SI#1 and the three little Briskets

Elliottbte

New member
I have an SI #1 and will be smoking some briskets for a family event (14 people) this weekend.  I went to Publix to get some briskets and normally come away with two 6lb flats as 6lb is about max I can do on one shelf.  But the briskets were not quite as thick as usual so I ended up with three flats: 3.96, 3.67, and 3.56 lbs, respectively.  I'll put the biggest one on the lowest shelf, but then should I put the lightest in the middle or on the top?  I'm thinking the middle as the one above and below would give the middle the lowest effective heat.  And then I'd put my maverick probes on the heaviest and lightest.  Make sense??
 
Everything sounds good, except I'm not sure what the best arrangement would be for the lightest two between the top and middle rack. They are pretty small hunks of meat, even for flats, so just be SURE to brine them. Flats can be dry, and based on the size, I'm guessing they've been trimmed of almost all of their fat. Grocery stores tend to sell them that way, because that's what their customers want. We like to keep a good 1/4 to 1/2 inch fat cap for smoking if at all possible. For sure don't trim any additional fat off of them. Hopefully someone on this forum will give you some advice on whether you should wrap those part way through or not. I generally don't wrap, but for little guys like that, I'm thinking that might be a good idea. It's been a long time since I've smoked small flats like that. They are challenging to keep from drying out. You might even want to lay some thick slabs of fatty bacon, side pork or salt pork on the top of those when you smoke. Side pork if you can get it would be best, since your brine would contain salt, so bacon and salt pork will just add more salt, although I've never had a brisket that was too salty.

I also have a #1, and I prefer to buy a whole packer brisket (Prime, from Costco). I cut it in half and put the point half on the bottom rack, and the flat half on the top rack. You'll get better, and more meat for the money. A whole packer brisket is going to be around 13-18 pounds (you'll trim a couple pounds of fat off of that), and Costco, Prime will range anywhere from $2.79 to $3.59 per pound, depending on beef prices.
 
SconnieQ said:
Everything sounds good, except I'm not sure what the best arrangement would be for the lightest two between the top and middle rack.

I also have a #1, and I prefer to buy a whole packer brisket (Prime, from Costco). I cut it in half and put the point half on the bottom rack, and the flat half on the top rack. You'll get better, and more meat for the money. A whole packer brisket is going to be around 13-18 pounds (you'll trim a couple pounds of fat off of that), and Costco, Prime will range anywhere from $2.79 to $3.59 per pound, depending on beef prices.

I do brine using DM's brine recipe so all set there.  There is a bit of fat still on them so that's good.  Thanks for the tip on how you manage a whole packer from Costco on your #1.  I'm not a member as the closest Costco is 30 miles away, but I have friends who are so I'm sure they'll let me join them on a shopping excursion. 

Question:  I have always done flats.  How does smoking the point at the same time work out?  Do they normally finish at the same time?  And what about the meat itself.  I slice the flats after cooking to 190 and resting.  Do you do the same thing on a point?
 
Elliottbte said:
Question:  I have always done flats.  How does smoking the point at the same time work out?  Do they normally finish at the same time?  And what about the meat itself.  I slice the flats after cooking to 190 and resting.  Do you do the same thing on a point?

If you have a Sam's, that's another good place to buy a whole packer brisket, although you might only find Choice there and not Prime. Or maybe Restaurant Depot if you have one of those? Costco is where you can find Prime regularly at a good price, at least around here. Not sure about your neck of the woods. I try to find one somewhere in the neighborhood of 15-16 pounds. I've found that the savings from just buying 1 or 2 briskets per year from Costco over a good butcher or meat purveyor pays for my Costco membership, not to mention all of the other great meat and savings you'll get for the rest of the year. You'll need to trim whole packer briskets, but keep plenty of fat on there. Especially the point, since you will be putting that fat side down on the bottom rack, so leave a least 1/2 inch or so of fat on the point.

Smoking with the point on the bottom (fat side down), and the flat on the top at 225 works out perfectly in the #1! My goal temperatures are 205 in the point, and 195 in the flat. With the point on the bottom closer to the heat source, both pieces seem to arrive at their temperatures at the same time (or within 1 degree or so). If it seems like one is rising faster than the other in the beginning, don't panic and open the door, or switch racks around. In the end, they will even out. I slice both the flat and the point. So you can serve either "lean" or "fatty". I think the point slices are the best part. Many folks around here like to make burnt ends from their point. I have not made them myself, but people go nuts about them. Tends to be a Kansas City and southern thing, although all of the BBQ joints up here serve burnt ends, so I think it's just a personal thing. There are lots of recipes on the forum for burnt ends.
 
BURNT ENDS! BURNT ENDS!  BURNT ENDS!!!!! ;D ;D  (In case you didn't notice, I LOVE those little morsels of meat candy! :-* :P 8) )
 
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