Roll the Yule Tide Brisket?

[rodekyll]

I want to try making brisket.  I know nothing about choosing the cut or cooking it, but I understand the one begets the other.  I'm looking for a recipe for yummy, moist pullapart results.  Any favorites you'd like to share?

[cloudbase]

Low heat for a long time will give you a nice and tender result, whether you're smoking it or braising it.

[oldbike54]

 Brisket ? Ken did this to ya , right ?

 Dusty

[twowings]

Smoke it!

[oldbike54]

Smoke it!

 Some of us tried that once , all of the fat kept catching on fire .

 Dusty

[rodekyll]

Some of us tried that once , all of the fat kept catching on fire .

 Dusty

Ruined the pipe.  Set Dusty's goatee on fire and burned a hole in his lap.  Generally made a mess, even though we took the safety precaution of being in the smoke house when we lit it up.  The flame was interesting.

No, Ken never exposed me to brisket.  I just woke up this morning thinking it was a good idea.  Generally the first idea I have in the morning is my only good one all day, so I'm trying to run with it.

[oldbike54]

Ruined the pipe.  Set Dusty's goatee on fire and burned a hole in his lap.  Generally made a mess, even though we took the safety precaution of being in the smoke house when we lit it up.  The flame was interesting.

No, Ken never exposed me to brisket.  I just woke up this morning thinking it was a good idea.  Generally the first idea I have in the morning is my only good one all day, so I'm trying to run with it.

 My goatee had a funny smell for several days 

 Dusty

[twowings]

Did you use a liquid pan?

[LowRyter]

get a smoker,  rub brisket with Montreal Seasoning and let it smoke for many hours.

-or-

smoke a Chuck Roast with Montreal rub.  BTW- it's better tasting, tender and done in 1/4 the time. 

Cook either to about 195-200 in the center.

[davevv]

Fifty years ago, I ran the Starr barbecue in Red River, NM for three summers when I was in college.  Smoking a brisket only requires hickory wood and controlled heat.  My pit had no heat source other than the wood, but it did have a damper on the fire box that was operated by a thermostat.  A whole brisket, with the bones still in, took 24 hours @ 250 and I usually had twenty of them in the pit at a time.  I've also used mesquite, pecan, and pear wood at different times, and they work pretty well too, just a slightly different flavor.

The quick and easy way I do it at home, without the benefit of a proper smoker, is to put a trimmed brisket (no bones, but still some fat left) in a large roasting bag with the contents of one bottle of Liquid Smoke.  Put it (in a pan) in the oven @350 until tender.  Not the same as what I served in the restaurant, but still mighty tasty.  If you like more seasoning, add the rub of your choice.

How you slice a brisket is important as it can be tough and stringy even when well done if it isn't sliced properly.  Always slice across the grain of the meat, and thin is generally better than thick slabs.  Several thin slices will have the same amount of meat as a thick slab, but whether piled on a sandwich or served on a platter, it's easier to chew.

[Tom H]

If a "brisket" is the same as a "corned beef brisket" (have always wondered if they are??). I have had good luck using a pressure cooker for the packaged corned beef. About an hour normally works.

Hope this helps.
Tom

[LowRyter]

Tom, those prepackaged corned beefs are really good.  Basically, you just put it in a crock pot and boil them.  A pressure cooker would make short work of it.  Then you can have dinner and then make leftover sandwiches.   

[Chuck in Indiana]

A little research on thesmokering.com will tell you all about smoking one. It's the only way.  It'll take at least 12 hours at 225. It's done when you can stick a fork in it and twist it.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I'm pecking on a tablet, so not being too wordy.  I did say at least. .

[Lannis]

Lots of great ideas and recipes here from people who know what they're talking about (or sure sound like they do, I'm drooling all over the keyboard).   

Now if MayorOfBBQ gives us his take with a few photos, we'll have it all!

Lannis

[rodekyll]

Thanks for the comments so far!

To answer a few questions:

This should be a smallish brisket, by brisket standards.  There's me and maybe my sister if she wants some.  I won't feed the dog, plan for no company, and am slowly coming to terms with a complete brisket not being a single serving.  So I'm probably not a candidate for a full-monty with the bones and all (didn't know brisket had bones.  I thought it was like ice cream).  Maybe a 5-pounder tops, so's I have some leftovers.

