How to Smoke a Brisket Flat: Tailgating Temperatures

Do you know the yummiest part of a brisket? It is the brisket point. However, it does not mean that the brisket point is the only delicious part. The flat can be tasty and juicy if you cook it like a professional. Make sure you have your BBQ thermometer to pull brisket flat at the correct temperature. When tailgating, you want to spare time for more fun. Thus, a brisket flat makes the best meat to smoke when in a hurry to do other things. It takes less time to cook, and it tastes great. We will teach you how to cook a brisket flat with your smoker thermometer.

Benefits of cooking brisket flat using your BBQ thermometer

Before we tell you why cooking brisket flats can be advantageous, we cannot emphasize enough the importance of using a grill thermometer. If accurate, a meat thermometer will show the exact internal temperature of the meat. As a result, you can cook meat until it is safe to eat. That way, you can avoid a food poisoning accident. When you cook without guessing, you can serve it confidently every time. An instant read thermometer can help you get the best results when cooking meat.

What makes brisket flat the best choice when tailgating? 

One characteristic of a brisket flat is thinness. Skinnier cuts of meat cook faster. Also, a brisket flat has even thickness that ensures uniform doneness. When you cook the brisket flat without the point, you can enjoy greater temperature control. The reason for this is the evenness of the flat, which ensures even heat distribution. It is nearly impossible to dry out your brisket flat when cooking it alone.

Due to its thinness, a brisket flat takes less time to cook than any ribs. Another advantage is that you can cook many brisket flats at once. That can give you the freedom to cook each flat differently, something you cannot do when cooking a whole brisket. With a ChefsTemp Quad X-Pro thermometer, you can cook your flat as you sleep.

The remote thermometer will send thermal signals automatically to ensure that you cook from a distance away. A flat has only one grain running across the entire meat. It is way easier and faster to cook a brisket flat than a whole brisket.

Best temps for smoked brisket flat

What temperatures should you focus on when cooking a brisket flat? The most crucial one is the internal cooking temperature. Your BBQ thermometer can let you take this temperature correctly. Smoke your brisket flat at a temperature of 250°F (121°C). This temperature level will help you control both moisture and speed.

Set a high and a low temperature on your electronic meat thermometer. Ensure the correct internal temperature falls somewhere in the middle of the high and low temp range. For instance, choose a high temperature of 275°F (135°C) and a low temperature of 225°F (107°C). If the pit temperature goes up or down, you will get an alarm.

When cooking a brisket flat, consider the right stall temperature. That is the temperature drop at which you should remove each brisket flat and wrap them up. The recommended one is 160°F (71°C). When using a multi-channel kitchen thermometer, you can avoid speculating the temperature of different flats. Cooking many flats at once means that some can heat faster when the smoker’s heat is uneven.

You can use the multi-channel instant read meat thermometer to measure the temperature of each flat. After wrapping briskets, you must re-set the high alarm again to read 200°F (93°C) to finalize the process.

You can stick a smoking temperature chart magnet on the refrigerator or grill, to check the temperature at any time.

What challenges can you encounter? 

A brisket flat has a thick connective tissue that makes it rigid. The slow and low cooking technique can allow this collagen to dissolve without overcooking the meat. However, there are no guarantees that you will achieve tender and juicy briskets as top chefs do. Other factors might affect the results. Even if leanness has its advantages, it offers one challenge.

Your lean flat can dry out very easily. Usually, a brisket flat has a fatter edge. So, lay the thicker side facing down and the leaner side facing up to create an insulation layer. To prevent the meat from drying out during the stall stage, add a cup of beef broth to the wrap.

The stall is the last challenge to expect when cooking a brisket flat at tailgating temperatures. When you cook meat, the collagen in it starts to shrink and remove its juices. These juices then spread to the surface of the meat where they evaporate and cool the meat. At that point, the meat does not cook further.

To deal with the stall, remove your flats from the grill and wrap them up in aluminum foil. Use your best cooking thermometer to check if the meat has reached 160°F (71°C). If it has reached this temperature level, wrap the meat and add some broth to moisturize your flat. Place it on the grill again and reset the temperature to 200°F (93°C).

Brisket flat cooking takeaways

• Since a brisket flat is lean, it cooks faster than a whole brisket. Thus, you can try cooking three brisket flats and flavor them differently.
• The leanness of a flat can be a challenge. Make sure you flip the fat side of the flat down so it faces the flame. Then, place some broth in the aluminum foil wrapper to keep your meat moist.
• Set the high and low alarm alert correctly if you intend to cook remotely. Pull the meat for wrapping at the correct stall temperature.
• Choose different dry rubs to produce three unique flats with distinct tastes.
• Always preheat your smoker to 250°F (121°C).
• Use your best meat thermometer to monitor and verify the internal temperature of each flat.
• Allow each brisket flat to rest to allow carryover cooking to happen. Slice your meat and serve as you wish.

Conclusion

Cooking brisket flat can be easy if you know the process. Flats cook faster because they are leaner than whole briskets. So it is easier to control their temperatures and moisture. Above all, you can season each flat uniquely to make your tailgating friends happy. Lastly, keep your BBQ thermometer near to measure temperatures correctly.