43fan wrote:
>
> Ok... so I've tried three different ways of doing my brisket, all of which
> have resulted in extremely tender, very tasty... but also dry meat at the
> end... I know sauce is not used in the purist world, but I've ended up
> having to use sauce, something light mind you, to give a touch of moisture
> back when eating it...
>
> I've kept the temp around the 225-250 mark for the whole cook, I've started
> high(around 300) and then finished low and I've started low and then
> finished high. Same result all three times.. tender, tasty and DRY!
> grrrrrrr (not sandstorm dry mind you, but not juicy either)
>
> Anyway... the problem is, IMO... I'm not buying brisket! Well, REAL brisket
> that is.. I have yet to find what everyone here(and most other places I
> read as well) calls a "packer cut" brisket. The largest I've found period is
> the one I did this past weekend, and it was 6.7lb. At most, a little less
> than 1/4" of fat on top, and not the entire brisket was covered with fat,
> about 1/3 of it on one end was strictly meat, no fat at all... and, very
> little marbling.
>
> This has to be it, doesn't it? When I mention brisket to any of the places
> I buy from, they always tell me "no, they're not that big".. etc, etc...
> The last one I bought was in the vacu-pack still, but they have to be
> getting just flats, and trimmed ones at that, don't they?
>
> I really think I need to find a good, lotsa fat full brisket that I can trim
> down the way I want, as well as I'll have to cut it in at least two pieces
> to fit in the GOSM, but I think then and only then am I gonna get the result
> I'm looking for. Mind you, no one has complained about it at all, but then
> we're not talking BBQ experts here that are doing the tasting. *g*
>
> Actually, this last brisket got me my first "commercial" job for next
> weekend should I choose to do it... there's a horseshoe tournament on
> Sunday, and the guy that's holding it tasted my brisket yesterday(yes, with
> sauce) and asked me what I could do for the tourney. I told him probably
> pulled pork would be best, so he said to just do it up and give him the
> bill. I figure I'll just charge him for the cost of everything and see how
> everyone likes it... heck, who knows, maybe pull a few other "paying" gigs
> outta that one. *shrug*

I'm not sure where you're located, around here (north TX) the regular
grocery stores regularly have both packet cut and market trim briskets.
Surely there must be a "real" meat market in your area or even a
*shudder* Wal Mart that has packer cut.

Pete C.