Brisket Flat Question

[Bull Run Smoke]

This is my first thread and I'm cooking one 8 pound CAB flat and six bone-in butts this weekend. The flat is uniform in thickness and features a nice 3/8" fat cap. I'm planning to do the entire cook at 250 degrees. I don't want to overcook the flat and dry it out so should I cook it to 180 degrees and then wrap it in foil and towels to rest in the cooler or should I cook it like a packer and probe for doneness?

[jack040806]

The temp that you cook it to depends on what you are going to do with it, 185 is about what I do if I'm slicing it but if your going to pull it go upwards of 200, like 205 or so.

[garyk1398]

I just did a 7.5 lb flat on the UDS @ 250 and pulled it out at 205* it was just a tad dry. Next one will be pulled out and foiled at 195* until its time to slice. I think the pros here may tell you to cook it till the probe comes out like butta and I'm thinking it'll be higher than 180*. Waiting to hear the pros chime in...

[Bull Run Smoke]

Normally I don't rely on temperature nor do I use foil, but I'm cooking this flat for someone else and it's not being consumed right away. Therefore, I was thinking to wrap it at 180 degrees and let it rest for a couple hours before delivering it. Hoping that the temperature would rise enough to keep the flat tender and juicy when they decide to eat it.

[Brauma]

If you put it in the same cooler with 6 butts it will rise a good 10* or more. And it will stay hot a long time so be prepared for that.

I like the way you think. Pull it at 180-185, wrap, cooler. It will be great.

[Solidkick]

I'll disagree with some above....I'd be looking to wrap at around 165*.....my internal target temp would be between 185* and 195*.....I say this as the brisket will tell you when it's ready to come out of the cooker when you insert your temp probe and meet little resistance...wrap again in foil and rest in a cooler wrapped in a towel for a couple of hours.
But that's me....

[JD McGee]

Gotta agree with Solid up there...for flats (pretty much all I do) I cook to 160 ish then foil...throw it back on the smoker till 190 ish (probe resistance test) then cooler...:-P

[Meat Burner]

I'll disagree with some above....I'd be looking to wrap at around 165*.....my internal target temp would be between 185* and 195*.....I say this as the brisket will tell you when it's ready to come out of the cooker when you insert your temp probe and meet little resistance...wrap again in foil and rest in a cooler wrapped in a towel for a couple of hours.
But that's me....

My thoughts exactly!!! Keep us posted on what you do and enjoy!!

[Bull Run Smoke]

In the past three years, I've cooked a few flats with very little success. Primarily, I cook packers. I don't use foil and never remove them at a specific temperature. I typically use my thermometer only to probe for doneness...pull them when they feel like "butta". I've tried that method with flats only to have them dry out after resting. Perhaps I let them rest for too long or there just wasn't enough fat to keep them happy. Thank you for the input!

[jack040806]

I'll disagree with some above....I'd be looking to wrap at around 165*.....my internal target temp would be between 185* and 195*.....I say this as the brisket will tell you when it's ready to come out of the cooker when you insert your temp probe and meet little resistance...wrap again in foil and rest in a cooler wrapped in a towel for a couple of hours.
But that's me....
Maybe I should pay better attention, I didn't notice the important word FLAT, the last time I tried one of those I failed miserably perhaps listen to the pros.

[swamprb]

Since I started cooking flats using the High Heat method none have been dry. Check out kickass's sight or tvwbb.

[Solidkick]

Maybe I should pay better attention, I didn't notice the important word FLAT, the last time I tried one of those I failed miserably perhaps listen to the pros.

First flat I ever cooked made a better Frisbee than a meal! I bought a super trimmed piece from the meat counter....not hardly any fat at all.....and did not wrap....I chucked from the deck down into the lake for catfish food.
An old buddy from this site, KCQuer, and I spent hours talking briskets.....and we learned a lot together.....to this day, at comps, I still start my flats out fat cap up for the first 4 hours, then flip them.....very rarely do I have a dry one.....try it! You may like it!!

[Divemaster]

I like to take my flats to 195, wrap and then put them in to a cooler or cambro for a couple of hours... never had a dry one...

BTW, always fat cap up (I still wish we could have met kc...)