ThreeDJ16 Posted August 2, 2007 Report Share Posted August 2, 2007 Well for some reason I missed cooking a beef brisket during my vacation and finally got around to doing it yesterday. To start with, I am jumping to the end. While cooking this brisket, I began thinking about how to finish up this brisket. So many folks wrap in foil part way through and place back on the grill or wrap in foil and place in insulated container to cool slowly. Putting foil in my grill was totally out so maybe the latter? But then it struck me that every time I have wrapped a butt or ribs in foil, there is a good deal of juices still in the bottom after it has cooled. Also the meat continues to cook in that foil. So wondering about how to cool and retain the juices, I thought about rapid cooling instead. I mean why not? The meat was cooked to the desired temp and a long, foil wrapped cool down would just cook it more (and dry it out). So anyway, an hour or so in the bottom drawer of the frig, covered with ice packs yielded the best brisket I have ever made. Very little juice in the foil, so it stayed in the meat instead! Now, backing up. I started with a whole packers cut beef brisket. I do not like to separate out the muscle groups as I think it cooks better whole. I am not as concerned about a uniform fat cap as trying to leave enough to keep the entire slab area the same thickness (more fat on thinner meat to keep the bulk thickness even). I do cut out the fat on the edges where the two muscle groups merge (this way later, when I separate on the grill, it is much easier to do). Next step is the season which I prefer to apply the night before. Been experimenting on beef with a homemade blend that is very similar to what is commonly referred to as a poultry season (with a few additions). It is good on chicken, but it is also very good on roast. It is comprised of rosemary, marjoram, thyme, sage, nutmeg, black pepper, salt and hot paprika. I put my food on the cooker while it is coming up to temp. Since I am using the Procom, there is no need for additional trips out to the cooker. Toss it all on the cooker, set it on fire and dial in my temps. I used indirect heat, drip pan on lower grate and meat on main grill with fat turned down. Temp was brought up in stages around 10 minutes apart - 200,225 and 245 was my cook temp. Didn't touch it again until it was time to separate. Around the 12 hours mark, the average of my thermometers in the flat section indicated 190. So using my big grill spatula, I separated the two sections, leaving the tips on the grill and the flat to the frig! Jacked up the temps to 270 and finished out the tips for another hour, then into the frig! Sliced the flats and pulled/chopped the tips - proof is in the pudding. Check out how juicy the finished pics are! -=Jasen=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer John Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 Good lookin' cow! Jasen she is a thing of beauty! Looks like you found the way to do it. I use the Guru but it appears the procom has 3 probes for the meat? Do you set all of them on 190? Why do you chop the tips instead of thin slicing them? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeDJ16 Posted August 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 Re: Good lookin' cow! Jasen she is a thing of beauty! Looks like you found the way to do it. I use the Guru but it appears the procom has 3 probes for the meat? Do you set all of them on 190? Why do you chop the tips instead of thin slicing them? John Thanks! Yeah, I used all three meat probes and the pit probe so I can get the most information for a brisket. Only one of the meat probes is settable though, the other two are just aux to look at. But I placed the one with the alarm monitor in the smallest end so it would get my attention first. Not sure how you could slice the tips. I slice the flat, but the tips just fall apart and are full of fat. I have never had them sliced before, always chopped. To me, it is also the most flavorful, beefy section too. The spice rub did such a nice job of complementing the meat, that I needed no sauce either. -=Jasen=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILE Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 great job looks real good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curly Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 Umm-ummm, looks great. I gotta do me a brisket soon. Very unique and wonderful taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeDJ16 Posted August 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 Ate it again last night for supper, still wonderful. I like to eat the slices cold and warm the tips slightly for sandwiches. Think I have found the technique and season that will be my standard for a while. -=Jasen=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primeats Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 brisket Jasen, beautiful brisket, can't wait to get my hands on my KK, hopefully the terra blue. And by the way great knife--damascus steel! Another thing of beauty, I tend to notice the cutlery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeDJ16 Posted August 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 Re: brisket Jasen' date=' beautiful brisket, can't wait to get my hands on my KK, hopefully the terra blue. And by the way great knife--damascus steel! Another thing of beauty, I tend to notice the cutlery! [/quote'] Thanks, my coworkers thought it was fantastic last night also, since I was nice and shared at work. I like all sorts of sharp objects - hehe. I have a link and information about that knife and other VG10 layered steel knives in the link section. Also a link to the best knife sharpening system I have ever used in there too. -=Jasen=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porkchop Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 deej, i know from brisket, and that's a beeeyooootiful brisket, bro! for those asking, you're supposed to chop the tip because of the fat content mainly. also, the grain of the tip runs opposite to the flat, so if you are cutting across the grain on the flat (the proper thing!) and you keep slicing thru to the tip (which perplexes me when i see it done), you are now cutting down two different layers. not good. very nice deej! