All Things Brisket

[Anastasis 23469]

1 minute ago, sidis said:

i have found the value of bringing the sous vide process into the brisket equation is if you are making pastrami.

go on. 

[Anastasis 23469]

Oh, and the brisket from over the weekend. Half armybrat style. 

 

[sidis 9826]

5 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

go on. 

3.5 day brine.

12 hour smoke.

36 hours sv.

rye bread from easy tiger and some pretentious mustard.

pure, unmitigated fucking joy.

[HouTex 1866]

been out of the loop for a bit.  is sous vide brisket a thing?

I use my sous vide to reheat smoked brisket that I have saved and kept frozen. I freeze it in multi-serving pieces with my food saver and then reheat at 160. The bark suffers but it’s as moist as if it just came off the smoker. And it lasts for many months in the freezer with no freezer burn. Probably go more than a year but we eat it way before then.

[kevwun 15774]

Does the pastrami brine penetrate all the way through the center of the brisket in 3.5 days?  Most of the recipes have seen take a week to make sure the brisket is cured all the way through.

Edited January 22, 2019 by kevwun

[sidis 9826]

1 hour ago, kevwun said:

Does the pastrami brine penetrate all the way through the center of the brisket in 3.5 days?  Most of the recipes have seen take a week to make sure the brisket is cured all the way through.

some think 10 days are necessary.  i personally think it is too much and that it really ruins the outside of the pastrami.  also depends a bit on size as well obviously.

part of the value of adding the sous vide process to the equation is that more intense absorption occurs over those 36 hours.  admittedly, i do give it a decent salting when slicing and then mix up all the meat to distribute fat.

[kevwun 15774]

So does HEB not sell untrimmed packers anymore?  I've been to 2 different ones in the last week and they both had either super trimmed or a new creation called deckle trimmed brisket that is 5 or 10 bucks more expensive and very mangled looking on the point end.  They do a shitty job of removing the deckle. Thanks a lot you assholes.

[AustinMT 952]

39 minutes ago, kevwun said:

So does HEB not sell untrimmed packers anymore?  I've been to 2 different ones in the last week and they both had either super trimmed or a new creation called deckle trimmed brisket that is 5 or 10 bucks more expensive and very mangled looking on the point end.  They do a shitty job of removing the deckle. Thanks a lot you assholes.

What town are you in?

[Anastasis 23469]

fucking communist china apparently. 

[utee94 15812]

Sounds more like somewhere close to the River Styx.

Or College Station.

[kevwun 15774]

One of the stores was the HEB Plus in Bastrop.  I wouldn't be so cocky, I expect it's gonna be like this everywhere sooner or later.  The briskets still have the fat cap intact, but when they remove the deckle it looks like they take a much bigger hunk than necessary out of the point. 

Edited January 30, 2019 by kevwun

[AustinMT 952]

I use the Four Points HEB (2222/620). They typically have several types, though not always at the same time —the super market trimmed, one that is less trimmed, full packer, prime and sometimes angus.  The prime isn’t trimmed much, which is good because you can trim it as you like.

[Dutch 4465]

On 1/21/2019 at 5:17 PM, HouTex said:

I use my sous vide to reheat smoked brisket that I have saved and kept frozen. I freeze it in multi-serving pieces with my food saver and then reheat at 160. The bark suffers but it’s as moist as if it just came off the smoker. And it lasts for many months in the freezer with no freezer burn. Probably go more than a year but we eat it way before then.

This man truly knows that of which he speaks.  The method also works just as well for pulled pork; ribs...no so much (or at least in my experience).

[Dr Fear 1268]

26 minutes ago, Dutch said:

This man truly knows that of which he speaks.  The method also works just as well for pulled pork; ribs...no so much (or at least in my experience).

I have had pretty good results with ribs.  I think they key is refrigerating immediately for a few hours then freezing them on pans before you seal. I have had one or two bust open due to bones, I have heard wrapping in parchment paper helps, but I have never tried it. Usually cut them into 1/2 or 1/3 racks.

[kevwun 15774]

Started my first pastrami brisket in brine today.  Gonna smoke it next Saturday.  Didn't have a metal turkey pan, so had to settle for a plastic Rubbermaid tub.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

I do ribs on my xl egg.  And to get more on I use toothpicks to connect them end to end and then cook them standing up.  Works well.  Can fit several racks on.  Going to make a couple racks for tomorrow.  

