Author Topic: Brisket "strategy" for smaller groups over the holidays  (Read 1694 times)

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Offline SteelerFanInTexas

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Brisket "strategy" for smaller groups over the holidays
« Reply #-1 on: December 03, 2017, 06:59:26 PM »
Hi all-
I'm looking for advice about how to do brisket for a couple of dates that span a few weeks.

We have company coming this weekend.  Just a few people, but I know they'd appreciate having some brisket.  It will only be 4 of us, though.  We have a bigger group coming in the weekend before Christmas and staying for a week.  We had planned to do brisket for this group (6).

My thought was to buy a brisket, cut it into 1/3 and 2/3 pieces, cook the 1/3 this weekend and freeze the 2/3 then defrost/cook around Christmas weekend.  I did a little googling and saw some comments discouraging the cutting of a brisket.  The other option is probably even worse - cooking the whole brisket and freezing the leftovers until Christmas weekend.

Any thoughts?  Have people cut briskets to make them into more manageable sizes for smaller crowds?

Thanks,
Chris


Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: Brisket "strategy" for smaller groups over the holidays
« on: December 03, 2017, 07:07:09 PM »
I personally would not cut. Find yourself a good butcher...seems like the HEB Plus have butchers on board. I have seen 8 lb full packers on this site and that would be great for a party of 4-5 and the leftovers could be for later in the week. A 10-12 lb packer would easily handle the party of 6.

This way both groups can have sliced flat and you can do burnt ends out of the point............something for everyone...........
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Offline Pappymn

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Brisket "strategy" for smaller groups over the holidays
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2017, 07:21:33 PM »
I personally would not cut. Find yourself a good butcher...seems like the HEB Plus have butchers on board. I have seen 8 lb full packers on this site and that would be great for a party of 4-5 and the leftovers could be for later in the week. A 10-12 lb packer would easily handle the party of 6.

This way both groups can have sliced flat and you can do burnt ends out of the point............something for everyone...........
The Smoke is wise. No way I would cut the brisket
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Offline Ka Honu

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Re: Brisket "strategy" for smaller groups over the holidays
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2017, 08:48:18 PM »
What they said... Cook it whole, slice what you need for the first group, and freeze the rest (in one piece) to reheat and slice for the second round. There's nothing wrong with reheating frozen brisket if you do it gently.

Better yet, get two packers - one for each group - and have lots of leftovers for yourself.
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Offline DWard51

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Re: Brisket "strategy" for smaller groups over the holidays
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2017, 11:01:46 PM »
X3....

What you freeze, I would vacuum pack and if you have a sous vide, that is the way to re-heat it.  Zero loss of moisture and total control of the heating process.

Offline SteelerFanInTexas

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Re: Brisket "strategy" for smaller groups over the holidays
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2017, 08:29:01 PM »
Thanks to all of you for the reply.  We'll find a different "strategy" - one that doesn't involve cutting the brisket.  Probably one that includes two holiday briskets ;-)

Offline LostArrow

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Re: Brisket "strategy" for smaller groups over the holidays
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2017, 08:22:39 AM »
For me with my low-tech wood & charcoal smokers a brisket in a big investment in time & effort.
I’m going to cook either a whole or 2 flats
If you cook a whole, after resting slice off what you need, chill the rest to refrigerated temps then slice.
Allows you to slice without losing juices & the meat slices easier. Then vacuum seal.
By the way pour the juice left from in a container & freeze to reheat & pour over reheated brisket.
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Offline SteelerFanInTexas

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Re: Brisket "strategy" for smaller groups over the holidays
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2017, 09:11:53 PM »
Score!  I went to Costco last night and found the CUTEST little 8 lb brisket ;-)  Perfect for the smaller group we have this weekend.

Offline Pappymn

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Brisket "strategy" for smaller groups over the holidays
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2017, 10:53:46 PM »
Score. I never understood the smaller briskets. I mean what happened? Good score


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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: Brisket "strategy" for smaller groups over the holidays
« Reply #8 on: December 08, 2017, 09:20:13 AM »
Score. I never understood the smaller briskets. I mean what happened? Good score


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The brisket is basically the chest muscle...two per animal.  An 8 lb packer is small. Maybe the bone structure was smaller on the animal.........where is "ask the butcher" when we need him??
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