Ha! Yeah, I always crack up...never down. If your calling is to crack people, best you stick with the program, right?
Never thought about giving anyone the finger when we plate up and sit down, but if I do I'll still save the bigger finger for myself...LOL!!!
Oh, I really went against the grain with the Burnt Fingers & Pulled Flat thread. That was just another one of my "what if" experiments where I set out to disprove the wide belief that I observed at the time: you can't pull the brisket flat because it's too lean. Well, OK, so, show me why you can't pull the flat and I'll show you how you can. Those who followed this line of thinking were not arrogant or ignorant...they were simply misinformed by someone's theory, or ill-tested experiment. If you don't prove or disprove a theory, then it's still nothing more than a theory. Call me a mad scientist (yeah, some have, and some still do on occasion)...call me a unknown quantity of unknown substances (a few have asked where I attained my higher education...I have none...I'm just a analytical thinker)...I've even called myself a rogue of sorts at times (before I realized the implication of malicious intent...no malicious intent here)...just don't ever call me after midnight. I'm just curious, and willing to step up, research and experiment to find new ways to achieve the universal goal...provide the best possible product and dining experience. What is best, anyway? Your best and my best are likely a wide-ranging list of variables, so how do you define best? That's open for discussion, however, ultimately it is the decision of the individual as to how to define and achieve said goal. In seeking my defined goal, I often find the answers to questions I haven't yet a°sked about methods that are considered traditional, or about non-traditional methods which I practice that evolve as I learn more. There are only rare circumstances in which I attempt to duplicate a previous meal item, including finished temp, texture, recipe, etc...to prove it as being repeatable, or, to decide if this particular food item satisfies my goal, so far as to not want for anything different. Times change...sometimes beliefs and opinions don't follow the changes and those individuals will continue down the same path, unaware of the benefits or unwilling to follow change...to each his/her own. I digressed...
Yeah, burnt fingers vs burnt ends is less processing for fingers. BFs (sure, you could call them best friends) are basically 1/2 the width of the point muscle at it's widest girth, then sliced into strips approx 1" thick. I have broke them down by splitting the strips down the center from the thickest portion of the point muscle, but stick to about 1" x 2" max width for finishing size. I cut BEs to approx 1-1/4 to 1-1/2" cubes...some end up a bit bigger. The result of BFs is a larger piece with less surface area per oz/lb for the formation of that jewel crust we love so much. I hardly notice it, though, as the crust is hard enough to maintain a rigid finger (just in case you do want to show it to someone...LOL!!!).
For the pulled flat, IIRC, I smoked it to around 200* IT, rested in foil, then pulled. For BE's/BFs, I used to go close to 200* before resting/cutting, but I found out several years ago that we liked the BEs texture and retained moisture better if I rested an hour or so after the mid 150s IT, then finished processing for their final stage on open grates. I've tried just dusting with dry rub and with tossing in a bowl after drizzling with a light coat of thick Bbq sauce...we like the sauced version better, probably due to a deeper caramelizing and crisper crust. One of the few times I ever sauce my smoked meats, BTW. You know this already from previous posts, but there is absolutely no comparison between BEs pan finished and open-grate finished. Panned protects the meat from the dry heat which forms the crust...keeps the surface moist for longer, sure, but if it's crust you desire, open grates is the only way to get it, short of hitting them with about 400-500* indirect heat, or under a hot broiler. Either way, unless you turn over the BEs/BFs periodically when finishing hot & fast, you won't get a crisp crust on all sides. It would work, if that's your game...though it may carry some cons along with it, such as meat/sauce stuck to the pan...I don't want to lose any product taking short-cuts. I usually am running a low & slow smoker with BEs on the menu, so I opt for open grates and longer finishing time...good things come to those who wait...and, open-grate finish requires no fuss once they hit the grates. Toss 'em in and when they're done, they're done.
The cheese in the sammie is mozz...think I mentioned it the linked thread...you'd have to read it know. That sammie meat was all from hand-pulled flat...long strands about 3/4" thick all placed length-wise on the bread loaf, then sliced about 2 to 2-1/2" wide and plated on it's side. Slicing is cross-grain, so yes, it gives a more tender bite and chew in the sammie, as the meat chunks/fibers are only as long as the width of the bread.
Oh, I missed this one...the rectangular shapes you mention on the plate, I assume? (I know, ass-u-me) That's the finished burnt fingers, in all their glory. Weird part about BFs is that I don't remember making them since that thread...why? Maybe my memory is REALLY bad. Maybe we liked BEs better than BFs...be it overall texture, or that a BF is several bites while a BE is one or two bites...huh, I just tried to answer a question I haven't previously asked. I'll just have to try BFs again soon and find out for sure...uh, that would actually give me a justifiable reason to smoke a whole beef brisket with only 2 people in the house. See what you did to me, Rick? HA-HA-HAAAAAAA!!!
If I missed anything else, it was due to sorting through your humor...your fault, not mine...LOL!!!
Later, brother!!!
Eric