I had to leave the big smoker, which seats four, and the wallaby-accommodating frankengrille in Sitka.  I think my sister has a little hibachi-sized grille somewhere, but I haven't been able to locate it.  So smoking and grilling, tantalizing as they sound, are not options this year.  I have a pressure cooker, a crock pot, and a stove top.  My sister has an oven.  Between the two of us we probably have pots, pans, and trays enough to seriously damage many parts of the cow.

I don't know the difference between a point and a flat cut, other than what the barber used to do to my very hep older cousin.  He was all Donald Duck in the back and aircraft carrier on top.  My cousin, not the barber.  The barber was bald except for right around his ears, was missing his right pinky finger, and he had a Hitler moustache.  My cousin couldn't grow a moustache and drove an MGTD while wearing a candy-striped shirt that reminded me of the barber's pole.  I think he gave Brian Wilson styling cues.  I often thought he'd make a good shoe brush. 

But I digress.  What are the differences between a point and a flat cut?  Which one do I want if I'm after that break-apart finish with sandwich potential the next day?  Why would I want a corned beef-in-a-baggie v going to the butcher and asking for 5# of brisket?  And can I get just 5# or do I have to buy the entire bird?

Hope this detail -- except for the part about my cousin -- helps dial in the discussion.

[Kent in Upstate NY]

you might try this https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/onion-braised-beef-brisket.html

[Tom H]

Perazzimx14.

Thanks for the reply. I thought they were the same. Corned Beef I figured was just a...umm...seasoning process. At least for the vacuum bagged ones.

Some bagged ones of the same brand are Point and some are Flat cut. I've had both and don't remember which was which. Which should be the softer/ melt in the mouth version if cooked the same???

rodekyll,

KISS. Corned beef and green cabbage with white or red potatoes. Grab a bagged corned beef, not sure what brands you have in your area, but I think Shannon's is good. The extra seasoning packet is in the bag and you have to add it when you cook the meat. The ones without the packet don't seem to taste as good.

Your pressure cooker instruction book should have a recipe for this. Basically about 45min to an hour to cook the beef, let the cooker cool for 5 min and then cool with water to get rid of pressure. Then add the cabbage and potatoes, bring it back to pressure, and then cook about 8 minutes and cool with water immediately if I remember right. With the time it takes to build pressure and cook time, it takes about 1 hour 45min to 2 hours total. RTFM to be sure of the time and how to use YOUR cooker!

Tom

[Vagrant]

this is a simple bullet proof way to cook it in the oven. read the notes from Gail on the bottom and don't forget to skim off the fat after removing from the refrigerator the next day.
it works well on Elk neck roasts too.

Lazy Texas Brisket

1 large garlic clove, minced
1 4- to 5-pound beef brisket
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried sage, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
      Broncbuster's Barbecue Sauce (recipe)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.  Rub garlic into both sides of brisket.  Combine
remaining sea-sonings in small bowl and mix well.  Rub into brisket.  Set brisket fat side
up in shallow roasting pan, cover tightly with foil.  Bake until tender, about 8 hours.
 Serve hot or cold with sauce. 


Notes from Gail:

You can put just about any mix of seasonings that you like on beef and use this basic
technique.  My good friend has used just garlic, salt, pepper and a touch of chili powder
and, if I have one of those mixes for making chili (5 Alarm or some of the ones found in
specialty stores), I just use about 3 1/2 or 4 tablespoons of that without going to the
bother of mixing all of these things to-gether.

If I have a bigger brisket (7 pounds) I cook it for up to 12 hours. In fact, at that low a
tempera-ture, a couple of hours longer doesn't hurt at all.  The original recipe said that
4 or 5 pounds would serve 12, but with the shrinkage, I always plan on about 1/2 pound
of meat per person (uncooked weight).  Then if I have leftovers, it's okay - this freezes
and reheats beautifully!

