Slicing a brisket and serving vs slicing brisket and resting

[ClintHTX]

I understand sliced brisket will dry out quickly. I seem a video of Aaron Franklin slicing a brisket and he said if you absolutely have to you can slice it and hold it all together. That it won't dry out as fast. Has anyone had any experience doing this and how did it turn out for you?

[IamMadMan]

Usually sliced brisket doesn't last long around here..... It's the first thing devoured.

I rest, then slice and serve....

[cpw]

Rest first, then slice and serve here as well.

[Shagdog]

I saw that, and I would say its a last resort for sure. Even then, When he said that I had envisioned slicing a whole packer and then putting it for a large group or something... So it would help you keep it moist for those 10 minutes or whatever. I never slice a brisket until the very last minute. It just keeps better

[Bludawg]

I rest and slice as needed left overs are sliced cold and reheated in the micro wave for less than 30 seconds to gently warm it through. It stays as moist as fresh.

[ClintHTX]

I've got a big party this weekend and it's not really slice and serve. I was wondering if I would get away with slicing it up full keeping it together and let whomever make their plates.

[Wampus]

The best way I've found to slice for serving larger groups is to slice and hold in hot au jus.

What I do is prepare some beef broth or au jus. You can buy "au jus base" at GFS or other places. It comes in a paste. You add it to boiling hot water and dissolve. If desired, you can doctor up just straight beef broth too. I've done this as well. Just heat up some beef broth and add some powdered garlic, onion, butter, etc. until you get the taste you're wanting. I'll even add in the drippings from the foiled brisket (if I have them).


Rest and slice the brisket like normal, taking care to keep the slices together to prevent oxidation of the slices and drying out. Put the slices tightly together in a pan (I usually use half foil pans...full pands will get really heavy and risk buckling if moving around). Once I have the slices all packed in tight, I'll pour the hot au jus over the slices until almost or just covering.


This does two things for me (at least in my mind)....

It will keep the slices hot AND hydrated while holding.
When people pick out their slices, they will be dripping with moisture.
No, it's not exactly the same as freshly sliced, right on the board, like they'd get if you were slicing for service, but it's still juicy, hot, moist brisket. It's definitely better than dry, oxidized, half cool brisket.


I've done this ahead of time, used shrink wrap and then foil lids, put them in the Cambro, transported to an event, and THEN served and the brisket was still hot and juicy.



The big thing is to prep the au jus and have it really hot before you slice the brisket.
You don't want to slice the brisket and THEN realize you have to prep and heat the au jus while the slices are drying out.
Have it all ready and on the stove, then as soon as you pan the slices, soak em.



Hope that helps.

[JoSal73]

Lately I've been cooking brisket and allowing to rest for 10+ hours in the oven on lowest warm setting. While it's resting, some juice seeps through the butcher paper and into the hotel pan it's sitting in. When it's time to eat, I remove the paper & slice it up and the meat goes right back in to it's own juices. Chaffer dish keeps it warm while everyone is serving themselves. Working great for me, don't plan to change much anytime soon.

[Tennessee Jed]

I have a similar issue. Cooking brisket for 250+ this weekend. Thought about cooking, resting and placing in a fridge tomorrow. Then slice it cold on Saturday, place in pans and reheat in au jus Saturday evening. I'm thinking that slicing the brisket while cold will help keep some of the moisture in the slices.

Optimistic but not confident!

[ClintHTX]

I'm cooking for a wedding. It's at 7 and were eating at 7:15. I was thinking out of anything my best bet would be cut out right before it's over and go slice up stick it in pans. Hold it together like it was still a whole packer and serve. But I dunno.

[IamMadMan]

I'm cooking for a wedding. It's at 7 and were eating at 7:15. I was thinking out of anything my best bet would be cut out right before it's over and go slice up stick it in pans. Hold it together like it was still a whole packer and serve. But I dunno.


Sometime you have to do what works best for the situation... Sounds like you have a sound plan slicing ahead of time and keeping in warm au jus...

I wouldn't worry about it, it may not be your total best, but it will still be awesome...

