The weekend smoke - 2 Wagyu Briskets!

[infernooo]

Hi folks,

I thought I would post up a detailed account of the planned cook this weekend. It consists of 2 monster briskets, cooked one day apart (some friends are over today, so even though there is an insane amount of meat, it will all be consumed :-) ).

As you all may or may not know, brisket as smoked in the US (as seen in the various online smoking forums), is basically unobtainable in Australia. We simply don't seem to have the number of cattle to have them grow as large/old, so when they are slaughtered, we get veal like sizes of most cuts. In addition to this, most butchers don't break down the carcasses the same way, so the brisket gets distributed into multiple other cuts.

But I found a source of proper sized briskets... you need to find Angus cattle from a specific supplier, and the catch is that they are Wagyu. Unfortunately, this means that most people cannot justify cooking brisket very often, and so for most (and for me), it is a treat once in a while perhaps when guests are over for lunch or dinner. The brisket comes out to be approximately AU$13/kg for the lower grade wagyu, and $19.50/kg for the best in Australia. So a top grade, very large brisket can cost you almost $200.

The 2 briskets are:
Rangers Valley Wagyu Beef Brisket (9.9kg = 22lb) (AU$14/kg ~= US$8/lb)
Blackmore Full Blood Wagyu Beef Brisket (7kg = 15.5lb) (AU$19.50/kg ~= US$11/lb)

Click on thumbnails for full-sized images.

First up the Rangers Valley:

http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i...sket/?action=view&current=CIMG0662_resize.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i...sket/?action=view&current=CIMG0663_resize.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i...sket/?action=view&current=CIMG0664_resize.jpg
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http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i...sket/?action=view&current=CIMG0680_resize.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG0992.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG0994.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG0995.jpg
http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i...sket/?action=view&current=CIMG0997_resize.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG0998.jpg
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First up I trimmed the ENTIRE fat cap from both of them. That's right, you heard right... I didn't follow the regular wisdom of leaving all the fat on, or even trimming it down to 1/4inch. I trimmed off the ENTIRE fat cap.

Think I'm crazy? Want to know why? Think it will dry out?

I think not... have a look at what was below that fat cap and tell me these babies aren't going to be moist when done:

The rangers valley wagyu:

http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1003.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1004.jpg

The blackmore full blood wagyu:

http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1153.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1155.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1156.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1157.jpg
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The Rangers Valley brisket was rubbed down with my own brisket blend and the Blackmore was rubbed with Texas BBQ Rub. Both were rubbed down the night before to allow the rub to penetrate the meat slightly to give the outer layer a great flavour and good bark:
http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1162.jpg

 

[infernooo]

At 5am I fired up the smokey mountain with LOTS of wood (I like a really smokey brisket, strong on the smoke and rub. They are thick enough that I still get enough tender beefy flavour on the inside, but the bark and outer layer gives me a huge hit of smoke and complex spice from the rub), water pan full of water and let let it reach about 200F.

The brisket went on and I monitored the temperature of the smokey mountain, keeping it between 225F and 250F. The brisket temperature was monitored using a probe with the wire snaking out the top vent.

After about 8 hours, the brisket was getting close to the "usual" done temps. The point reading 190F, the flat reading 180F in the thickest part. Even at these low temperatures, the probe slide in and out like butter (it is wagyu brisket after all), so I took it out... no point in cooking it longer than I have to!

http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i...sket/?action=view&current=CIMG0682_resize.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i...sket/?action=view&current=CIMG0683_resize.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i...sket/?action=view&current=CIMG0684_resize.jpg


I let it rest for 2 hours in the oven (oven set to 50c, 120F) wrapped in multiple layers of foil until it was time to slice and serve. In the mean time, SOME of it was cubed and returned to the smoker with a bit more rub and sauce to make burnt ends. However, the point is the best part in my opinion, so I kept most of it for slicing, even though it was literally dripping with fatty goodness (crying out to be cooked longer and rendered out).

Burnt ends preparation:

http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1026.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1028.jpg


It was served simply sliced with some no. 5 sauce on the side, sweet and smokey homestyle baked beans, grilled corn on the cob and some cornbread (made with bacon fat).

The beef was unbelievable... it was so fatty (but in a good way, not chewing raw fat kind of way, but the really beefy flavour you get from a well marbled steak) and had such an intense flavour. The flat and point literally required no chewing and fell apart in the mouth. Combined with the bark, the moist, tender interior provided the perfect tender-crunchy combination. The reason is that because of all of the fat, instead of the bark becoming a chewy layer, it almost fried in the fat - creating a crunchy layer.


Rangers Valley:

http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1009.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1011.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1012.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i...sket/?action=view&current=CIMG0719_resize.jpg
http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i...sket/?action=view&current=CIMG0720_resize.jpg


Blackmore Full Blood:

http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1163.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1164.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1165.jpghttp://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/infernooo/smoking/brisket/?action=view&current=CIMG1166.jpg
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[pineywoods]

That looks fantastic

Looks like some great pieces of meat kinda expensive compared to here but the quality looks great

 

[beer-b-q]

Looks fantastic, but pretty high priced....

 

[jdsmith]

for that price, I sure am glad it turned out well for ya!

I bet if we wanted to smoke kangaroos in the states, that'd be pretty pricey too

 

[mballi3011]

Man that beef is expensive but it looks so nicely marbled and I know it will be juicy and just great. Everything looks like it came out wonderfully for you and I hope it was enjoyed by all. Great job Mate.

for being able to smoke it and expecially for being able to afford it. how did you like those burnt ends.

 

[infernooo]

Thanks folks! The crowd pretty much unanimously agreed that it was the best beef they had ever tasted... so I think all went well!

 

[napalm]

I LOVE wagyu Beef, its amazing, the steaks I get round here are £37/$59USD for 10oz. Worth it a couple of times a year for a treat though. That Brisket looks stunning.

Alex

 

[chefrob]

those gotta be good!!!!!

 

[infernooo]

Agreed, it is definitely a "once in a while" treat :-)

 

[forluvofsmoke]

WOW!!! The blackmore really takes on the smoke quite well...deep ring. I can see spending that kind of cash for the quality of the beef you have.

Very good smoke...no doubt that everyone who dined was pleased!

Keep that smoker happy...it likes what you do!

Eric

 

[jdoe44]

For those who don't make the connection, Wagyu is the breed that produces famous Kobe Beef from Japan. It's like heaven. Even at $11us/lb that's a steal. Nice score!

 

[gruelurks]

That's some mighty impressive looking brisket there, your friends certainly got a treat. Shame you can't get the cuts as often or as cheap as we do in the states.