[DDD Dad 14334]

Super Bowl brisket cooking. Went on a little after 1 am.

[immamac 42841]

My God is that two flats stacked on each other? Haha that point is HUGE

[BigDHornfan 6546]

Here’s my Super Bowl brisket, currently at 175. Figure I still have 2-3 hours to go.

[BigDHornfan 6546]

Turned out great

[ChampKind 1314]

Looks dry af. Extra credit for use of a metal turkey pan

[horncyclist 1387]

I brought a chilled Franklin brisket back.with me from Austin. Going to heat it up for my office tomorrow. Plan to follow the directions which recommend sous vide to 165.

Question I have for yall is if I do that at 9 am can I cooler it and let it rest until lunchtime like I would with a normal brisket? 

Any advice on getting the vaccuseal off without fucking up the bark?

 

 

[kevwun 15774]

I would leave it in the water bath until you are ready to slice it.  I do mine for 3 hours.  You can cut the bag on the top over the middle of the brisket all the way across lengthwise and then pull the brisket out.

Edited February 7, 2019 by kevwun

[horncyclist 1387]

4 minutes ago, kevwun said:

I would leave it in the water bath until you are ready to slice it.  I do mine for 3 hours.  You can cut the bag on the top over the middle of the brisket all the way across lengthwise and then pull the brisket out.

See, the problem is I wanted to do this I  the morning and head into the office around 9. We don't have a stove. 

[kevwun 15774]

Never tried to do that with one that I reheated.   Not sure how it will work out.

Edited February 7, 2019 by kevwun

[horncyclist 1387]

Any other thoughts?

I think my options are:

(1) leave in plastic for a couple hours in cooler. Should stay around serving temp but worried about it making it harder to pull out of plastic

(2) pull out of plastic at home, rewrap in foil for the 2 hour rest. Temp is going to come down more and rewrapping may mess up the bark more. 

 

 

[CooterBrown 18006]

Show up late for work.

[horncyclist 1387]

10 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

Show up late for work.

Y'all are damn helpful. I still have to transport it. So it's just shaving the rest time down. Guess I'll do that and just leave it in the plastic for the cooler ride. 

[baboso 6054]

Is your sous vide rig portable?

[elfenix 34231]

22 minutes ago, baboso said:

Is your sous vide rig portable?

that's the obvious solution. 

[HouTex 1866]

4 hours ago, horncyclist said:

Any other thoughts?

I think my options are:

(1) leave in plastic for a couple hours in cooler. Should stay around serving temp but worried about it making it harder to pull out of plastic

(2) pull out of plastic at home, rewrap in foil for the 2 hour rest. Temp is going to come down more and rewrapping may mess up the bark more. 

 

 

The bark is already messed up via the sous vide process.  That, IMO, is the only downside.  So I wouldn't worry about the bark.

[horncyclist 1387]

I just dumped the hot water into a cooler with bridket. I'm not a smart man. How jacked up will the bark be?

[DDD Dad 14334]

If it’s not sealed in plastic I’m thinking the bark will be a little jacked up.

[horncyclist 1387]

Came out absolutely gorgeous. Really impressed how well these things hold up and reheat. Even the bark was pretty much fresh. Delicious as always.

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[horncyclist 1387]

Pic:

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[pepper brooks 580]

From super bowl. It was juicy, tender, super smoky and a very solid effort considering i haven’t done a brisket in quite some time. Champ gave me a few much appreciated tips along the way.


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[kevwun 15774]

I made a pastrami brisket and a regular brisket yesterday.  I think I might have ruined regular brisket for myself.  The pastrami version is so damn good.  I also smoked a duck.  It was pretty decent, but if I do another one I need to season it with something other than salt and pepper.

Edited February 11, 2019 by kevwun

[bigcigar 1164]

Costco Dallas had the $4.99 / lb wagyu this week. Smallest one I could find was 16lb though. They had a couple 25lb +. That’s way too big, right?

[Napoleon 8672]

On 2/10/2019 at 5:25 PM, kevwun said:

I made a pastrami brisket and a regular brisket yesterday.  I think I might have ruined regular brisket for myself.  The pastrami version is so damn good.  I also smoked a duck.  It was pretty decent, but if I do another one I need to season it with something other than salt and pepper.

