We've started to hit 203-205 F. I've had more probe tender briskets, but it's not bad. Right now it is resting on top of the oven in the foil to stop the cooking process. (After ten minutes, internal temp is now falling.)
I'm going to give it as long as I can before I can't stand it anymore.
It turned out excellent, far better than I would have expected for my first attempt. As klflowers said, I would indeed be pleased.
I gave it an hour rest (that was all I could stand) then got into making a reuben.
Wrapping it in foil didn't appreciably harm the bark at all.
There's that purple!
Oh yeah....
This brisket was moist, pliable, tear-apart tender. Lightyears away from the first brisket flats I did, which turned into inedible shoe leather.
It does seem that the time estimate on the calculator is a little rushed; the cure didn't penetrate all the way through after 4.5 days (calculator suggested 2.8). Here's a slice from the middle of the flat.
Still, I am not complaining.
Here's my reuben!
So, what would I have done differently?
Probably given the cure one more day. Also, I would have actually done the desalination procedure rather than my rushed version. The pastrami while not overly salty, is a bit up there.
Definitely use a rub that incorporates both powdered and cracked/crushed peppercorns, coriander, and mustard seeds. It adds a lot to the texture.
Once the flat hit the stall and the bark was set, I would have wrapped it in foil then.
It is abundantly clear to me that (at the risk of stating the obvious) that for flats, stupidly low and slow is the way to go. This cook took ten hours for just a 3.5 lb flat, but it was worth it.
This may very well become a NYE tradition for me!
Last edited by Michael_in_TX; December 31, 2023, 11:47 PM.
One thing I was slightly concerned about with the rub was the pungency of the nearly-whole spices. I had forgotten that spices mellow in heat over this long of a time.
I think it looks great Michael. Nice work making all of those tweaks to deliver a great meal under constraints.
Assuming you allow for a 2-3 dry brine post-desalinization next time, it will cook a lot faster. I would be surprised if it takes more than 4-5 hours next time.
I am just glad to add another convert to pastrami here. I think Meathead’s recipe on the free side is his best by a long shot as I have said a few times already.
Michael, your project here got me up off my butt. At least long enough to move a packer from the freezer to the refrigerator so it can defrost. Then I’ll cure it in two or three pieces and make pastrami of it.
Michael, your project here got me up off my butt. At least long enough to move a packer from the freezer to the refrigerator so it can defrost. Then I’ll cure it in two or three pieces and make pastrami of it.
Very cool. This also made me realize that if I do a full packer, I will need to at least separate the flat from the point or cut it up into thirds. I simply do not have the refrigerator space to cure a full packer and its requisite amount of water, let alone owning a container larger enough to do so!
A quick postscript on my cook. If you read the thread, you may remember that I was perplexed at just how long this flat was taking to get up to temp.
Well, I was watching Chud's BBQ / Bradley Robinson's recent video on doing a holiday ham tonight in which he brined and cured it himself, and he does remark that brined items take quite a while to smoke....so what I experienced may have been totally normal.
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