The Brisket Chronicles - Part III

[Bigmista]

In Leanza' thread, (http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70609) someone asked how you know where to split the flat from the point so I did a little pictorial showing how I trim the brisket so the split is visible.

Here is the fat that needs to be removed:

And on the other side...

And here is the brisket after it's been trimmed...

Let me know if this is helpful.

 

[barbefunkoramaque]

Oh Jesus Christ. Now that Brisket is Ready for anything but BBQ.

I mean really Neil, next thing you know you and your Hollywood Friends will make a Movie based on the TV series "What's Happening" and have a skinny Rerun. Or Halley Berry in "That's My Momma." Or a Eryka Badu as Mamma in "What's Happening"

LOL

 

[Rich Parker]

Very helpful thanks!

If only Popdadday's info was this clear. :biggrin:

 

[barbefunkoramaque]

Actually This is Good but I would not have included a Brisket so pretty near the end. I know there's fat under those layers but you can't see. Lately. after the hold overnight in the Holder, I have been noticing theres nothing but liquid left between the layers.

By the way, anyone have a pork Butt so tender the bone crumbles? Am I doing something wrong. I promise to get a video of that crumbling bone this weekend. I am serving up the Carolina Sunday.

 

[Saiko]

Good info here. Personally, I remove that big hunk of hard fat that is in Neil's first pic. The center fat (the layer between the flat and the point) I don't worry about as much becase it helps act as a guide if I do decide to separate the flat from the point and make burnt ends (and face the wrath of Popdaddy).

 

[barbefunkoramaque]

Might I suggest that we all take a deep breath here?

I like many other folks are here to learn and share our best tips to for everybody to create the perfect bbq.

I doubt that Neil really wants to make a movie on his brisket.
I had the pleasure of meeting Neil less than 2 weeks ago at the American Royal, pretty sure he is like the rest of us.
That means he is as proud as we all are for producing the best bbq possible.
He just wants to pass along his knowledge and tips as well as you do sir to make things better.

Uh What?

First of all Pookie Bear try reading below my initial post and realize I meant nothing like that. Furthermore, I know Neil too, so I am pretty sure he has not taken offense to my comment which was jokingly directed at "fat." and "health."

Please, try not to make trouble where there is none. I know you think you are trying to help and you typically think I am attacking people but Not Neil.
View attachment 32554
Plus, anyone who DOES know about my videos knows I cut off SUBSTANTIAL amounts of FAT due to it being nasty and also a time waster. Fat = Time

Fat is then shipped of to make lots of this with my extra .89 cents a pound Choice Packers.
View attachment 32555

 

[barbefunkoramaque]

Seiko, I don't know if you can tell but when I start BSing about separating the point and stuff, i also am the one trying to dispose of the evidence (Burnt Ends).

 

[Saiko]

Seiko, I don't know if you can tell but when I start BSing about separating the point and stuff, i also am the one trying to dispose of the evidence (Burnt Ends).

Oh I know that Pops. I learned a long time ago that you like to goof around with people in your posts. Trust me, you have been my biggest mentor when it comes to briskets. I know when you are just trying to yank somebody's chain and when you are serious.
Honestly I find it refreshing, you always make threads more interesting. That's why I usually try to throw your name around in a brisket thread so I get you to chirp in. :-D

 

[landarc]

I think the series by BigMista has been helpful, as has Saiko's and Funk's. Between these 3 fellers, I have enjoyed some good brisket. Since I do not separate the point until it is cooked, and it is pretty easy for me to determine where to separate it at that time, this goes into the future knowledge part of the brain. I do wish I could just buy the points sometimes.

 

[barbefunkoramaque]

LOL I wish some of you would be with me when I smoke. 1/3 of my damn points get stuck to the expanded steel anyway. thats the big joke about the separation.

 

[landarc]

Point unsticker, that has to be a good job to have in Texas.

 

[Saiko]

Hey Neil, thanks for putting these brisket chronicles together, they are very informative. Since you probably smoke more briskets in one week than I do in a year, I have some requests if you ever get bored:

Injected vs non-injected briskets with the same smoking technique.

Bark comparison with different salt ratios in the rub.

Low-n-slow vs Low-n-slow / High Heat combo vs pure High Heat

Wrapping vs unwrapped

Short rest (30 min) vs long rest (2 hours plus).

That should keep you busy :-D

Thanks again for these posts!

 

[landarc]

I second the suggestions of injected/non-injected and short rest/long rest as good tests.

 

[leanza]

Funk, keep it coming bro. bbqbull, thanks for looking after the Brethren. I appreciate your love for this Forum.

Neil, I still haven't figured out why I need to separate the two. I keep thinking when I cook the whole sucker, I want to finish it that way. I guess it's about cutting it up after the cook. Burnt ends is burnt ends. Thanks for the demo.

 

[Bigmista]

I separate because some of my customers ask for only lean brisket and others ask for the fat-end (some call it the booty end). Also in competitions, I cook the whole brisket but I only turn in slices from the flat because it looks better.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

^^^^^
Bigmista
It's all about what the people want. It is after all why we do it.

Sometimes, I find it easy to get confused when perusing this wonderful, all encompassing forum. There can be quite a bit of difference in the way one must prepare BBQ for the masses, and for the judges, and the way one would prepare the same said BBQ in their own backyard, with and for their family and friends. I like to cook it all together.
I've never made burnt ends, except for the "natural" ones, but I can see how it would be a good vend item. Heck, I did make a whole brisket into a burnt end once when I drank too much and fell asleep.

I never ran a brisket cook until I got my drum. All the brisket cooks I participated in used big gassers too. I wouldn't personally do that again either. But I would for people whose only exposure to BBQ was Tony Roma's, Applebee's or the like.

I regularly cook for myself differently than I do my wife, or mother. I'll do two cuts, seasoned and cooked differently. Some like sliced, some like pulled. You can't make people eat what you like and enjoy it. It's also easy to see being able to offer the "booty brisket" with an optional leaner cut. At home, I usually slice the flat for sandwiches and cube the point for chili, or beans, but people around here think that anything other than ham shanks with bean is a disgrace.

 

[Bigmista]

The point is the cut of choice at my house.

 

[Wornslick]

Interesting reading, Thanks to all. :-D

 

[WineMaster]

The point is the cut of choice at my house.

Ours too!!!

Fat = Flavor

Isnt the point like the Arm-pit of the Cow?????

Dan

 

[cameraman]

I sent my brisket link to my brother who forwarded it on to a friend who made the "best brisket" he ever tasted. I heard from the guy and found out he only does the point. I thought hmmmm.... not quite as impressive as you'd think.