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another brisket thread.

BBQchef33

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Phil
We recently had a thread where Jim(minion) described DrBBQs methood for brisket. Inject, rub and cook fat side down. BUT!!! DrBBQ only rubbed one side of the brisket. Didnt bother rubbing the fat side that was fat down cookin.

This weekend I did 2 13lb packers. Aside from not injecting(i ordered a 5# of fab B for next weeks try), I didn't rub the fat side and cooked it fat down. Figured that makes sense sinse its just gonna render downwards anyway and wind up in the waterpan of the WSM or bottom of the pit.

I rarely seperate nose and point from the flat, in fact even in the competitions, i turned in whole slices. this time after seperating the flat and slicing it i trimmed all the fat from the nopse and point and slice it up.

i felt the meat in the nose and point were bland compared to the flat. Never got that when i rubbed the entire brisket. Even though the laws of gravity supposely drains the fat away from the meat along with the rub. its still was a little bland compared to the rest of the brisket. DrBBQ also injects the brisket which im sure gives the meat additional flavor..

So question(Jim, please chime in)... If your not rubbing the bottom of the briskets.. wheres the flavors coming from on that part of the cut.?? Are you depending on the injecting?
 
BBQchef33 said:
So question(Jim, please chime in)... If your not rubbing the bottom of the briskets.. wheres the flavors coming from on that part of the cut.?? Are you depending on the injecting?

My guess is the flavor would probably come from the meat.
 
When trimming the briset you take no fat off the brisket except for some of the hard fat that does not render. You rub heavy after the injection and add extra raw sugar. The fat left at the end of the cooks is trimmed off and the point is removed. The point is then chunked or pulled and put in the box with slices of flat on top. By doing this you get two things 1. the meat stay warmer longer. 2. the point is very tasty.

The Fab B makes all the difference in this cook, the other thing is not all briskets are born equal, some just don't have as much flavor. Cooking to 185 to 190º internal and holding for at least 2 hours, 4 is better, makes a lot of difference in moisture levels also.
 
i only slight trim the hard fat before cooking. I was talkingt about trimming after cooking before slicing. i cooked both to 185-190 and held them for about 8 hours in a cooler. Bothe temp were 143 when i removed them. they were both moist & juicy, but the one that i rubbed on one side didnt have as much taste as the one thats fully rubbed. Fab B probably is the answer... one brisket was also frozen for a month or so and defresoted..t hat could also be a difference.
 
Freezing does take away from the overall quality of the finished product.
 
http://www.theingredientstore.com/generalstore/meat_preservation/index.htm


havent tried it yet, but just ordered Fab B and Fab P.


i have heard of people freezing, thawing and re-freezing to cause and 'aging" effect on the meat and a concentration of flavors. I see the amount of liquids that come out of meat when its thawed, but thought that would case a drying out effect if done a few times. Has anyone heard of this as an aging process? Seems a llittle crazy to me.
 
Freezing and then refreezing causes the cells to break down drying it out. I always try for fresh product for competition.
 
I will also be doing a 12# brisket this coming weekend. My question is, do I brine the meat overnight? If so, will it hurt to inject prior to brining or will the holes in the meat from poking the needle in it let the brine mixture into the meat and make it salty. Plus, I was told to bring the internal temp to 160, then wrap it and cook until internal temp reaches 190-200, then put it in the cooler for 3 or 4 hours. Is this not the way to do it anymore?
 
if i were doing both, but dont think i would, i would inject after brining. Be careful with the brining process cause it can make stuff mushy. I've brined birds and pork, but never a brisket. imo, briskets take better to marinades and injecting.

You can wrap anywhere between 160 and 180 and take it to 180-200 depending on the marbeling and the type of brisket. ultimatly the test is the fork test. if you can twist a fork with little or no resistance, then its done. Personally, i can tell by how easy a probe can be pushed in. if it goes in like your going into butter, then your done. i stay as close to 180 as possible.
 
Thanks Phil. I bought some Fab-b also to try out. Seems like jminion mentioned a while back to inject and let the meat set in the fridge for 2-4 days. I can't remember exactly the length of time. Is that something I need to do?
 
Seems like jminion mentioned a while back to inject and let the meat set in the fridge for 2-4 days.

eek!! 2-4 hours!! Not 2-4 days...

You want to marinade it, not cure it. :P
 
If you inject with Fab B no need to brine (not a fan of brine large heavy cuts like brisket and butt).
Inject, rub heavy and let set a couple of hours.
As to when you would foil there are a number of ways that can work for cooks. Some foil as soon as 160º (I like waiting to get more bark) but 180 to 190º works well and it tenderizes as it sets in the cooler. The moisture content is much allowing the tenderizing step in the dry cooler.

