# Brisket too big?



## huskerfan1414 (Jan 9, 2014)

I've already posted one question before my upcoming brisket smoke, and this is the last one I swear!! 

I have a 9 pound packer that I just rubbed up and stuck in the fridge, gonna start the smoke at 3 a.m. Saturday.  I have a masterbuilt dual fuel, two door smoker and the brisket won't fit without rubbing against the walls of the smoker.

What should I do?  Any tips or suggestions?

Thanks in advance to all who answer.


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## kc5tpy (Jan 9, 2014)

Hello.  Hind sight is a wonderful thing.  Wish you had not put rub on the whole thing but it is what it is.  I would have said smoke half and freeze the other.  One school of thought is to place something in the smoker ( rib rack ) so as to "accordion" the brisket and allow it to fit.  Place a HEAVY frying pan on the stove on HIGH heat.  Think of the brisket as a rectangle.  Cut it in half across the narrow width.  When the skillet starts to smoke, sear the cut end to stop the juices from escaping.  Now smoke the 2 halves according to your plan.  Just my opinion.  Keep Smokin!

Danny


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## handymanstan (Jan 9, 2014)

Can you maybe tie some twine around it curving the side up and as it cooks and shrinks it should relax the twine and eventually lie flat. Just a idea.

Stan


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## boykjo (Jan 9, 2014)

You could separate the point from the flat and use 2 shelves/racks in the smoker


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## huskerfan1414 (Jan 9, 2014)

What if I put it in a foil pan, but didn't cover the pan?  This way it curls up over the edges.  Or would that restrict smoke?


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## duffman (Jan 10, 2014)

boykjo said:


> You could separate the point from the flat and use 2 shelves/racks in the smoker





HANDYMANSTAN said:


> Can you maybe tie some twine around it curving the side up and as it cooks and shrinks it should relax the twine and eventually lie flat. Just a idea.
> 
> Stan


I wold say go with one of these two suggestions. Not being a butcher myself I would go with the twine idea HANDYMANSTAN put out there.


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## mdboatbum (Jan 10, 2014)

Unless you're worried about the walls of your smoker being unsanitary, a 9 pounder isn't all that huge and will shrink, so I'd say just stuff it in there and let it touch the walls. Probably halfway through the smoke it won't be touching anymore anyway. If that doesn't work for whatever reason, I'd separate the point from the flat per Boykjo's suggestion. They tend to cook at different rates anyway, so that might be the best course of action. I'd do the point to 195˚ or so with no foil, and the flat I'd foil at 165˚ or so and start probing for tenderness at 190˚.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.


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## dougmays (Jan 10, 2014)

I agree with Joe and Handyman. I actually really like the twine idea because it'll shrink the twine will just eventually lay flat on the shrunken brisket


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## superdave (Jan 10, 2014)

I'm a point & flat separater.  No one will convince me that thin flat won't be dry by the time the point is done so I pull them from the pit at different times.


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## bwarbiany (Jan 10, 2014)

Mdboatbum said:


> Unless you're worried about the walls of your smoker being unsanitary, a 9 pounder isn't all that huge and will shrink, so I'd say just stuff it in there and let it touch the walls. Probably halfway through the smoke it won't be touching anymore anyway. If that doesn't work for whatever reason, I'd separate the point from the flat per Boykjo's suggestion. They tend to cook at different rates anyway, so that might be the best course of action. I'd do the point to 195˚ or so with no foil, and the flat I'd foil at 165˚ or so and start probing for tenderness at 190˚.
> 
> Good luck and let us know how it turns out.


I'm with this. If it's barely touching the walls, the standard shrinkage of a brisket will take care of the problem in a few hours in the smoker.


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 10, 2014)

bwarbiany said:


> I'm with this. If it's barely touching the walls, the standard shrinkage of a brisket will take care of the problem in a few hours in the smoker.


+1


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## huskerfan1414 (Jan 10, 2014)

Cool thanks all.  I got some twine and I will consider either just throwing it and letting it rub, or tying it up with twine.  I'm still a little worried that it would touch the sides too much, and not just a little bit.  But we'll see.

Thanks for all the pointers.  The smoker gets fired up at 3 a.m.  I'll be sure to have some Q view of the triumph or failure


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## huskerfan1414 (Jan 11, 2014)

She's going strong.  Now I stuck two probes in it and one is reading ten degrees warmer than the other.  They are both accurate.  Should I go with the Maverick?  That's the "nicer" one.  It's also the hotter one.

Gettin close to foil time.  Any help is appreciated.


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## huskerfan1414 (Jan 11, 2014)

switched the probes.  Now, the maverick is 10 degrees cooler and the other one is ten degrees hotter.  Exact!  They are no more than an inch apart.  The hotter one is closer to the point.


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## huskerfan1414 (Jan 11, 2014)

Nevermind.  I re-inserted them from the center going against the grain toward the point of the flat that I will start cutting from.  They now both read very similar, and much cooler around 150.  I'm thinking this is correct.


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## handymanstan (Jan 11, 2014)




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## huskerfan1414 (Jan 11, 2014)

HANDYMANSTAN said:


>


Haha! I'm sorry.  I have one Qview pic of the rub I will post when I'm done.  I meant to take a pic when I foiled it but I forgot in the hustle-n-bustle.  Mad at myself!  But trust me, there is plenty of Q-view to come when all that I am smoking is finished.

Currently at 185 internal temp on the brisky...gonna throw the beans and ABT'S on soon so the beans can go for three and the abt's will go for two while the brisky rests for a few hours.


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## huskerfan1414 (Jan 12, 2014)

Turned out great. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   Thanks for the help everyone.  Here's the URL for the finished product if you wanna check it out.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/155965/the-brisket-meal-smoke#post_1119927


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## noggin (Jan 13, 2014)

SuperDave said:


> I'm a point & flat separater.  No one will convince me that thin flat won't be dry by the time the point is done so I pull them from the pit at different times.


I was curious about this and figured I'd read a couple of brisket threads until I saw something about this issue mentioned.  Do you cut the meat then sear the ends where you made the cut?  I've yet to smoke a brisket, is it obvious where the thin transitions to a point?


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## superdave (Jan 13, 2014)

Noggin,

After I cut, I give each piece a heavy mustard rub and dry rub which seals the pieces pretty well.  When you go to make a cut, it is just by eye where the roast looks like it begins to get significantly thinner.  Lots of purest here that don't do it this way and leave it whole.  Everyone has their own method and nothing wrong with that.


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## huskerfan1414 (Jan 13, 2014)

Noggin,

I believe you would only consider searing the ends where you make the cut if you forgot to cut it BEFORE rubbing and letting it sit.  However, if you cut it before you rub, you would do it just like SuperDave said and not have to worry about searing.

I twined mine and it still rubbed a little bit at the beginning, but it all turned out just fine.


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