Faced a choice between a full packer brisket or just the flat for a cookout in Boise

I had 12 people coming over and was worried about time and space. I picked the full packer, a 16-pounder from a local butcher, and smoked it for about 14 hours on my offset. The point came out perfect, but the flat was a bit dry. Anyone have tips for keeping the flat more moist on a long cook like that?

4 comments

4 Comments

mianelson2mo ago

Try wrapping the flat in foil halfway through.

ben_lewis2mo ago

That foil trick is a total game changer for keeping it moist. I read a whole article from Texas Monthly that swore by it. Makes a huge difference in the final texture.

the_anthony1mo ago

I feel you on this one, it's rough when you think you've got the magic bullet and it backfires. I tried that same separate flat wrap once on a brisket for a family gathering, and yeah, the bark turned into a sad, wet mess. It's almost like that Texas Monthly trick works for some people because their smokers run a certain way, or maybe they're using a different grade of meat. It's a bummer when a "game changer" turns into a headache.

viola_lopez302mo agoTop Commenter

Wait, isn't wrapping the flat separately a bad idea? You'll ruin the bark and it might cook way faster than the point. That Texas Monthly trick is about wrapping the WHOLE brisket in butcher paper, not just the flat. The point protects the flat when they cook together. If you wrap just the flat in foil, it will steam and get mushy. You need that fat from the point to drip down into the flat for the whole cook.