Brisket weirdness

[Hobbiest]

I recently started smoking whole briskets... Previously only did flats. Every one (4 now) has this dark purple stringy not fat/not meat portion in the middle I'm cutting out. Any idea what it is or why this is happening? I never see this in the brisket slicing videos.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Blood/meat juices trapped and cooked in that spot. I cut out that heavy fat vein on the left. That seems to allow those fluids to drain away in the cooking process. Either way is fine.

 

[chopsaw]

I cut out that heavy fat vein on the left.

I do the same . Lets it close up some and drain away .

 

[thirdeye]

No worries, that is the layer of fat that separates the two muscles, so essentially those center slices have meat from the flat, and meat from the point. I actually prefer that 5" to 6" of slices. The lower left in my photo shows the same fat seam.

In this photo, flat on the right, point on the left, you can see the natural seam between the two muscles, and where that fat layer lives. You usually only need the spine of your knife to separate the muscles.

EDIT: I don't know why that area is darker, is usually is not and 4 briskets in a row would make me assume it's not the cryovac juices (purge) which is a mix of myoglobin and protiens.... not blood. Are you wet aging? What is your injection?

 

[Hobbiest]

I do the same . Lets it close up some and drain away .
View attachment 437781

Thanks! So do you try to slice off that fat the length of the brisket? Or just some, and then put a slice into the fat to create a channel?

 

[Hobbiest]

No worries, that is the layer of fat that separates the two muscles, so essentially those center slices have meat from the flat, and meat from the point. I actually prefer that 5" to 6" of slices. The lower left in my photo shows the same fat seam.

In this photo, flat on the right, point on the left, you can see the natural seam between the two muscles, and where that fat layer lives. You usually only need the spine of your knife to separate the muscles.

EDIT: I don't know why that area is darker, is usually is not and 4 briskets in a row would make me assume it's not the cryovac juices (purge) which is a mix of myoglobin and protiens.... not blood. Are you wet aging? What is your injection?

No injection, no wet aging. This last brisket with those photos was from Costco... Bought Thu, prepped and left in fridge overnight and threw in smoker first thing Fri AM

 

[SmokinEdge]

Thanks! So do you try to slice off that fat the length of the brisket? Or just some, and then put a slice into the fat to create a channel?

That fat is like a pocket. Carve that pocket out during prep. You don’t have to get 100% but a solid hand full will do.

 

[chopsaw]

I'm no brisket expert by any means . I've done 3 . Two where fantastic , third one was dry . I cut that out as much as I can get . It's hard fat and won't render . That seam area like Third eye , is my favorite section of the packer .
I did my briskets based on help from tallbm and some others , and reading thru posts and info from
gary s .
Heres one of his links .

BRISKET TEXAS STYLE (follow up to Yesterdays post on Misconception of the 1 to 1.5 hour rule)

Brisket Texas Style This is how I Smoke my Briskets I usually buy my briskets at Sam’s; so far they have been very consistent in quality. I try to find a “Choice” grade full packer with not too much fat and pliable, but not limp or stiff and around 12 pounds or so. I do not inject or rub the...

www.smokingmeatforums.com