First off, I have nothing but respect for Bobby Flay as an incredibly versatile, talented and successful cook. I still do a number of his recipes I copied from him years ago. That said, does the Grillin' and Chillin' champ bring his A game to the following video? I realize this is a You Tube video and that brings with it a certain amount of license and certainly a time element to bear. But having spent years of learning by watching some of the brisket masters and cooking dozens myself, I found his technique to be a bit rushed and somewhat flawed. Watch the video and I'll point out seven things I think he needs to consider changing.
1. He mentions that the brisket is a tough cut from the cow's under belly. In fact it's the muscle from the breast of the cow extending to the shoulder, but that's incidental.
2. He leaves all of the fat on the brisket and states that he does so intentionally because it bastes the meat. That certainly has some truth to it but he leaves that great big piece of deckle fat that all good pitmasters will tell you does not render well at all much less helps with any degree of moistness.
3.He makes a really good Mexican inspired marinade which completely lacks salt, slathers it on the meat and lets it sit over night as if it's going to penetrate and flavor the meat. Of course he gets some benefit on his exterior crust but without any dry seasoning how is what we consider a bark going to form? Or without salt how can any seasoning penetrate and flavor the internal proteins?
4. Okay maybe subjective but he cooks at 200*F. He says something about 12 hours but trust me it would be every bit of that or more at that temp. Up the heat Bobby.
5. Uses some wet wood chips on top of un-ashed coals in his BGE. Looked a bit contrived and probably didn't produce enough lasting smoke to put in your eye. Ever hear of wood chunks or small splits Bobby?
6. When he decides to wrap (with no mention of temperature or why he is wrapping at that point in the cook) he mentions his main reason is he's afraid of OVER smoking the brisket which "makes it too rich"? Huh? From a hand full of wet chips? What does richness have to do with smoke necessarily?
7. Finally he pulls the blazing hot brisket off the cooker, rips open the foil and starts to carve away. Ever hear of resting Bobby?
Okay maybe I'm a bit picky and I'm being too harsh on the Iron Chef. After all he's Bobby Flay and well...I'm not. Regardless the torta looked incredible and probably sold in his restaurant for $25 a pop, but that included a side of beans.
What do you all think, anything else I missed? Comments?
1. He mentions that the brisket is a tough cut from the cow's under belly. In fact it's the muscle from the breast of the cow extending to the shoulder, but that's incidental.
2. He leaves all of the fat on the brisket and states that he does so intentionally because it bastes the meat. That certainly has some truth to it but he leaves that great big piece of deckle fat that all good pitmasters will tell you does not render well at all much less helps with any degree of moistness.
3.He makes a really good Mexican inspired marinade which completely lacks salt, slathers it on the meat and lets it sit over night as if it's going to penetrate and flavor the meat. Of course he gets some benefit on his exterior crust but without any dry seasoning how is what we consider a bark going to form? Or without salt how can any seasoning penetrate and flavor the internal proteins?
4. Okay maybe subjective but he cooks at 200*F. He says something about 12 hours but trust me it would be every bit of that or more at that temp. Up the heat Bobby.
5. Uses some wet wood chips on top of un-ashed coals in his BGE. Looked a bit contrived and probably didn't produce enough lasting smoke to put in your eye. Ever hear of wood chunks or small splits Bobby?
6. When he decides to wrap (with no mention of temperature or why he is wrapping at that point in the cook) he mentions his main reason is he's afraid of OVER smoking the brisket which "makes it too rich"? Huh? From a hand full of wet chips? What does richness have to do with smoke necessarily?
7. Finally he pulls the blazing hot brisket off the cooker, rips open the foil and starts to carve away. Ever hear of resting Bobby?
Okay maybe I'm a bit picky and I'm being too harsh on the Iron Chef. After all he's Bobby Flay and well...I'm not. Regardless the torta looked incredible and probably sold in his restaurant for $25 a pop, but that included a side of beans.
What do you all think, anything else I missed? Comments?
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