Brisket Point

[billybek]

There was a couple of 2.5 lb brisket points at the market at work today and very reasonably priced so I bought them both to do on the BGE.
Haven't done a brisket before but have been kind of intrigued buy some of the burnt end videos that I have watched.
What I have gathered so far (and you may correct me on this);
Simple rub. Salt/pepper.
Low temp. Some say 225 others 250 deg F. Highest recommended was 275 deg F.
May try a little apple and hickory for smoke. Indirect heat.
Shooting for a 4 hour minimum cook.
Some like to foil and crutch for about an hour.
Rest, cut into cubes and season and sauce and cook open in a foil pan/tray at 250 for 15 to 30 min if your going the burnt ends route.
Any ideas?

[Jims5543]

Points are hard 2.5 lb points will be harder. I think 4 hours at 225 will be too dry.

Do you have a diffuser? If so use it.

Go as low as you can stand the moment is hits 160 yank it out, the last 50% or more of your cook time wrap them in foil.

Put a vessel in there with some water in it, to help keep things moist as well.

I am on my 5th brisket and still learning, I was just at a local BBQ joint, the owner an ex touring BBQ competitor. He told me my 4-5 lbs briskets are too small and to get a full size one and see how much better they are. My plan is to get a 10+ lb one next time.

I tell you that because 2.5 lbs is slight and will dry out in a hurry. Keep that in mind as you plan your BBQ session.

Good luck!!

[RKDinOKC]

After about and hour low heat, pull it, sauce it up, wrap in foil, finish cooking on low wrapped and sauced to keep from drying. If too dry, wrap sauced sooner.

[Borders Reivers]

For a moment read the title as "Zabriskie Point" but couldn't find Antonioni anywhere.

Need coffee...

[T77911S]

I have done a lot in the past, gave up because I could not be consistent with them, also the meat itself makes a big difference.

just did 2 within the past month. one was the fatty end(do this one) from a meat market. $7 per pound so $60 for the meat,
then did a walmart one ($3lb). not as fatty. I prefer the fat end.

I smoked them for about 3hrs or so then wrapped them in tin foil and in the oven at 350.
the walmart one was maybe a tad tougher but it was still good and I will try another walmart one. I just did a pork butt sunday. 2hrs on the smoker then we put in in the pressure cooker for 1.4hrs. really good. walmart meat too. having that for lunch today.

I have one of the smokers that looks R2D2. it uses charcoal. this time I put the wood in there and let in burn down before putting the meat on.

from now on no more than 2hrs on the smoker.
I have done the very low and slow and I just cant get it the way I want it. usually dry. so I figured since you cook a pot roast at 350, why not smoke it then do it like a roast.

now my brother has one of the electric smokers and he does cook it in there for a long time, I have not had it yet but I hear it is very good.

you need to watch the temp of the meat if you do it slow. the meat will "stall' or stop going up in temp. if it does that then I would wrap it and cook it at a higher temp. search on meat stalling.

I also have a smoker with the fire box on the side and the smoke goes across the meat. not had much luck with that one.
I have had meat from one with the fire box on the side but the meat rack is upright. had some really good ribs from that one.

[billybek]

Thanks!
First time that I have had this cut but I have some very good success with back, side and beef ribs as well as various beef roasts and pork shoulder.
Was thinking on using butcher twine to tie the two points together to try to get more mass to allow a longer slow cook. I am not above opening the egg up to mop during the cook but would rather do a no peek cook with the meat probe in during the cook.
Will be doing this indirect using the diffuser.

[T77911S]

don't tie it up. it will cook faster.

the problem with thick meat is by the time the center is done enough the outer part is drying out.

[craigster59]

I like John Henry's Pecan Rub (Amazon or maybe Barbecues Galore) and low and slow, maybe start with a 3-2-1, wrapping in foil with brown sugar and apple juice for the 2.

[RKDinOKC]

Have a infrared smoker and while it cooks at a bit higher temps, 275, it doesn't dry out the meat. It's instructions say to bring the meat up to just below a rare temp in the middle, then finish it up wrapped in foil and sauced. Then you have to let is set for 30 minutes in an oven to keep the heat, but not on, for the juices to go back into the fibres of the meat. Otherwise the juices just run out when you slice it.

[flipper35]

We use a suis vide circulator and finish on the smoker for less than an hour. It stays moist and tender and you don't have to watch it like a hawk and it is never cooked unevenly.

[jrj3rd]

225 degrees low and slow till ~160. then wrap in butchers paper and continue until ~190. remove and let sit for 30 minutes. Cut into 1 1/2 - 2 inch cubes. toss in sauce and put in foil pan. Back on smoker (still at 225-250) and let go for another 30 minutes. Burnt ends is best for small points. Unless you want to make Pastrami (even better)

[billybek]

Ok, so I ended up with a very edible product so I must have done something right.

I had the points seasoned early this morning and on the BGE at just after 9:30 am (salt pepper and some Schwartz's deli seasoning). Once I had the temperature (225 dome) stabilized I put the beef on the grill and didn't look at it for 3 hours. Pulled them at about 170 deg and crutched them for just over an hour. Pulled them from the foil pan and hit them with a little direct heat to firm them up a bit.
Sliced them into about 1 inch cubes and gave them a bath in some of the leavings from the foil pan and some BBQ sauce (apparently from KC) and back into the BGE with the foil pan open.
It was really good and not chewy. Not cut it with a spoon tender but really a successful experiment.
Doing that again when I find points from the market at work and next time I won't use quite as much salt.
We had guests over and most of it disappeared so I guess I did alright.