Hello All-
Let me start by introducing myself, I'm new to the Pitmaster Club as of this week but a long time visitor to Amazing Ribs. I figured that joining the Pit to support this wonderful website was the least I could do to thank the team here for all of their hard work over the years.
I've very much found my comfort zone working with Pork and Chicken and most cuts of beef, but this weekend I'm venturing into new territory with my first whole packer brisket. With my Weber Kettle and PBC I've done a lot of HOF's but never a whole packer. Big party this weekend so I've got one dry brining now with plans to get going around 2am tonight.
Here's the issue: I bought my packer from an excellent local butcher shop that's been working in South Jersey for 100+ years (shout out to Bringhurst Meats), and they butchered this side of beef themselves at the shop. So I've got a nice fresh slab of beef, but it seems to me to be irregular in shape, at least it doesn't look like anything I've found here on the site. Check this 16lb+ guy out..
This is before trimming. You can see there was little fat cap left on, so I didn't remove much of that at all. It just seems like the Flat is huge on this cut, and it's kind of freaking me out! The portion in the bottom right of the photo in particular is what I think is normally not part of a full packer. Could anyone tell me what I'm dealing with here? The brisket itself is not very thick, it's getting it's weight from it's length and width. I'm wondering if I should just trim that excess Flat muscle off? Or maybe leave it alone and just treat it as a thinner piece of flat and see what happens?
Also, I have no idea how I'd hang this thing on the PBC hooks. I could give it a shot maybe with 4 hooks, 1 in each corner, or maybe I should just go with the grate for the whole cook?
Any insight that anyone could provide would be much appreciated! Figures that I'd get this odd ball on my first attempt at a full packer, but hopefully the freshness of the beef will make up for the odd cut. Thanks in advance for your help!
Let me start by introducing myself, I'm new to the Pitmaster Club as of this week but a long time visitor to Amazing Ribs. I figured that joining the Pit to support this wonderful website was the least I could do to thank the team here for all of their hard work over the years.
I've very much found my comfort zone working with Pork and Chicken and most cuts of beef, but this weekend I'm venturing into new territory with my first whole packer brisket. With my Weber Kettle and PBC I've done a lot of HOF's but never a whole packer. Big party this weekend so I've got one dry brining now with plans to get going around 2am tonight.
Here's the issue: I bought my packer from an excellent local butcher shop that's been working in South Jersey for 100+ years (shout out to Bringhurst Meats), and they butchered this side of beef themselves at the shop. So I've got a nice fresh slab of beef, but it seems to me to be irregular in shape, at least it doesn't look like anything I've found here on the site. Check this 16lb+ guy out..
This is before trimming. You can see there was little fat cap left on, so I didn't remove much of that at all. It just seems like the Flat is huge on this cut, and it's kind of freaking me out! The portion in the bottom right of the photo in particular is what I think is normally not part of a full packer. Could anyone tell me what I'm dealing with here? The brisket itself is not very thick, it's getting it's weight from it's length and width. I'm wondering if I should just trim that excess Flat muscle off? Or maybe leave it alone and just treat it as a thinner piece of flat and see what happens?
Also, I have no idea how I'd hang this thing on the PBC hooks. I could give it a shot maybe with 4 hooks, 1 in each corner, or maybe I should just go with the grate for the whole cook?
Any insight that anyone could provide would be much appreciated! Figures that I'd get this odd ball on my first attempt at a full packer, but hopefully the freshness of the beef will make up for the odd cut. Thanks in advance for your help!
Comment