[THoey1963]

Never had to cook for something as big as say a wedding. I have done a couple briskets for a Super Bowl party at the bar. Since I don't want to be standing there slicing as required (preferred method), I slice them and try to neatly put it in my 7QT slow cooker / crock pot that has a warm setting. I usually dump any drippings I have from the cook and / or add some beef broth to the bottom, just enough to keep it moist.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/all-clad-deluxe-slow-cooker-with-aluminum-insert/

I did help with a benefit we did one day, where we served brisket plates. I sliced 12 briskets as ordered and even offered the lean or fatty option. Three or four briskets per cooler and they were still hot to the touch when I pulled the last one around 7 pm.

That was a long day...

[ajstrider]

I don't think anything will be as good as being sliced to order but if I couldn't do that, keeping the slices warm in an au jus would be my next option.

[Pappy Q]

The best way I've found to slice for serving larger groups is to slice and hold in hot au jus.

What I do is prepare some beef broth or au jus. You can buy "au jus base" at GFS or other places. It comes in a paste. You add it to boiling hot water and dissolve. If desired, you can doctor up just straight beef broth too. I've done this as well. Just heat up some beef broth and add some powdered garlic, onion, butter, etc. until you get the taste you're wanting. I'll even add in the drippings from the foiled brisket (if I have them).


Rest and slice the brisket like normal, taking care to keep the slices together to prevent oxidation of the slices and drying out. Put the slices tightly together in a pan (I usually use half foil pans...full pands will get really heavy and risk buckling if moving around). Once I have the slices all packed in tight, I'll pour the hot au jus over the slices until almost or just covering.


This does two things for me (at least in my mind)....

It will keep the slices hot AND hydrated while holding.
When people pick out their slices, they will be dripping with moisture.
No, it's not exactly the same as freshly sliced, right on the board, like they'd get if you were slicing for service, but it's still juicy, hot, moist brisket. It's definitely better than dry, oxidized, half cool brisket.


I've done this ahead of time, used shrink wrap and then foil lids, put them in the Cambro, transported to an event, and THEN served and the brisket was still hot and juicy.



The big thing is to prep the au jus and have it really hot before you slice the brisket.
You don't want to slice the brisket and THEN realize you have to prep and heat the au jus while the slices are drying out.
Have it all ready and on the stove, then as soon as you pan the slices, soak em.



Hope that helps.

This is the way to go.

[landarc]

If you must slice and hold, your best bet will be to slice and keep the brisket together, then wrap in butcher paper and add some jus. Reseal and place in hotel pan and holding oven. It'll work.

[Jason TQ]

The best way I've found to slice for serving larger groups is to slice and hold in hot au jus.

What I do is prepare some beef broth or au jus. You can buy "au jus base" at GFS or other places. It comes in a paste. You add it to boiling hot water and dissolve. If desired, you can doctor up just straight beef broth too. I've done this as well. Just heat up some beef broth and add some powdered garlic, onion, butter, etc. until you get the taste you're wanting. I'll even add in the drippings from the foiled brisket (if I have them).


Rest and slice the brisket like normal, taking care to keep the slices together to prevent oxidation of the slices and drying out. Put the slices tightly together in a pan (I usually use half foil pans...full pands will get really heavy and risk buckling if moving around). Once I have the slices all packed in tight, I'll pour the hot au jus over the slices until almost or just covering.


This does two things for me (at least in my mind)....

It will keep the slices hot AND hydrated while holding.
When people pick out their slices, they will be dripping with moisture.
No, it's not exactly the same as freshly sliced, right on the board, like they'd get if you were slicing for service, but it's still juicy, hot, moist brisket. It's definitely better than dry, oxidized, half cool brisket.


I've done this ahead of time, used shrink wrap and then foil lids, put them in the Cambro, transported to an event, and THEN served and the brisket was still hot and juicy.



The big thing is to prep the au jus and have it really hot before you slice the brisket.
You don't want to slice the brisket and THEN realize you have to prep and heat the au jus while the slices are drying out.
Have it all ready and on the stove, then as soon as you pan the slices, soak em.



Hope that helps.

Exactly this if you need to slice it ahead of time. We did it like this at the restaurant when we knew 2-3 briskets would get run through at dinner time quickly and we were short staffed. Slice it keep it together in au jus on the steam table/pan. It is how I do it at gatherings as well when there is a buffet line. I try to guess how much to slice and jump back up if i need to slice more.