Used this method on some chuck rolls this weekend (22 pounder cut into 3 equal chunks) cook to 160º, wrapped and put into a dry cooler that I had placed boiling water into to heat it up. Left it over night (10 hours) and they where to juiciest rolls I have ever produced, shrinkage was nil.
 
BBQchef33 said:
http://www.theingredientstore.com/generalstore/meat_preservation/index.htm


havent tried it yet, but just ordered Fab B and Fab P.


Not that I'm a health nut, but I don't know about the Fab products. It doesn't sound like something I'd want to eat.

FAB B
Contains: Hydrolyzed soy protein, vegetable oil (soybean and or corn, cottonseed), sodium phosphates, mono sodium glutamate, autolyzed yeast extract, disodium inosinate and guanylate, xanthan gum.
FAB B Lite
Contains: Hydrolyzed soy protein, vegetable oil (soybean and or corn, cottonseed), sodium phosphates, mono sodium glutamate, autolyzed yeast extract, disodium inosinate and guanylate, xanthan gum.
FAB C
Contains: Hydrolyzed soy protein, partially hydrogenated soybean, cottonseed and peanut oils, sodium phosphates, mono sodium glutamate, autolyzed yeast extract, disodium inosinate and guanylate, xanthan gum.
FAB P
Contains: Hydrolyzed soy protein, partially hydrogenated soybean, cottonseed and peanut oils, sodium phosphates, mono sodium glutamate, autolyzed yeast extract, disodium inosinate and guanylate, xanthan gum.


What is all that stuff?
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein -- The extraction process of hydrolysis involves boiling in a vat of acid (e.g., sulfuric acid) and then neutralizing the solution with a caustic soda. The resultant sludge is scraped off the top and allowed to dry. In addition to soy protein it contains free-form excitotoxic amino acids (e.g., MSG) and other potentially harmful chemicals including cancer-causing chemicals in many cases. A newer method of hydrolysis involves the use of bacteria by itself or in addition to the chemical processes described above. There is a possibility that genetically-manipulated bacteria may be used.

The food industry sometimes uses large amount of hydrolyzed proteins as a "taste enhancer" because it contains significant amounts of MSG (monosodium glutamate). This is what is known in the food industry as "Clean Labels" -- adding MSG to food, without having to list it as "MSG" on the label.

In almost all cases, hydrolyzed soy protein contains a significant amount of genetically-manipulated soy. The hydrolyzed protein products currently added to foods should be considered a detriment to one's health. There are much healthier sources of soy protein and soy nutrients.

sodium phosphates: It is sometimes employed as a laxative for foals and calves

autolyzed yeast extract:Autolyzed yeast extract is generally used as a flavour enhancer, & sometimes as a binder, in prepared foods. It's a form of dead yeast cells, treated to break up the cellular walls to allow for easy dissolving. Yeast extracts are high in protein & the amino acids that can cause reactions with MAO inhibitors but when they're used as additives in food, the concentration is usually too low to cause a problem unless you're eating a lot of that product e.g.- soup or gravy concentrates. They generally are used to give a richer or meatier taste to foods.

disodium inosinate:usually made from meat (especially sardines or other fish), may trigger gout and is not permitted in foods for infants or young children

xanthan gum:Gum-like substance extracted from natural sources and used mainly as thickeners, gels, stabilizers, emulsifiers, binders, or humectants in variety of processed foods, can cause allergic reactions or act as a laxative
 
Damn. Well if it does not work out for meat injection, maybe I can use it to strip paint off of metal..... :mrgreen:
 
oh very nice......

well.. i already lost my hair, so it cant make that fall out... and who knows... I can always use an extra limb or 2.

ok.. so maybe just go back to injecting with apple juice and herbs. Thats safe i'd hope. But being i just bought fab B and fab P. i gotta try it at least once... maybe not serve it to family on a regular basis..... but.....


those KCBS judges. :mrgreen: they signed off a release about waht they're about to eat didn't they? :twisted:
 
BBQchef33 said:
ok.. so maybe just go back to injecting with apple juice and herbs. Thats safe i'd hope.

Well, I'm no health nut but...

A 12-week study with 25 healthy adults found that 12 ounces of 100% apple juice or two fresh apples per day slowed oxidation of LDL cholesterol, which when oxidized, tends to clog arteries and increase
the risk of heart disease. :shock:
 
It sounds like a lot of folks here use the same method I do for briskets, but my question is: Do you find that wrapping in foil takes away from the overall crunchiness of the bark? To correct this do you throw it back in the smoker, or should this not be happening? Thanks, TIMBO.
 
yup, IMO, you decided to forgo a crunchy bark when ya put the foil on it. Dont think you can have both. But if ya remove the foil and return it to the heat, ya may risk overcooking it. I've read in here that some do do it that way though.
 
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