Slicing Point for Burnt Ends

thirdeye · Apr 22, 2019

The Burrito TD allowed me another brisket practice run for burnt ends, and I have some slicing questions... Is your initial slicing direction with the grain or is your initial slicing direction across the grain? And is it best to square-up that center sweet spot and only take cubes from that area?

masque13 · Apr 22, 2019

I can only speak for me....my first slice is always against the grain.....and yes, I try to feel around and look at things real good and think about where I think I am actually gonna get my best pieces from and I do my best to make sure I work in such a way that doe snot compromise the quality of where I think the best pieces are.

Slamdunkpro · Apr 22, 2019

First slices are always against the grain.

cpw · Apr 22, 2019

If it makes your process any easier, I've been hearing of more and more teams NOT turning in burnt ends simply because there's such a discrepancy of what makes a "good" burnt end to a different judge. My only 180 in brisket was a box without burnt ends.
A slice is either good or bad, there's not much wiggle room there. But a burnt end is a whole different animal.

Rusty Kettle · Apr 22, 2019

I don't know if it will help you but during trimming I cut a chunk off the brisket. Cut it against the grain. That way I know which way to slice the flat when cooked. I find it hard to tell which way the grain runs once it is rubbed and cooked. So for me it helps me remember.

Slamdunkpro · Apr 22, 2019

cpw said:
If it makes your process any easier, I've been hearing of more and more teams NOT turning in burnt ends simply because there's such a discrepancy of what makes a "good" burnt end to a different judge. My only 180 in brisket was a box without burnt ends.
A slice is either good or bad, there's not much wiggle room there. But a burnt end is a whole different animal.

Agreed - we quit turning them in. Way too much controversy and prejudice. In our region we have a number of judges who freely state "I don't like burnt ends so I automatically mark down when I see them in the box"

Bob in Corona · Apr 22, 2019

FWIW... This judges LOVES (true) burnt ends !!! But I can not judge them as Burnt Ends, only as diced Brisket, due to the rules.

DUBBAGA · Apr 22, 2019

Bob in Corona said:
FWIW... This judges LOVES (true) burnt ends !!! But I can not judge them as Burnt Ends, only as diced Brisket, due to the rules.

... and don't even get me started on chopped brisket. It took me a good 25 min trying to do the pull test on it at Santa Anita. The darn stuff was falling through my fingers, and I had to keep doing it over and over and over again

(right now I'm quite certain a few dozen cooks are throwing something sharp and pointy at their screens, wondering if I'm joking ... or not :biggrin1

gettinbasted · Apr 22, 2019

DUBBAGA said:
... and don't even get me started on chopped brisket. It took me a good 25 min trying to do the pull test on it at Santa Anita. The darn stuff was falling through my fingers, and I had to keep doing it over and over and over again

(right now I'm quite certain a few dozen cooks are throwing something sharp and pointy at their screens, wondering if I'm joking ... or not :biggrin1

No, we know you’re not joking.

thirdeye · Apr 22, 2019

Rusty Kettle said:
I don't know if it will help you but during trimming I cut a chunk off the brisket. Cut it against the grain. That way I know which way to slice the flat when cooked. I find it hard to tell which way the grain runs once it is rubbed and cooked. So for me it helps me remember.

On my backyard packers, or something heavily seasoned like a pastrami I make a little "V" notch, in the brisket flat, so I know to slice transverse to the "V". My competition trimmed flat is box width, rounded edges.... and ready to slice left to right.

thirdeye · Apr 22, 2019

Slamdunkpro said:
Agreed - we quit turning them in. Way too much controversy and prejudice. In our region we have a number of judges who freely state "I don't like burnt ends so I automatically mark down when I see them in the box"

I never would have expected to hear that. But..... that's why I'm asking questions.

ModelMaker · Apr 23, 2019

Slamdunkpro said:
Agreed - we quit turning them in. Way too much controversy and prejudice. In our region we have a number of judges who freely state "I don't like burnt ends so I automatically mark down when I see them in the box"

Identify and report to KCBS. We don't need judges that can't follow the rules.
Ed

Slamdunkpro · Apr 23, 2019

ModelMaker said:
Identify and report to KCBS. We don't need judges that can't follow the rules.
Ed

Done on numerous occasions - no action taken.

Bucknekked · Apr 23, 2019

Am I missing something here? How could anyone not like burnt ends? For my limited experience, burnt ends on a brisket are some of the best eating from the cow. If you publicly state you don't like burnt ends, how in the world could you be a judge?

There's a lot I don't understand. This just adds one more thing to the list

KB BBQ · Apr 23, 2019

Slamdunkpro said:
Done on numerous occasions - no action taken.

That's disappointing to hear since I just became a new judge and was told to give a score based on each entry's own Merit

Slicing Point for Burnt Ends

thirdeye

somebody shut me the fark up.

masque13

is one Smokin' Farker

Slamdunkpro

Babbling Farker

cpw

Babbling Farker

Rusty Kettle

Babbling Farker

Slamdunkpro

Babbling Farker

Bob in Corona

Full Fledged Farker

DUBBAGA

is One Chatty Farker

gettinbasted

is Blowin Smoke!

thirdeye

somebody shut me the fark up.

thirdeye

somebody shut me the fark up.

ModelMaker

Quintessential Chatty Farker

Slamdunkpro

Babbling Farker

Bucknekked

Full Fledged Farker

KB BBQ

is Blowin Smoke!

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