I get to buy two briskets

GA1dad

Senior Member
My wife told me last night that she wants to host a Hanukkah dinner this year. This means I get to smoke a couple of packer briskets. On the surface I am happy, because I love smoking them. Underneath however, I am dreading it because that means I have to go brisket shopping. I hate shopping for packer briskets!!!! I won't buy just any brisket,, and the perfect packer is so hard to find,, much less two of them. The pretty ones always have five pounds of hard fat that is going in the trash,,, and the ones with less hard fat are always paper thin and lean. I once drove from Greenville, SC to Macon, GA to see my son and stopped at every Kroger I passed in search of a good brisket,,, and I came home empty handed!! Brisket shopping sucks I tell ya!!!

Of course I'm being overly dramatic. Well,,, I'm heading to Sam's Club to get this process started,,,
 

Dub

Senior Member
When shopping for briskets do you try to buy ones cut from a certain side of the cow ?


I had a meat cutter tell me once that most cows lay on their right side and the right leg will be used most often to push up and step up....making the right side tougher.

I've never tried to sort 'em out that way, but wondered if you'd ever heard that ?


A couple guys I work with are hardcore grillers/smokers and have done some competitions together. One has gotten into the catering bidness on a small scale, too.

He got into a pinch on a catering cook when the customer asked to have a brisket added to it.....thinking they were giving him plenty of time.....but, had no clue how long BBQ takes to prepare.

he didn't have time to go shop around and threw on a brisket he was going to use for another upcoming cook. It was sitting in his fridge awaiting them moment.

https://www.snakeriverfarms.com/northwest-beef/brisket/beef-brisket.html

Not sure what grade it was.....but all of their stuff is supposed to be top notch.

He said it hurt to toss in that grade of brisket on that cook.....but it got him in good with the customers.

I've never ordered anything from them, but always wondered if it was as good as it looks. The marbling on their stuff looks insanely delicious. I've been well served by Costco and other local spots for my small family needs.

Cooking BBQ for large numbers of folks would mess my nerves up....trying to rush and hit the times just right.....not overly spiced....not under spiced.....etc. Throw in the judges you have to deal with on your comps and I'd be a wreck.
 

GA1dad

Senior Member

GA1dad

Senior Member
Well the deed is done. I made up my mind that I was coming home with 2 briskets today,, no matter what. So I get there and all they have out is a 14 and an 18 pounder,,, both with major hard fat issues. I reached out to the meat guy and he brought out four more for me to look at,,, all 16 pounders. I was able to find two 16's that were with within a tenth of a pound of each other and had equal hard fat waste. Figured they would be as good as I would likely find around my parts. Feeling pretty good about them actually!

20181115_115105.jpg
 

GA1dad

Senior Member
When shopping for briskets do you try to buy ones cut from a certain side of the cow ?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I've never tried to sort 'em out that way, but wondered if you'd ever heard that ?



https://www.snakeriverfarms.com/northwest-beef/brisket/beef-brisket.html

Not sure what grade it was.....but all of their stuff is supposed to be top notch.

I've never tried to sort them by left or right. Probably because I have such limited local availability for packers. I generally look for meat that is loose and floppy, has a thick meaty flat at the tip end, shows some marbling, has limited waste and is in my price range.

The meaty and thick flat tip is the hardest for me to find. If it feathers out thin, I know it's gonna burn so it gets trimmed back some until it shows at least 3/4 in of lean thickness.

The marbling is a matter of opinion in my house. Wife wants zero fat and I want lots of rendered goodness. That generally leaves all of the point meat for my daughter and I.

Fat waste,,,, I don't grind my own sausage or burger very often,,, so I try not to pay $3.00 plus a pound for something that's heading for the trash. I did see a guy take all his fat and put it on the grate above his brisket while he was cooking. The fat rendered down and dripped on his brisket keeping it moist. I thought it was genius, but I'll be cooking these in a UDS and won't have the extra grate to try it.


Snake River Farms? I see them used a lot in competition. I have no doubt that they have a great product. But they are not in my budget. I can't pay $129 for a brisket,, especially without seeing it first. Perhaps if I was winning big checks at the competitions,,, but I'm not there yet. I've heard several Pro's say they've won with USDA Choice grade too,, so I feel pretty confident in it. I'll even buy Select grade if it meets the criteria.

As for the Hanukkah crowd,,,, well let's put it this way,,, most of the Jewish folks from my wife's Temple are used to seeing oven roasted (and overcooked) brisket flats at these dinners. But then they come to our house and have Texas style smoked brisket. You remember when you tasted your first "good brisket"? That's the face they make when they come to our house for Hanukkah! I remember one teacher friend of my wife's brought her parents with her, who were visiting from New York. Her Dad went back for thirds!!
 
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Dub

Senior Member
Good job finding two close to the same weight & composition.

I've never cooked two packers at the same time.....but would want them as even as possible like I've done with ribs & butts.

Keep 'em coming back for thirds !!!!!!!


That's awesome.


I haven't cooked a packer in way too long. You have me wanting to remedy that soon.
 

GA1dad

Senior Member
One day will you do a step by step cook on a brisket. I got a new smoker and need the education as I know nothing.

Here's my last full packer cook ( you'll have to scroll through the post to find it ) This one is not all that detailed, but it does pretty well cover my process. I am a hot-n-fast guy.

http://forum.gon.com/threads/tried-...ope1h3oc87ZjOzWuHplM2c6NwMeh_kk#post-11270998

In the pics you can see where I cut out all the extra hard fat. There are lots of "correct" ways to smoke brisket, this is just my way. I will likely be posting up the cook when it happens.
 
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GA1dad

Senior Member
I've never cooked two packers at the same time.....but would want them as even as possible like I've done with ribs & butts.

My biggest obstacle will be cooking at two different heights on the UDS. I could probably squeeze them onto one shelf, but I would be choking off the airflow pretty bad. When one is smaller like in the pic, I of course put the bigger one closer to the coals. Since these two are the same size, I'll probably just swap rack positions often to even the cook out some.

I've never cooked briskets on my big reverse flow. It would solve the cooking height issue, but I'd have to stay married to the cooker all day to keep the temps steady.


DSCN3262 (800 x 600).jpg

Added this pic just for fun,,,, being near Thanksgiving and all. That was a smaller 10 pound brisket

20171123_125035 (960 x 540).jpg
 
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dwhee87

GON Political Forum Scientific Studies Poster
Lookin' good, GA1.
 

GA1dad

Senior Member
It's evolving in my mind. Now I'm thinking maybe doing them on the big stickburner and also making some sausage out of the trimmings. Ugh,,, so many options.
 
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