I’m new to the game and have only done one brisket before - it was huge and I ended up cooking the point and flat separately...the point worked out beautifully while the flat came out really dry.
im attempting an entire packer at once this weekend - should I be probing in the flat or the point - if my flat is at 203 but my point is still 192 what should I be doing?
i did see a video where they propped the flat on firebricks to create more circulation around it but I question how effective this would be
Scotch: Current favorite- The Arran (anything by them), Glenmorangie 12yr Lasanta, sherry cask finished. The Balvenie Double Wood, also like Oban 18yr, and The Glenlivet Nadurra (Oloroso sherry cask finished) among others. Neat please.
About meReal name: Aaron
Location: Farwell, Michigan - near Clare (dead center of lower peninsula).
Occupation:
Healthcare- Licensed & Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) at MyMichigan Health, a University of Michigan Health System.
Check both. You'll read (most likely anyway) some responses where folks will get their flat done quicker, and some the other way around. In my case, my most common occurrence is the flat will get done quicker, which goes against what others often experience. But if, as you say, you get a flat up to temp and a point only in the 190s, call it good! That's exactly how most of my full packer cooks go. Flat is 200+ and point is low- to mid-190s. Do the 1-2 faux cambro hold from there, and you'll love it! You don't HAVE to have both sides up to 200+, especially if you're using Prime. Maybe a select, but my experience with Select is limited to only one, my first one, so I can't speak with any real experience on them.
A flat will ALWAYS be drier than the point, always, it's the nature of the two muscles. Even if you splurge on a Wagyu. To help with that, leave a generous fat cap on it. When you slice the brisket thin, almost like bacon, that fat cap will be a thin edge of soft fat on each slice, and that will translate to a delicious 'juicy' experience in your mouth. This will help with the overall experience of eating the flat.
I like to trim almost all the fat between the two muscles. Peel the flat up and slowly slice away at the increasing fat band between flat & point like you're skinning a fish fillet. I stop just short of completely separating the two muscles. To me, this helps speed up the cook and eliminates too much fat later on when slicing it up to serve. Generous fat cap on top, less fat in the middle. This is my personal preference with a Prime & Choice brisket. You don't have to do this, I'm just sharing an option.
Large Big Green Egg, Weber Performer Deluxe, Weber Smokey Joe Silver, Fireboard Drive, 3 DigiQs, lots of Thermapens, and too much other stuff to mention.
Check both. You'll read (most likely anyway) some responses where folks will get their flat done quicker, and some the other way around. In my case, my most common occurrence is the flat will get done quicker, which goes against what others often experience. But if, as you say, you get a flat up to temp and a point only in the 190s, call it good! That's exactly how most of my full packer cooks go. Flat is 200+ and point is low- to mid-190s. Do the 1-2 faux cambro hold from there, and you'll love it! You don't HAVE to have both sides up to 200+, especially if you're using Prime. Maybe a select, but my experience with Select is limited to only one, my first one, so I can't speak with any real experience on them.
A flat will ALWAYS be drier than the point, always, it's the nature of the two muscles. Even if you splurge on a Wagyu. To help with that, leave a generous fat cap on it. When you slice the brisket thin, almost like bacon, that fat cap will be a thin edge of soft fat on each slice, and that will translate to a delicious 'juicy' experience in your mouth. This will help with the overall experience of eating the flat.
I like to trim almost all the fat between the two muscles. Peel the flat up and slowly slice away at the increasing fat band between flat & point like you're skinning a fish fillet. I stop just short of completely separating the two muscles. To me, this helps speed up the cook and eliminates too much fat later on when slicing it up to serve. Generous fat cap on top, less fat in the middle. This is my personal preference with a Prime & Choice brisket. You don't have to do this, I'm just sharing an option.
My first and only was a prime - they’re cheap enough at Costco that I can do things properly.
I trimmed the cap to about 1/2†across the entire packer before cutting it in half - do you think leaving a thicker cap on the flat would yield a more even cook?
i would hate to shortchange the point - is separating it mid Cook something that’s commonly practiced?
Scotch: Current favorite- The Arran (anything by them), Glenmorangie 12yr Lasanta, sherry cask finished. The Balvenie Double Wood, also like Oban 18yr, and The Glenlivet Nadurra (Oloroso sherry cask finished) among others. Neat please.
About meReal name: Aaron
Location: Farwell, Michigan - near Clare (dead center of lower peninsula).
Occupation:
Healthcare- Licensed & Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) at MyMichigan Health, a University of Michigan Health System.
Not sure necessarily about more even, haven't tested it but it can't hurt. I like to place the fat cap in the direction of the heat, so it acts as a buffer. My theory is this may help even the cooking out and do less drying of the flat. Again, just a theory with only anecdotal evidence. No, I've never heard of separating mid-cook. Separating before cooking is very common, you get "Bark360" on both muscles that way, and can customize the timing of the cook to each muscle this way, as Mosca mentioned above. Surely this will yield the most perfect end result for both. As of now my preference is still to cook it whole, since just like a big turkey the whole packer is more impressive to guests watching you bring it in and slice it.
when I see 195 I call it a day. I have found that 200-205 is just plain too hot and almost always dries out the flat to some degree. Wrapping helps but the magic # for me is 195. Then I let it sit , wrapped in towels in the cooler for several hours .
I done several to 195 and I totally agree. "203" being the number we need is like saying you have to wait an hour after eating to swim. It's just not the whole truth.
This is what I learned this weekend. I took one out at around 195 because it was passing the "wiggle like jello" test. Left the other in to 201 (It also hit a second stall while wrapped at 197 which probably means something) and it never passed the WLJ test... I just took it out based on instinct. Turned out the second one was a bit overcooked (to me... everyone else was happily munching away).
I've found when it seems to stall in the 190's I take my thermopen and take the temp from several different spots( all over the brisket) to get a better idea of what is going on . Sometimes its just a matter where the original probe is . and of course the wiggle test is the first clue.
Quit looking at the thermometer and just use it as a probe. It’s "done" when it is "probe tender" not necessarily at any certain temperature! Good luck!
I don't start checking IT's until about 8 hours have passed, just doesn't seem necessary. I'll monitor grill temps and take a peek now and then, but just let the meat do it's thing. I'll put a probe in the flat and one in the point and start poking for probe-tenderness at 190. I am by no means an expert brisket cooker, but I have learned that probe-tenderness, at least for me, is what to shoot for. My "8 hour method" almost backfired on me last week when I inserted probes after about 7 1/2 hours and the flat was DONE. The point wasn't too far behind so I turned the heat down a bit and just let her ride. It was one of the best I've done. Here's a shot of the most recent. This was after 7.5 hours in Traeger at 250:
Last edited by CaptainMike; July 26, 2018, 06:13 PM.
It looks that they cook at 300 F vs 225 F. I can’t find who originally posted the video, but they talk about it here as well: https://youtu.be/p3xLGPz6zVA.
Good discussion. The 203 "rule" may have started with Aaron Franklin. He said in his book and, I believe, in a video, that he cooks to probe tender and that 203 is frequently the temp the meat just happens to be. As indicated above, temperature does not have to be your end point.
Scotch: Current favorite- The Arran (anything by them), Glenmorangie 12yr Lasanta, sherry cask finished. The Balvenie Double Wood, also like Oban 18yr, and The Glenlivet Nadurra (Oloroso sherry cask finished) among others. Neat please.
About meReal name: Aaron
Location: Farwell, Michigan - near Clare (dead center of lower peninsula).
Occupation:
Healthcare- Licensed & Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) at MyMichigan Health, a University of Michigan Health System.
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