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeDJ16 Posted August 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 deej, i know from brisket, and that's a beeeyooootiful brisket, bro! for those asking, you're supposed to chop the tip because of the fat content mainly. also, the grain of the tip runs opposite to the flat, so if you are cutting across the grain on the flat (the proper thing!) and you keep slicing thru to the tip (which perplexes me when i see it done), you are now cutting down two different layers. not good. very nice deej! Thanks PC, good to see ya around! BTW, you gotta try that cooling thing I did, I strongly believe that made a difference in the end. -=Jasen=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porkchop Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 yeah, its s.o.p. to place cooked brisket under a chiller if you arent serving that day, but more out of a food safety concern than quality concern. makes sense, tho. like "shocking" your asparagus in an ice bath to keep the color. good thinking. also must comment concerning your choice to go with a full, packer trim brisket as is. good choice. everything in your approach is well advised for those thinking of a "first brisket" cook, in my opinion. for those that have the gadgetry, the business of raising temp bit by bit like that is cool, otherwise (done this many times) you can try starting at a higher temp, like 275, then drop it after a 1/2 hour to 225-250. otherwise, straight 225-250 will get the job done. and then there's my personal bent; dont trim any cap, and cook fat side DOWN... when i've done brisket on my ceramics, i've notice the lean portion of the brisket in contact with the grate can sometimes dry out and harden, which is not cool... keeping it fat side down solves that problem. the idea of the brisket cap "basting" the brisket as it renders is, imho, hogwash. the brisket gets its juice (when properly done) from the collagen breaking down during the cook, NOT from rendered fat. anyhow, back to the backpatting at hand, beautiful brisket deej. i am a bigger fan of the chopped in general than the sliced. your chopped looks phenomenal, and the sliced looks very nice too. 1 combo plate, please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Majestik Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Just curious... have any of y'all tried throwing a beef roast/brisket into the rotiss? Or would that be useless? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porkchop Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 i would imagine that the brisket's irregular size would make it very hard on any rotis motor. weight isnt very evenly distributed. now, a chuck roll... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Majestik Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Yeah... I got your chuck roll right here... But seriously... my parents had a friend who would rotis a prime rib roast on a gas grill (shock and horror). But it always came out wonderful. I'd like to see the rotiss do more than bird carcass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primeats Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 You got what? I've done ribeyes on the spit before too, wish I had the EZ Q , would have turned out much better. Top butts do very well too, I usually split them first and tie them and they are phenom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porkchop Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 man, majestic, you called it dude! you gotta do a rotis boneless rib roast! prime, would you please explain what a top butt is? sounds like a leaner, thin sliced affair? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primeats Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 A top butt is a boneless sirloin, i usually split them in half and then remove some of the sinew that runs down the center, truss it and roast it. Prime or Choice work out very well, i will try to post some pics . I made this roast for someone when we ran out of sirloin tip many years ago,now I rarely sell sirloin tip, this is by far more tender and jucier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porkchop Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 that sounds like it was made for me! if i ever get a rotis, that's my 1st cook! well, maybe 2nd, after a chicken or 2... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primeats Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 nbc5 chicago PC, this is way too late but, if you get any Chicago stations, I will be on at around 9:15 am . I will be discusing the Maillard Effect, searing,the why's and whats. And will hopefully be ending the discussion of "sealing in the juices!" Hope you can catch it. If I had my "Kobe KK" I would feature it ( and declare a tax write off!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primeats Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 NBC5 PC, the durned hosts saw the Kobe burgers and Veal brats, grabbed this giant santoku knife and started slicing everything! Never got to explain how to sear or anything. Good plug for our store though. Next time we will have the KK and show how to REALLY cook a Turkey for Thanksgiving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