Pastrami Brisket Recipe please. (Thanks)

PS- I made Brisket Tacos in a Crockpot recently and it was pretty good. Used this recipe (though reduced the amounts a bit, because I was working with a 2.7 lb flat rather than the 5 lb flat the recipe called for. 

https://foolproofliving.com/slow-cooked-beef-brisket-tacos-2/

[luke duke 6412]

Costco Dallas had the $4.99 / lb wagyu this week. Smallest one I could find was 16lb though. They had a couple 25lb +. That’s way too big, right?

Too big for who?

[bigcigar 1164]

22 minutes ago, luke duke said:

 

Too big for who?

 

I have no idea. I thought I read bigger briskets aren’t ideal.

[Dr Fear 1268]

4 minutes ago, bigcigar said:

I have no idea. I thought I read bigger briskets aren’t ideal.

For one, you got to cook the thing for 24+ hours.

[bigcigar 1164]

Might be a result of shitty trimming, but still worth sharing.

 

 

I’d buy the wagyu again...it was a top 3 brisket for me.

[luke duke 6412]

I have no idea. I thought I read bigger briskets aren’t ideal.

 

I wouldn’t buy the huge ones, but you’re probably going to trim 2-3 lbs of fat off of it before you cook it. In addition, a Wagyu will typically cook faster than a normal one. So overall you won’t be adding much, if any, time to your cook.

[immamac 42841]

On 2/10/2019 at 6:25 PM, kevwun said:

I made a pastrami brisket and a regular brisket yesterday.  I think I might have ruined regular brisket for myself.  The pastrami version is so damn good.  I also smoked a duck.  It was pretty decent, but if I do another one I need to season it with something other than salt and pepper.

Pics? 

55 minutes ago, bigcigar said:

Might be a result of shitty trimming, but still worth sharing.

 

 

I’d buy the wagyu again...it was a top 3 brisket for me.

My God...I need that in my life.

[elfenix 34231]

6 minutes ago, immamac said:

 

My God...I need that in my life.

it's piss

[kevwun 15774]

Here is the recipe I used.  I got a brining ziploc bag from amazon that worked really well.  I also brined it for 7 days to give it an extra day in the brine since I was doing a whole brisket and I used the pickling spice you can get in the bulk spices section at HEB instead of using their recipe for it.  I flipped the brisket in the bag every couple of days. The brisket I used was 12lbs.  I wouldn't go much bigger because you will run in to problems fitting it in to the plastic bag.  I also wrapped in paper and finished it on the pit and not the oven since I was cooking other stuff.

For the brine (double batch):

• 2 gallon water
• 3 cup kosher salt
• 2 cup sugar
• 8 tsp pink salt (sodium nitrite)
• 20 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup pickling spice (recipe below)
• 17 lbs ice

Note: Depending on the size of your brisket, and the container in which you are brining, you may need to multiply this recipe. You will need enough brine to cover the brisket in the brining container.

For the rub:

• Yellow Mustard
• 1/2 cup black peppercorns, toasted, coarsely ground
• 1/2 cup coriander seeds, toasted, coarsely ground

Instructions

 

Combine all brine ingredients, except the ice, in a large pot. Bring to a boil and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.

Add the ice to a large brining bag. Pour the briner mixture over the ice. Stir to melt the ice.

Place brisket in the brining liquid. Weight the brisket down with a plate to make sure it is fully submerged. Refrigerate for 6 days.

Remove brisket from brine, and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Apply a thin layer of yellow mustard on the surface of the meat to help the rub adhere. Coat the brisket with the rub.

Smoke until you achieve a nice mahogany red color on the outside, (about 155ºF internal temperature). Double wrap the brisket in foil, increase the temperature of the smoker to 300ºF, and continue smoking until pastrami is tender when probed with a thermometer (195ºF-210ºF). Allow meat to rest half an hour. Slice thinly and serve.

Edited February 18, 2019 by kevwun

[kevwun 15774]

The bag is heavy duty enough that it never leaked, but I put it in a big Rubbermaid tub just to be safe.  It's gonna take up a shelf in your fridge by itself.

[DDD Dad 14334]

Might be a result of shitty trimming, but still worth sharing.

 

 

I’d buy the wagyu again...it was a top 3 brisket for me.

#itspiss

 

Dammit el fenix.

[Anastasis 23469]

Thoughts on max hold time for five briskets wrapped in butcher paper in a cooler to keep at service temp and out of danger zone?