Cliff H.
Master Chef
I was at Sam's Club yesterday trying to find a brisket and I asked the meat guy if he would check in the back for anything over 12lbs. An older gentleman walks up and ask the meat guy if he can help him pick out a brksket.
While the butcher is checking for me, the gentleman ask me if I know how to pick a brisket. He goes on to explain to me that he cooked two briskets side by side and one came out good and the other was tough as leather.
I explain to him my opinion about brisket picking and that I believe it has more to do with cooking technique than it does with which cut since the ones at Sam's are all the same grade.
I asked him what he does and how he does it and this is what he said.
His cooker is a Kamodo (Surfinsapo style).
He trims all the fat off ( ALL THE FAT ). That is what he said.
He braises the brisket for two hours ( I think that he means that he cooks over the coals for two hours). Then he switches to indirect. ( meaning that he puts a heat sink between the brisket and coals ?).
For the next 3-4 hours he wraps the brisket and baste every 30 min with the juice from the foil. ( pot roast mod ).
He cooks at around 200 deg.
When I began to talk to him about leaving the lid closed, not foiling for several hours, not basting, not braising, not peaking, checking for probe tender and maintaining 230-260 deg tenps, he response was " You don't baste ? ".
After this I could tell that he was done with me. Thank you very much. We never even got to the part about internal temps.
I am not knocking some this fellows technique. I have heard of searing before smoking and I am sure he learned his technique from someone who made a good brisket but when I told him he was adding time to his cook by raising the lid to often, I could tell he was thru with my advice.
This gentleman was convinced that his technique was solid and his problem was with the brisket itself.
As he was walking away I told him to take it off when the probe slides in like butter. I hope that parting advice got thru at the very least.
This whole senario reminded me of myself from a few years back.
While the butcher is checking for me, the gentleman ask me if I know how to pick a brisket. He goes on to explain to me that he cooked two briskets side by side and one came out good and the other was tough as leather.
I explain to him my opinion about brisket picking and that I believe it has more to do with cooking technique than it does with which cut since the ones at Sam's are all the same grade.
I asked him what he does and how he does it and this is what he said.
His cooker is a Kamodo (Surfinsapo style).
He trims all the fat off ( ALL THE FAT ). That is what he said.
He braises the brisket for two hours ( I think that he means that he cooks over the coals for two hours). Then he switches to indirect. ( meaning that he puts a heat sink between the brisket and coals ?).
For the next 3-4 hours he wraps the brisket and baste every 30 min with the juice from the foil. ( pot roast mod ).
He cooks at around 200 deg.
When I began to talk to him about leaving the lid closed, not foiling for several hours, not basting, not braising, not peaking, checking for probe tender and maintaining 230-260 deg tenps, he response was " You don't baste ? ".
After this I could tell that he was done with me. Thank you very much. We never even got to the part about internal temps.
I am not knocking some this fellows technique. I have heard of searing before smoking and I am sure he learned his technique from someone who made a good brisket but when I told him he was adding time to his cook by raising the lid to often, I could tell he was thru with my advice.
This gentleman was convinced that his technique was solid and his problem was with the brisket itself.
As he was walking away I told him to take it off when the probe slides in like butter. I hope that parting advice got thru at the very least.
This whole senario reminded me of myself from a few years back.
