PBC Brisket - Hang from the Point or the Flat?

[JeffJ]

I perused the PBC channel and couldn't find a quick answer to this question and the PBC site and Youtube were of no help. So, I got lazy and decided to tap the incredible wealth of knowledge that lingers around the Pit. I'm going to cook a brisket on Friday for the UM vs MSU tailgate. I plan on using the PBC although we just got pounded with 8 inches of snow and it's supposed to get down to 6 (yes, you read that right) tonight, so I'm not sure the snow will melt by Friday. But, if it does I'll be using the PBC and since I'm cooking a full packer (Costco prime) I need to know which end to hook. My gut tells me I should hook the point. I plan on using 6 hooks, 3 on each side, slightly off center. If the PBC is still buried in snow I'll separate the point from the flat and use both grates of the 14.5 WSM.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[JGo37]

Interesting question - my gut tells me to hook the flat. There's obviously going to be only one right answer here - my cookers are all horizontal but I'm building a UDS, hence keenly interested.

[jfmorris]

Waiting on fzxdoc as Kathryn is the PBC whisperer, but the advice I will throw out there is that on most cookers, you want the point towards the heat, as it can take the heat more than the flat. My reasoning says you would have more radiant heat down towards the charcoal basket, so putting the point at the bottom, and hooking the flat, makes the most sense to me.

[Greygoose]

Greg at Ballistic BBQ did a vid of a full packer brisket cook on the PBC.
That may shed some lite on the subject for you.
He did hang from the point and the flat on the very end was a bit dry.
Great video by the way.

[fzxdoc]

Jerod Broussard , Brisket King, should weigh in here.

I always double serial hook through the point, using only 2 hooks, just as shown in the PBC Brisket video here.

My theory with point-end-up is that the melting fat in the point helps with the basting. Plus, I feel it's safer to hook through the point.

If the brisket super long, I'll hook the tail end of the flat onto the other rebar, but I seldom have to do that. Three inches or so of clearance is fine. If the end of the flat is very thin, I cut it off and use it mixed with some of the trimmed fat for burgers.

What happens often in the PBC is that the dripping brisket keeps the fire directly below it somewhat doused--not completely, but not burning as briskly as the surrounding coals. So it all seems to work out just fine. Oh, and I never put a chunk of wood directly under the brisket. I scatter the wood chunks more toward the periphery.

Have a great cook, JeffJ ! Smoking brisket in the PBC while enjoying a nice warm toddy on your cold winter's day will make it a great experience, I'm guessing. Your team winning would make it perfect.

Kathryn

[jecucolo]

Me too. I do like to hook the point a little further down the muscle so that it raise the flat from the coals. I let the top flop over. I have been tempted to hook the flat but why fix something that ain’t broke.

[JeffJ]

It's not a real big packer - 13 pounds. It measures about 18 inches in length. I'll check out the Ballistic BBQ video that Greygoose vodka recommended.

As it turns out, I had already watched that video. At first glance it looked like he smoked only a flat. Upon a second viewing it was a full packer and he hooked the point.

Given Kathryn's advice, that video and what Spinaker just posted I'm definitely going to hook the point. Thank you all for your input. This place never disappoints.

[Spinaker]

I always hang the briskets flat down. I use four hooks and make daisy chain with two on each side to make sure that it is hooked well enough for the long cook.

You can see in the picture below where I hooked my last brisket. The top hooks go in, and then the bottom hooks will hook onto the ones above, from the back side. (so there are four hooks in play here)


Honestly, If I was doing this at a tailgate, I would separate the point from the flat and cook it that way. You will have more flexibility and it will probably cook faster too.

[Jerod Broussard]

Flat down just as Spinaker I tried point down and the results were not good.

[hoovarmin]

Jerod Broussardfzxdoc Spinaker I'm late to the party but planning on my first PBC Brisket cook tomorrow myself. In the PBC video he sure does wrap early and put it on the grate from my perspective. When do you move from the hooks to wrapping in the PBC?

[Jerod Broussard]

About 5.5 hours in I typically go to the grate. Fat cap down first, go until both sides get barked.

[Spinaker]

I wrap by color. The brisket is usually at about 185 F when I wrap. Then I throw it on the grate.

[HawkerXP]

Thin end (flat) down. Do whatever is necessary with hooks to keep meat off coals.
When I have the bark I want or coals start dying down I'll put in foil pan, wrap with juice of choice and into the oven.

[jecucolo]

185* is sorta a Huskee wrap tempature recommendation.

[fzxdoc]

hoovarmin I wrap at 180ish or earlier if the bark is set.

Kathryn

[hoovarmin]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to let the brisket brine an extra day and cook it Monday. I'll let you you know how it turns out.

[GadjetGriller]

I realize you have already done it or not however you reminded me that I did a video on that very subject. I used the point end and double hooked it! I'm a small channel so I'm sure you didn't find my video so here is the link https://youtu.be/YkBLuJ37MXc Just remember I have lost weight since then!

[au4stree]

I’ve gotten where I like to lay mine flat on the grate, like Kosmo does in his videos. Of course, doing them hooked will turn out great product, but when I find the packer is too big, laying flat works for me.

https://youtu.be/pMAfPq7x0rA

[fzxdoc]

I love the flexibility of the PBC--something for all of us.

Smoking a brisket with both rebars out in the PBC, 2 hours uncovered, 2 hours covered with mop sauce poured into the foil pack, take the meat to 210° --that's a new one on me.

Is that the way you do it as well?

K.