Post by Wayne Copeland on Feb 21, 2006 17:06:00 GMT -5
The previous posts/responses from me and others was inadvertently deleted during a recent upgrade to this site. Please check back soon as we are attempting to compile the information again for posting. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Brisket, Brisket, Brisket....what is so hard about cooking the toughest piece of meat on a cow?? Well, what is so hard about building a skyscraper in New York City? The answer lies WITHIN!
Brisket was previously the part of the shoulder muscle of the cow that was thrown away, with butchers/cooks citing its inability to be cooked for human consumption. Around 1935, two brothers from Europe came to Texas and started experimenting with cooking tough meat...and the BBQ'd Brisket was born. Their secret? Low and slow!! That means that brisket has to be slow cooked at low temperatures to be edible...but you can certainly rush this concept and end up with a plate full of leather to try to eat and digest!!!
To cook a brisket, one must decide on which cut to cook. If you are cooking in a BBQ cook-off, you are probably using the nose-off cut...if you are cooking for family/friends, you are probably using the full "packer-trimmed" piece of meat that comes packaged in a 12-20 lb. plastic wrap...No Matter!!!
A brisket is actually several muscle groups with alot of fat in and around it. You must decide how much work/time you want to devote to cooking this beast. If you only have 6-8 hours to smoke a brisket, then you should consider the the nose-off, which your butcher has already trimmed and separated. If you have all weekend, then consider the full packer trim. I will address the rest of this posting to the packet trim, as it is the cut I usually cook.
I start off by contacting my local meat market instead of going to the local grocery store. I try to order the brisket about 1-3 weeks in advance so that it has time to have cured...local groceries dont have time to cure meat. Curing is the hanging time that the processor uses to let the meat "stand in the freezer" before cutting it up into select cuts. Some cooks only want the "left side" brisket, arguing that a cow most frequently rests on its right side when lying down, which I think is a crock of bull since my cows do not differentiate on which side they lay on...Anyway, once the meat has been cured, ask your butcher to cut you a nose-off section...it is the "flat" portion of the brisket and takes the less time to cook. If he will not do this or simply tells you that he only sells the entire brisket, FIND ANOTHER BUTCHER!! Remember, YOU are the customer!!
After you have selected your cut, it is time to either rub/marinade the meat for cooking after the fat has been trimmed to about 1/4 inch thickness. I usually rub my brisket about 24 hours before it goes on the smoker. I apply my rub thoroughly and then put it in a bag for refrigeration purposes. If I am going to use a marinade, I will usually try to marinade 12-18 hours before cooking and refrigerate in a plastic/ceramic dish. I am not a proponent of injection, so please forgive me if you are one of those type cooks.
Two hours before I plan on putting the Big boy on the pit, I take it out of the fridge and let it set at room temp for 2 hours so that it will not sweat out all the surface juices...and will not sweat off all my rub!
After I have adjusted my smoker's temp, I put the brisket on the pit with the fat side up...but note your time!!!!!!! After 2 hours, I turn the brisket over with the fat side down and spray my marinade (apple juice with BBQ rub seasoning) on the meat to help it retain the natural juices and to help it glaze the seasonings. Remember, all juices contain natural sugars which will caramelize onto the meat and help it retain the moisture/seasonings previously applied.
I continue applying the juice/seasoning marinade every 30 minutes until the the Brisket is done...when is it done you say? When the internal temp has reached 195 degrees!!! Temperature control is important and a digital meat thermometer is a must...I usually foil my brisket when it reaches 165 degrees and let it cook until 195-200 degrees...but dont let it get past 205 or it will be too tough and dry.
Brisket need not be feared...it is simply a cut of meat that takes more time than say a chicken or pork cut. But it is the very best cut if you take your time and let it cook itself. Dont rush it or you (and your family) will be disappointed. I have found that it takes about 1 1/2--2 hours per pound of cooking time per pound to cook a brisket, at 225 degrees, but you have to allow for some variances, IE, humidity, temp, thermostat, etc. When cooking a brisket you should have ascertained its weight and cooking time...especially since you may have bought a packer trim and cut off all the excess fat...so be prepared to know your meats precooked weight and calculate the approximate cooking time.
After you have pulled your brisket from the pit, it needs to sit for at least 20-25 minutes before it is sliced...this allows the meat to continue cooking and be ready for cutting. I use an electric knife with cerated blade to slice the brisket, which results in clean, smooth slices for the BBQ turn-in. If you cut the meat early, it will fragment on you and make it difficult to place in the turn-in tray.
I would also suggest that you bevel your entries so that the Judges can see the completeness of cooking, as well as the smoke ring. I do not think it is a good idea to trim the edges, as I have heard judges complain about this on several occasions---which means lost points!!
