What did I buy?

[Valsacar]

Thought I had finally found a line on brisket here in Belgium, package was sealed and couldn't see through the packaging but took it anyway as it seemed about right. 5kg (11lb) so felt about right for a full brisket... opened and found this.

I'm thinking plate, as in UK cuts it can be considered part of the brisket and the butcher I ordered it from said he knew the right cut because he makes pastrami. There's large valleys in the meat, looks like large chunks of fat was cut out.

Still planning on smoking it this weekend, might also grab the brisket flat I know where to get (but really wanted the whole thing) as a back-up. Was planning on hanging it in my PBC, but thinking I might need to lay it down as it just feels like it's going to fall apart under it's own weight already.

[Lost in China]

Heh. Who knows? It sure doesn't look like brisket. Or, at least, it might be the same muscle but not cut in the way that "everyone knows" that brisket should be cut. I have that problem sometimes. You already bought it, so smoke it up anyway! Let us know what happens.

[LA Pork Butt]

Whatever it is it is leaner than any Brisket I've seen.

[Spinaker]

I am with LA Pork Butt. I've never seen meat that lean before. It almost looks like a Flank. This is a new one on me!

[DWCowles]

It looks like something that I saw on The Late Show along time ago called "The Blog". It would eat people and grow larger...be careful!

[smokinfatties]

It kind of looks like flank but you've got me! I personally wouldnt do low and slow since there doesnt look to be any fat in it!

[HawkerXP]

You've got us beat. If I save all the little tickets I get for shopping at Safeway I just might get a set of steak knives.

They gave you a Mercedes for buying one chunk of meat!?!

[GadjetGriller]

I agree with everybody else there does not appear to be almost any inter-muscular fat in that piece of meat. So no use in smoking it no fat to render. Fast and hot! cut into steaks maybe? it appears to have 3 sections maybe try injection? Got a Sous Vide try a hunk in that. I look forward to what you do with it and how you liked it. ( I hope it turns out wonderful!)

[Valsacar]

It is quite lean, as everything seems to be here... basically everything is grass fed here. I did get a line on brisket, but only the flat, that I could pick up tonight but we're eating tomorrow at 4pm so not too much time to brine. Of course, if I could only have one end of the brisket I'd want the point but... haven't found that yet (been looking for 3 months).

Maybe I'll grab that flat I saw, won't be able to brine long so I'll just add some salt to the injection. Inject the hell out of both and hang them. Probably going to need to wrap whatever this is, it feels like it's going to fall apart under it's own weight when I lift it by one hand. Have both cuts, if this doesn't work out I have some brisket. If it does work out... gonna be making a lot of chilli.

[Valsacar]

Well... I injected it with some beef stock and then with clarified butter until it would hold no more. Rubbed it, tried to hang it, but it was obvious it was going to fall apart so used the hinged grate for the PBC... bit of a tight fit. As a backup, the only thing I could find was beef ribs... which, just my luck, the rack included a giant river of hard fat, pretty much lost a whole rib to that.

We'll see how it looks in the morning.

[GadjetGriller]

Good Luck!!

[Valsacar]

Came out ok... Around hour 7 I had to add more coal, so I reinjected at the same time. Wrapped it for a bit I took it to around 200 internal. Into heated cooler (had hot bricks in the bottom) and was eaten a few hours later. Had a great smoke ring on it, looked ok, fairly moist. Cut it in half (due to how the grain were) and cut thin strips across the grain. Topped with BBQ sauce, not fantastic and not brisket, but not too bad. Luckily between the rib and the couple slices no one wanted seconds... it was completely dried out (once it was cut open) within an hour.