A Brisket Miracle

[tgstrang]

So last week for the Mayweather / Pacman snoozefest I was asked to make some brisket for my buddy's party. I love cooking packers, probably my favorite thing to cook. The only problem is we are kind of limited in being able to find them around here. Usually Wal-Mart, Sams and Costco and a local butcher down the street are the only places I know of that might have them in stock (they all have them about 50% of the time). The butcher always has the best looking ones but generally they are too expensive for me to cook them on the regular (usually around $5-6lb). Wal-Mart and Sam's around here only carries Select grade briskets (which I've had plenty of success with but they are really hit or miss when it comes to having the shape you look for in a good packer). Anyway plan was to have the brisket on the Shirley by 9am and cook Bludawg style (except for the addition of Oakridge Black Ops on top of S&P). Well, I went out for some morning errands with the intention of grabbing a brisket on my way home. Went to Walmart #1....no packers at all, across town to Sams.....only flats, off to town #2, Walmart #2....3 packers (select grade at 3.49/lb). Problem was they all sucked. Two of them were so long and skinny with almost no point and the thinnest, skinnest flats you've ever seen. The 3rd one had a decent shape to it, still not great, but the cryo bag was all loose and the meat was discolored. I called the Butcher who is right next to my house and they had one Choice Packer at $4.29/lb. I went and grabbed it, it was nice looking briskey with big ol thick flat.....it better look nice for $75. Anyway after running around for an extra 1.5hrs hunting for brisket (and ending up at the place right next to my house), I ended up not getting the brisket on the smoker until 11am. I knew I was pressed for time so I cranked up the heat. Was running between 300 -350 the entire cook. I started probing around 5pm, still not butter yet. People were coming over at 6pm and would want to be eating around 7pm. Probed again at 6pm, still not ready. At this point I was pissed off at myself for not putting it on the smoker earlier. I figured I had to take it off the smoker regardless at 6:30pm and head to my buddy's house. Last chance, probed at 6:30pm.....Butter! This brisket was awesome, great bark and smoke ring. The Shirley is as an absolute dream to cook on, best thing I ever bought myself :clap:. I also made some chicken wings and some ABTs (Jalapeno cream cheese with crumbled Crucible fatty) and some wings. Should have taken more pics but I forgot while stressing out about getting everything done. Moral of the story for me: shop for the damn brisket the night before. Sorry for the super long post, here are the pics I do have....

 

[DetTigersFan]

Looks great to me man:mrgreen:

 

[pjtexas1]

Nice bark on that brisket! Yours is still one of the best Shirleys I have seen. Glad it all worked out.

 

[tgstrang]

Nice bark on that brisket! Yours is still one of the best Shirleys I have seen. Glad it all worked out.

Thank you sir, I love that thing. I catch myself going out to the garage just to look at it....lol. When is yours going to be done?

 

[Bludawg]

:thumb:Glad I just had lunch before reading this:grin:

 

[pjtexas1]

Thank you sir, I love that thing. I catch myself going out to the garage just to look at it....lol. When is yours going to be done?

I know the feeling. I still stare at my Abe's sometimes even after a year. The red/black/ss just looks awesome. My SF will be done in June. Paul has had some issues with rain so I don't know if he is on schedule or not. All I know is that it will be well worth it when I finally pick it up. I am sure I will spend a lot of time outside cooking and looking this summer. Time to update your signature.

 

[Enrico Brandizzi]

That brisket looks good from here!

 

[LarryO1947]

:clap: :thumb:

 

[TXLX]

Smoker and meat look great

 

[redline bovine]

Great cook. Looks delish

 

[Kyle Serlington]

looks great! good job!

 

[jbounds286]

looks good but u need to fix your signature! :wink:

 

[nsbbqguy]

Great looking cook!! I know the feeling on paying big prices on brisket, they are even harder for me to find and quite expensive as well! They sure are delicious tho!
Sweet Shirley too by the way!!!

 

[71-South]

Looks great!

 

[AZRaptor]

Brisket looks great, but where did the sausage and ghost chile rub end up?

 

[Beentown]

What's the cook details on the brisket? I am doing my first on the Shirley next week (cooked plenty of them just not on the Shirley).

 

[Happy Hapgood]

BAM! You nailed it!

 

[kolky]

That looks awesome! BTW, they usually carry Prime brisket at the Costco out in SoCo.

 

[tgstrang]

That looks awesome! BTW, they usually carry Prime brisket at the Costco out in SoCo.

Thanks for the heads up brother!