WSM advice needed: Tiny Brisket Burnt Ends

[jjdbike]

Hey everyone,

I went to my local Amish market butcher who had prime brisket on sale. I had intended to use chuck to make burnt ends. The prime brisket was cheaper than prime chuck. I know that after the trim, the chuck was cheaper, but I decided to go with brisket. I asked the butcher to just the point. Instead of remove the point along the ft seam between the two muscles, he simply cut the brisket in half. So I wound up with a 1/2 brisket w/ a small portion of flat & small portion of point and a lot of fat. The 8lb piece, after I trimmed the fat and removed the fat seam (I separated them), I would up w/ a 2 1/2 lb point and 1 1/12 lb flat. I fear this is far from ideal.

My idea was to make burnt ends for my family. My two son's family haven't experienced real barbecue. Last Christmas I made short ribs on their WSM that they found in the basement of the home they bought on Lake MI. They loved it. My idea this year was to do a smaller of BBQ. I'm bringing some frozen pulled pork I smoked on my KBQ, I'll cook some sausage and the brisket on the WSM and make burnt ends. I also have some smoked "Cowboy beans" cooked w/ chilis, onions and smoked ham hocks. Will make sliders w/ burnt ends and pork butt.

Now the brisket burnt ends on the WMS. Can you please offer advice on how to get bark, render intramuscular fat, and break break down the proteins & connective tissue to make it tender/ out drying it out?

• Should I keep the temp at or 250 or should I try to keep it at 225 or lower to expose to heat long enough to render fat and break down portion w/ out drying out?
• I was planning spritzing as soon as bark started drying,
• I had planned on panning and wrapping and finishing cook in the oven w/ a bit of a stock to compete the cook till probe tender w/out drying it out.
• Then when probe tender, cube, mix sauce w/ au jus from pan, perhaps some brown sugar and butter, and cook uncovered at higher temp (275 - 300) for 30 - 45 mins or so to caramelize the sauce in the oven.
• Any educated guesstimate on timing? I'm thinking this should be done much quicker than a normal whole brisket cook as both pieces are flat and thin so heat penetration and evaporation may happen quicker (perhaps too fast).

Does that plan sound right?
Any cautions, changes, suggestions or advice?

Thanks in advance!

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

I wouldn't go back to that butcher. Ouch. What the heck.

[jjdbike]

I wouldn't go back to that butcher. Ouch. What the heck.

Yes, I should have showed him exactly what I wanted, i.e. cut along fat seam between the two muscles. I didn't want to insult him, but I should have.

I think the bottom line is, the young man who cut that brisket, wasn't really a butcher. He was just a young man, probably family of the owner, who was working in the back during a very busy time at the shop. It's an Amish market w/ many venders, that's only open Thur, Fri & Sat.

Lesson learned.

What do you think about the plan & my questions?

Respectfully,
JD

[ecowper]

I think you’re plan will work fine. I would not worry too much about 225 vs. 250 …. 25 degrees just doesn’t make much difference. I like 250 mostly cause it is a nice round number. But if my WSM wants to roll at 240, that’s fine, and so is 260. :-)

[jjdbike]

I think you’re plan will work fine. I would not worry too much about 225 vs. 250 …. 25 degrees just doesn’t make much difference. I like 250 mostly cause it is a nice round number. But if my WSM wants to roll at 240, that’s fine, and so is 260. :-)

Thanks ecoper,
I’ve not achieved any confidence on the WSM, only having used it once. Obviously, cooking Brisket for my sons & their families for the first time, an introduction to BBQ, I want my best shot at producing a quality product.
I’m considering ordering an upgrade door for my son’s WSM.
Thanks again!
JD

[jjdbike]

Hey everyone,

Based upon my concern about the tiny thin brisket drying out before probe tender, I've decided to finish in pan in oven confit (i.e. submerged in beef tallow) after bark is established. That way, it'll significantly limit further drying while finishing (after back is established).

My only question now is shall I cube from start to get rub and bark all over, or what till probe tender? The possible advantages of cubbing from the start are clear. Again my worry is if cubed from start, will it dry out too much before bark is established? It may also speed up cooking so it may all come out in the wash. The other challenge of cubbed from start, it'll be harder to tell when cooked to probe tender. If left whole, I can use my wireless temp probe as a guide, not if cubbed.

After probe tender, I'll rest wrapped in towel in cooler till an hour before dinner. Then I'll toss in sauce and caramelize in oven.

Your thoughts?
JD

[jjdbike]

I just received a "Meater Block" w/ 4 2 zone wireless remote temp probes.
I’ll be using them for this cook.
Gonna try to do this as low & slow as possible.
Should be an interesting learning experiment.
JD