat it. If it sucks give it to your buddy the troll. I'm sure it wont but just in case.

[sash501]

So no worries that the fat cap is missing? Just a quicker cook time?

[bigabyte]

You'll be fine. I trim the hell out of prime grade briskets to where there is no fat cap left at all. If it is thin, then charring could become a problem and foiling can help prevent that.

[sash501]

Thanks bigabyte. Am I right that the cook time will be shorter since there isn't a cap for a heat shield? As such, the point and flat will are only a little over 4 pounds together. I was thinking I'd start prodding it around the 5th hour.

[bigabyte]

The cook time won't be affected much, except for the fact that it is lighter overall. The biggest thing to watch out for with the heat getting straight to the meat is charring.

[JPS11]

Next time try Wally mart. The ones here carry the same whole packers as Sam's.

[sash501]

Thanks guys, worries are subsiding.