Good luck on your next Brisket and I hope it is all that you want it to be....Just some food for thought...
Brisket, Brisket, Brisket....what is so hard about cooking the toughest piece of meat on a cow?? Well, what is so hard about building a skyscraper in New York City? The answer lies WITHIN!
Brisket was previously the part of the shoulder muscle of the cow that was thrown away, with butchers/cooks citing its inability to be cooked for human consumption. Around 1935, two brothers from Europe came to Texas and started experimenting with cooking tough meat...and the BBQ'd Brisket was born. Their secret? Low and slow!! That means that brisket has to be slow cooked at low temperatures to be edible...but you can certainly rush this concept and end up with a plate full of leather to try to eat and digest!!!
To cook a brisket, one must decide on which cut to cook. If you are cooking in a BBQ cook-off, you are probably using the nose-off cut...if you are cooking for family/friends, you are probably using the full "packer-trimmed" piece of meat that comes packaged in a 12-20 lb. plastic wrap...No Matter!!!
A brisket is actually several muscle groups with alot of fat in and around it. You must decide how much work/time you want to devote to cooking this beast. If you only have 6-8 hours to smoke a brisket, then you should consider the the nose-off, which your butcher has already trimmed and separated. If you have all weekend, then consider the full packer trim. I will address the rest of this posting to the packet trim, as it is the cut I usually cook.
I start off by contacting my local meat market instead of going to the local grocery store. I try to order the brisket about 1-3 weeks in advance so that it has time to have cured...local groceries dont have time to cure meat. Curing is the hanging time that the processor uses to let the meat "stand in the freezer" before cutting it up into select cuts. Some cooks only want the "left side" brisket, arguing that a cow most frequently rests on its right side when lying down, which I think is a crock of bull since my cows do not differentiate on which side they lay on...Anyway, once the meat has been cured, ask your butcher to cut you a nose-off section...it is the "flat" portion of the brisket and takes the less time to cook. If he will not do this or simply tells you that he only sells the entire brisket, FIND ANOTHER BUTCHER!! Remember, YOU are the customer!!
After you have selected your cut, it is time to either rub/marinade the meat for cooking after the fat has been trimmed to about 1/4 inch thickness. I usually rub my brisket about 24 hours before it goes on the smoker. I apply my rub thoroughly and then put it in a bag for refrigeration purposes. If I am going to use a marinade, I will usually try to marinade 12-18 hours before cooking and refrigerate in a plastic/ceramic dish. I am not a proponent of injection, so please forgive me if you are one of those type cooks.
Two hours before I plan on putting the Big boy on the pit, I take it out of the fridge and let it set at room temp for 2 hours so that it will not sweat out all the surface juices...and will not sweat off all my rub!
After I have adjusted my smoker's temp, I put the brisket on the pit with the fat side up...but note your time!!!!!!! After 2 hours, I turn the brisket over with the fat side down and spray my marinade (apple juice with BBQ rub seasoning) on the meat to help it retain the natural juices and to help it glaze the seasonings. Remember, all juices contain natural sugars which will caramelize onto the meat and help it retain the moisture/seasonings previously applied.
I continue applying the juice/seasoning marinade every 30 minutes until the the Brisket is done...when is it done you say? When the internal temp has reached 195 degrees!!! Temperature control is important and a digital meat thermometer is a must...I usually foil my brisket when it reaches 165 degrees and let it cook until 195-200 degrees...but dont let it get past 205 or it will be too tough and dry.
Brisket need not be feared...it is simply a cut of meat that takes more time than say a chicken or pork cut. But it is the very best cut if you take your time and let it cook itself. Dont rush it or you (and your family) will be disappointed. I have found that it takes about 1 1/2--2 hours per pound of cooking time per pound to cook a brisket, at 225 degrees, but you have to allow for some variances, IE, humidity, temp, thermostat, etc. When cooking a brisket you should have ascertained its weight and cooking time...especially since you may have bought a packer trim and cut off all the excess fat...so be prepared to know your meats precooked weight and calculate the approximate cooking time.
After you have pulled your brisket from the pit, it needs to sit for at least 20-25 minutes before it is sliced...this allows the meat to continue cooking and be ready for cutting. I use an electric knife with cerated blade to slice the brisket, which results in clean, smooth slices for the BBQ turn-in. If you cut the meat early, it will fragment on you and make it difficult to place in the turn-in tray.
I would also suggest that you bevel your entries so that the Judges can see the completeness of cooking, as well as the smoke ring. I do not think it is a good idea to trim the edges, as I have heard judges complain about this on several occasions---which means lost points!!
Good luck on your next Brisket and I hope it is all that you want it to be....Just some food for thought...