 I usually do this one or more days ahead of time.  I refrigerate it in the roasting pan and
when it is cold, skim all of the fat from the top of the juice.  Most briskets come pretty
well trimed of fat from the store, but some is necessary for it to cook properly so don't
try and take it all off before roasting.  When the brisket is cold, it can be sliced easily
and if there seems to be too much fat on the top of the meat, I cut it off then.  I put the
slices back in the pan and reheat it in the juice at 300 or 350 degrees for 45 minutes to
an hour (or more, depending on when I'm serving) - until it is hot.  If it stays in the oven
for any length of time, I baste  it with the juices to keep it from dry-ing out - but it never
gets tough.



Broncbuster's Barbecue Sauce

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick butter)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup prepared chili sauce
1/2 cup catsup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon molasses
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-low heat.  Add onion.  Cover and cook until
translucent, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Blend in remaining ingredients.
 Bring sauce to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring
occasionally.  Serve at room temperature.

Makes 2 cups.  For a large party, this can be easily doubled or tripled - and the leftover
sauce is great with chicken as well as beef.


Sent from my iPad

[Guzzistajohn]

I get the non trimmed brisket (with all the fat) apply a dry rub with paprika garlic powder brown sugar salt and pepper the slow smoke with hickory ( on the big green egg) for 12 hrs or so slow and low around 200 degrees and apply a mop with vinegar, beer, some of the rub while cooking. When done let the meat rest for a couple of hours, trim the fat and slice against the grain. The internet has plenty of recipes for rubs and mops.

We’re having a standing rib roast tonight with Paula Deen’s recipe

[LowRyter]

I've eaten John's Green Egg BBQ and it is the best.  I am a gas griller and electric smoker and admit that the Green Egg is superior.

That said, Bev and I are mixing up our Christmas Eve party Green Chili Verde.  Last Sunday, I smoked two pork butts.  We got them out of the freezer yesterday.  I just sliced them up and she's making the stew today.  It will go in the 'fridge today and ready for Sunday.

[LowRyter]

Care to share the green verde chili recipe?

we use this as a basis

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/pork-chile-verde-recipe-1969426

The difference is we gear it up for 20+ people, that is 14 lb of pork rather than 4.  I smoke the pork butts rather than brown the pork in a skillet.  Bev adds more peppers and makes it all to taste.  The big deal, is to go easy on the tomatillos, they will overpower the stew with bitterness. 

What we do is smoke the pork butts.  Put them in icebox.  Then we slice the pork and make the chile verde.  Then back to the icebox for a day or two.  Then when we are ready to serve it, we take off the fat float, heat it up and serve.

[rodekyll]

One step closer . . .   My sister brought me a 5.10# plain (uncorned) brisket.  I'm guessing it's a "flat" cut.

[Guzzistajohn]

I've eaten John's Green Egg BBQ and it is the best.  I am a gas griller and electric smoker and admit that the Green Egg is superior.

That said, Bev and I are mixing up our Christmas Eve party Green Chili Verde.  Last Sunday, I smoked two pork butts.  We got them out of the freezer yesterday.  I just sliced them up and she's making the stew today.  It will go in the 'fridge today and ready for Sunday.

Green AND verde? That’s a lot of green!

[Guzzistajohn]

One step closer . . .   My sister brought me a 5.10# plain (uncorned) brisket.  I'm guessing it's a "flat" cut.

Slow and low man.......slow and low. I would rub it and smoke it for a few hours then double wrap in foil and finish it off on the oven at 180 degrees. Apply mop with vinegar base for tenderizing

[Chuck in Indiana]

I just put 3 rax of ribs in her kid's grill out here in SoCal. *anybody* can smoke ribbage in a smoker.. it takes a bbq whisperer to smoke in a grill.

[Guzzistajohn]

I just put 3 rax of ribs in her kid's grill out here in SoCal. *anybody* can smoke ribbage in a smoker.. it takes a bbq whisperer to smoke in a grill.

Smoked many a slab on the old Webber, before I graduated to the BGE 15 yrs. ago

[Chuck in Indiana]

Pretty good smoke ring for a grill.. 
2017-12-23_06-01-06 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr

[LowRyter]

baby backs?

[Chuck in Indiana]

Just a 3 pack from Costco.  Sure did miss my smoker, but a grandpa's gotta do what a grandpa's gotta do. The grandkids *love* smoked ribs.. they normally get Chinese style nasty boiled stuff.