Cut of Meat (brisket)

[jtilk]

So awhile back some of you may have read the post of the brisket I did a few wks back where myself and several others thought it was hands down the best product I have in quite some time. Well I went to a cookoff and tried to duplicate the same thing... needless to say the one at the house was a "select" and the one at the cookoff was actually "choice." Everything was produced pretty much to a "T" the exact same way yet the flavor just wasnt the same. I managed to produce a final table, but I'm still convinced the one a week or so prior was far superior. I was talking to a friend who basically had the same issue at Hold Em' and Hit Em' the week before, not saying the brisket was terrible but neither was up to par for some of our previous cooks and it seems the brisket just didnt maintain the integrity of the injection used. Is it possible that it's simply not the fault of the cook, but just that particular cut of meat for whatever reason??? ... Anyone else experienced this??

[js-tx]

I'm not surprised at all with your results, I believe every brisket can vary. Perhaps your select was slightly aged compared to your comp. brisket?

[k.a.m.]

Removing the cooking portion I am a firm believer in that every brisket cooks up a bit different simply because of its own internal marbling and external fat. I also believe the difference in choice and select now a days is so slight that in some cases the select will easily out taste the choice. If your looking for consistency maybe moving ahead of the pack to prime would yield a more consistent brisket every time if you can keep the rest of the cook variables in check. And then there are the judges to consider, My Son-in-Law cooks a very consistent brisket and when it is on the line will cook a Wagyu. At Baytown last year his Wagyu was beat by a select brisket from HEB go figure. At Winnie last year he cooked as he and most of us sometimes will profess the best of all year. If memory serves me he did not even hit final table.
These are just my thoughts.

[CypertJ]

Maybe the choice was "right handed", and the select came off the left side. Since we know most cows are right handed and all.....

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[k.a.m.]

Maybe the choice was "right handed", and the select came off the left side. Since we know most cows are right handed and all.....

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Does that fall into the fat cap up fat cap down category or maybe the cooker was pointed to the left when it should have been pointed to the right category. Then there is always the confusing one, maybe the brisket was facing you when it should have been facing away from you. I am confused now.

[Swamp Donkeyz BBQ]

Removing the cooking portion I am a firm believer in that every brisket cooks up a bit different simply because of its own internal marbling and external fat. I also believe the difference in choice and select now a days is so slight that in some cases the select will easily out taste the choice. If your looking for consistency maybe moving ahead of the pack to prime would yield a more consistent brisket every time if you can keep the rest of the cook variables in check. And then there are the judges to consider, My Son-in-Law cooks a very consistent brisket and when it is on the line will cook a Wagyu. At Baytown last year his Wagyu was beat by a select brisket from HEB go figure. At Winnie last year he cooked as he and most of us sometimes will profess the best of all year. If memory serves me he did not even hit final table.
These are just my thoughts.

+1^^. Every brisket cooks different and I have had some selects do way better, at home and at comps, than choice briskets. I wouldn't change anything that you're doing. keep on with the keeping on.

[Boots]

+1 that there is little discernible difference between choice and select these days. USDA boys are either too comfortable at their jobs or asleep at the switch.

[RWBTEX]

Yes what the others said. Also had that hAppen too plus for some strange reason the times at home never seem to be the sme at cook offs, same cooker and all, in addition to all that it just always seems that when u and your camp think u have first place all wrapped up u dont even make final table. That is a strange phenomenon we all experience at cook offs time to time. Dont go by what you placed at one event, do at least four or five before making dramatic changes.
Good luck

[BluDawg]

No two cows are the same,to may variables:> Genetics, What was the natural graze, What was the feed lot diet, How old was the critter, was it stressed at the time of kill..... I could go on but all these things affect the texture and the flavor quality of the meat.

[jtilk]

No two cows are the same,to may variables:> Genetics, What was the natural graze, What was the feed lot diet, How old was the critter, was it stressed at the time of kill..... I could go on but all these things affect the texture and the flavor quality of the meat.

I know what you guys are saying, never fails that it'll turn out at home and bomb in the comps for whateve reason. I did notice that the choice I had was a few days from the expiration date when I cut it open, stell smelled and looked good but it must have been aged a bit.

Blu-
I know exactly what you are saying. Because of all these variables it's why I'm not completely sold on the "CAB" label. I know from taking cows to the auction the only requirement for "angus" is that it's a black cow, could be 100% angus, could be partial or just a black cow but it'll get the "angus" label. That being said I'm not so sure that other briskets aren't just as good as those labeled "CAB."

[js-tx]

CAB is a little over rated IMO. I've cooked some good ones and a lot of average ones. All you can do is pick a good looking brisket and cook that thing the best you can. Besides aging, all the other variables are pretty much unknown unless you know exactly how that cow got to the market. For comps. you could always cook 2 briskets and turn in slices off the best one. It's more expense of course but so long as the meat doesn't go to waste.

[jtilk]

Any of you guys attempted to resolve this issue by possibly talking to a local butcher so you know the meat is fairly fresh?

[k.a.m.]

Any of you guys attempted to resolve this issue by possibly talking to a local butcher so you know the meat is fairly fresh?

Unless your local butcher had first hand knowledge of when the animal was processed I doubt he or she could honestly say how fresh the cut was.

[BluDawg]

This might help De-mystify things a little viewtopic.php?f=11&t=20817&p=172683#p172683

[k.a.m.]

This might help De-mystify things a little viewtopic.php?f=11&t=20817&p=172683#p172683

I edited my last post to read "your local butcher". My statement was a bit broad and my experience with butchers in my area have been less than stellar.