My brother has a lot of experience smoking briskets and sent me his technique a while ago. Never got around to posting it here until now. Hope someone gets some ideas and use out of his version. This is from his text exchange with me, edited for clarity. Parentheses are my clarifications.
I have a completely new approach to brisket now.
I’ve never seen it done before, but after cooking so much I’ve found that each part of it cooks differently. This method gets you burnt ends and slicing brisket thats both point and flat, a little meat to make jerky out of, and a bit of flat with no point.
You’ll end up with smaller usable portions. Ideal for you, as you could cook a whole brisket and seal it and use it for a long time.
Whole packer brisket
The tail end is too small and thin with little to no fat. Cut it off.
Remove all the fat from that end piece.
Slice it thin and use it to make jerky or stew or whatever else.
Cut out the huge chunk of hard fat I call the tumor.
Cut this in half more or less, at the bottom of where the tumor was removed.
All three pieces so far.
Trim the fat to 1/8".
This trimmed, the point laying on top of the flat. This piece is completed now. It will be sliced from the short side all the way across. The grain starts running in different directions and this way you are against the grain on both pieces. Slice fat side up so the juices run over the meat.
Remove the piece of flat sitting on top of the point and trim the fat on both.
Should look about like this. This section of flat cooks well and has nice marbling.
You end up with this.
Now you have much more manageable pieces. the small flat is about a lb cooked. The point about 2.5 and the slicing flat about 2.75. the slicing flat can be used for ends and the point can be used for slices. very versatile
When you cut off the first bit you can see if it has decent marbling or not and is even. I often cut it in half if it does and cook it with the other small flat.
I’ve been smoking the small flats for as long as possible till they hit about 160, then 18 hours at 158 or 24 hour at 155. (He uses a water bath at 158F or 155F, not smoker temp for this part) The Point gets smoked wide open in the smoker until it hits 203 and and feels like butter in the summer left out on the counter. The slicing flat/point combo gets wrapped tight in foil with about 1/3 cup of water and cooked until it hits 203 in the center. Smoke between 200-225 if possible. Can go higher, especially after the little flats are off and the slicer is wrapped. 300 is fine then, but 250 is better.
Once the point is finished let it sit out on a rack for about 20 minutes or so till it starts to move down a bit. when it gets down to about 160 wrap it in foil, then plastic wrap, then hold it for a few hours, or all day, keeping it above 140 internal. oven, cooler, blanket. then use it or bag and ice it, then seal. (with a vacuum sealer) retherm 155-165. (water bath, 155F-165F, not on a smoker) good as new.
When the slicing flat is done open the foil and pour off the juices and fat. Let it sit in the same manner, foiling and wrapping in plastic, holding for a few hours. The longer the better. same deal, use it or seal it.
after the little flats are done, ice em. retherm them in the smoker while cold, spritzing with apple juice to keep em just kinda moist. Ready to eat.
Some pics of process and finished product.
Brisket slice
Burnt End
And some smoked short ribs and beef belly pastrami just for fun.
