• xenforo has sucessfully updated our forum software last night. Howevr, that has returned many templates to stock formats which MAY be missing some previous functionality. It has also fixed some boroken templates Ive taken offline. Reat assured, we are working on getting our templates back to normal, but will take a few days. Im working top down, so best bet is to stick with the default templates as I work thru them.

Here's how my first brisket has gone so far. . .

ciret

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I got an Excel 10.5 lb cryovac from wally world ($1.28/lb). Marinated in TK's Dr Pepper mix 24 hrs. Then into the BSKD just above the water pan, couple of fatties above the brisket, heat shield right above the fatties. Oh, I made a rub of brown sugar, So Flav, black pepper, galic powder, cilantro & a touch of salt. Okay, into the smoke, tried to maintain 230*, started with a layer of kingsford in the FB separated into 2 piles, 2" gap between and the layer away from the CC was deeper than the one closer to the CC. Added lit 1/2 chimney of lump with a few kinsford. Usinf the NB chunk hickory for smoke. Had an initial spike up to about 255*, opened the door a little and cut the FB damper ~10%. Then held 210-230* pretty good, until it started to rain, temp dropped to around 110, added some unlit lump and small hickory chips, 20-30 min and temp was back to 210-230*. Rain stopped and temp held at 230*. Had the brisket probed in both the flat and point. Fat cap down, room temp when it went in, sprayed with apple juice, vinegar, tabasco mix about once an hour. After an hour the point was at 121* flat at 75* (I think I have the terminology right, flat's the think end). After 3 hrs the flat was 152* and the point was 173*. At 4 1/2 hrs both were 170 & 172. Let temp drift down to ~200* and left with out foil until ~ 6 hrs. Temps were 172 & 174. Foiled and put into 200* oven over night (8hrs). Oven thermpstat is not too accurate, so when I check it this morning everythning was at 195*. Kicked the temp up to 215*, took about an hour to get both flat and point up to 200*. Killed the heat in the oven and it's resting there now with the door cracked open. Just checked and temps down to 156* & 160*.

I'm gonna go check it out and report back. Oh yeah the fatties were a great snack, and I trimmed off some pieces before it went into the oven, nice smoke ring, not much bark I think because I sprayed, but tasty.
 
eric, I'm gonna be real suprised if that brisket isn't real good. Sounds like you had a good game plan and should have quality results. Let us know and save me a sammich :)
 
Ooh yeah. . .

I musta done something right. I'm still not sure I have the point and flat ID'd right, but one end of this thing is fork tender, the other end has a little texture but still very tender. Flavor is tremendous. I took some pics, but gotta go eat some more, then pics.
 
Well, I figured out why the one end seemed to be les tender, I was cutting with the grain of the meat. When I sliced it across the grain it's almost as tender as the other end. Now, is the more tender piece the flat, right? After all of that cooking it's hard to tell which piece is thicker. I am suprised by how tender and soft the whole brisket got. Amazing.

Well here are the pics. . .
 
Eric, the flat is on the fatcap side, its the longer part. The point only covers part of the flat on the side opposite the fatcap. They are divided by a layer of connective fat that runs at a slight angle to horizontal as the brisket is laying down flat. In the top two pictures you have the flat up. The second two pictures show slices taken from the flat and the last slices taken from the point.
Usually the flat will be done (200*) first. Some of us are seperating the two cuts at this stage. The point has a lot more fats and collegen in it and usually will require additional cooking. To separate the two parts I find it easiest to stand the brisket on a long edge, the division is clear along both edges, cut into this division and if you're hitting the right spot you'll not be cutting into any meat just the dividing fat. I use the dullest knife I can find for this as it won't cut the meat very well but glides through the fat layer. I then use the back side of the knife to scrape the fat off the newly esposed surfaces before slicing the flat. The point can be sliced or completely trimmed of all fat and existing bark then rerubbed and returned to the cooker for what is call "burnt ends" They aren't really either burned or ends, they are cubes chopped from the twice smoked point of the brisket, they are very tasty.
 
kcquer said:
.... if you're hitting the right spot you'll not be cutting into any meat just the dividing fat. .

F spot on Brisket vs G spot on.... :lol:
 
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