Q: Whole Brisket - need Half

[Janet Wilder]

I have a huge whole packer brisket in my freezer. I would like to smoke
the thick side and keep the thin cut frozen for a later use.

What is the best way to go about cutting up a frozen brisket without
power tools?

Can I let it defrost some and then re-freeze the thin portion? I'll
braise it at a later time.
--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

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[Janet Wilder]

On 6/15/2014 5:31 PM, l not -l wrote:
> On 15-Jun-2014, The Other Guy <Knews...@gmail.com> wrote:

>
>> On Sun, 15 Jun 2014 16:27:43 -0500, Janet Wilder <not...@notreal.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I have a huge whole packer brisket in my freezer. I would like to smoke
>>> the thick side and keep the thin cut frozen for a later use.
>>>
>>> What is the best way to go about cutting up a frozen brisket without
>>> power tools?
>>>
>>> Can I let it defrost some and then re-freeze the thin portion? I'll
>>> braise it at a later time.
>>

>> Defrosting then refreezing is OK, from what I've read,
>> as long as the piece being refrozen isn't let to warm up
>> after defrosting, but kept at fridge temp.
>
> On this week's America's Test Kitchen Radio Show, a similar problem was
> discussed; ATK folk say it is less a safety issue to thaw and refreeze and
> more an issue with tissue damage caused by ice crystals being formed again.
> Subsequently braising the refrozen piece moderates the problem of moisture
> loss from the damaged tissue.
>
Thank you both for the great advice.

I will smoke the brisket and cut it into portions that I can freeze in
boilable bags and freeze for meals.

[sf]

On Sun, 15 Jun 2014 22:31:53 GMT, "l not -l" <lal...@cujo.com> wrote:

> On this week's America's Test Kitchen Radio Show, a similar problem was
> discussed; ATK folk say it is less a safety issue to thaw and refreeze and
> more an issue with tissue damage caused by ice crystals being formed again.
> Subsequently braising the refrozen piece moderates the problem of moisture
> loss from the damaged tissue.

Wooooo scary.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

[Nunya Bidnits]

Janet Wilder <not...@notreal.com> wrote:
> I have a huge whole packer brisket in my freezer. I would like to
> smoke the thick side and keep the thin cut frozen for a later use.
>
> What is the best way to go about cutting up a frozen brisket without
> power tools?
>
> Can I let it defrost some and then re-freeze the thin portion? I'll
> braise it at a later time.

Are you talking about separating the point and flat? In any case, a tall
order without a power tool. An electric knife "might" work for just
separating flat and point along the fat seam. That's on the theory that
frozen fat cuts easier than frozen muscle.

Defrosting some probably isn't very helpful since the meat is so thick. Deep
down where it counts it won't defrost "some" until the outer part is totally
thawed.

You can refreeze but it adversely affects texture.

I've seen people cut meat with a sawzall before, they bag the motorized
part.

But if you have a lot of patience and a big serrated knife, I'd just slowly
work away at that fat seam between the two parts and not worry about trying
to defrost it. The hardest part will be cutting out that one big deep hunk
of fat on one side of the point so you can see the seam on that side.

MartyB

[Nunya Bidnits]

The Other Guy <Knews...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sun, 15 Jun 2014 16:27:43 -0500, Janet Wilder <not...@notreal.com>
> wrote:
>

>> I have a huge whole packer brisket in my freezer. I would like to
>> smoke the thick side and keep the thin cut frozen for a later use.
>>
>> What is the best way to go about cutting up a frozen brisket without
>> power tools?
>>
>> Can I let it defrost some and then re-freeze the thin portion? I'll
>> braise it at a later time.
>

> Defrosting then refreezing is OK, from what I've read,
> as long as the piece being refrozen isn't let to warm up
> after defrosting, but kept at fridge temp.

Refreezing damages the cellular structure of the meat. Actually so does the
first freeze to some extent but refreezing doubles the damage. There's no
way to prevent it IMO.

Not sure what you mean by not letting it warm up. You're going to cook it,
eh?

[Brooklyn1]

Janet Wilder wrote:
>
> I have a huge whole packer brisket in my freezer. I would like to
> smoke the thick side and keep the thin cut frozen for a later use.
>
> What is the best way to go about cutting up a frozen brisket without
> power tools?
>
> Can I let it defrost some and then re-freeze the thin portion? I'll
> braise it at a later time.

You have choices.

Were it me I'd defrost the entire piece in the fridge. Shouldn't take
but 24 hours before you can separtate the sections (see option three).
Start smoking the thick part and then start braising the thin part and
refreeze that part... braised brisket freezes well, especially in its
gravy. I'd even slice it, eat what I want and freeze portions, each
with some gravy, with braised veggies too.... Swanson freezes pot
roast dinners no problem.

You can also easily slice frozen meat with a hacksaw
(use a 10 point blade-10 teeth to the inch), lots of people keep a
dedicated hacksaw for food use, good for sawing bone. But it would
likely be difficult if not impossible to saw frozen brisket preceisely
where you'd want it separated.

You could partially thaw the brisket in the fridge, just enough to pry
the parts with your fingers while severing with a boning knife, I've
done that with top round, to separate that fat cap portion. Refreezing
partially thawed beef is no problem.

I'd opt for the first method... I've very often froze left over cooked
pot roast, no different than freezing vegetable beef soup... I freeze
all kinds of stewps, got a load of beef barley 'shroom in my freezer
now.

[Nunya Bidnits]

Brooklyn1 <grave...@verizon.net> wrote:
> Janet Wilder wrote:
>>
>> I have a huge whole packer brisket in my freezer. I would like to
>> smoke the thick side and keep the thin cut frozen for a later use.
>>
>> What is the best way to go about cutting up a frozen brisket without
>> power tools?
>>
>> Can I let it defrost some and then re-freeze the thin portion? I'll
>> braise it at a later time.
>
> You have choices.
>
> Were it me I'd defrost the entire piece in the fridge. Shouldn't take
> but 24 hours before you can separtate the sections (see option three).

Quite obviously you haven't ever defrosted a primal packer cut brisket. If
you think a 15 lb brisket is going to be thawed enough to break down in one
day in the fridge? ROTFL!!!!!!
Best joke I've heard all day. We wet age our packer cuts and freeze them if
not ready to use when they reach about 40 days. I've defrosted LOTS of them.
You can no more defrost one overnight in a fridge than you can a whole
frozen turkey.

> Start smoking the thick part and then start braising the thin part and
> refreeze that part... braised brisket freezes well, especially in its
> gravy. I'd even slice it, eat what I want and freeze portions, each
> with some gravy, with braised veggies too.... Swanson freezes pot
> roast dinners no problem.
>
> You can also easily slice frozen meat with a hacksaw
> (use a 10 point blade-10 teeth to the inch), lots of people keep a
> dedicated hacksaw for food use, good for sawing bone. But it would
> likely be difficult if not impossible to saw frozen brisket preceisely
> where you'd want it separated.

Not if you know where to cut. There is a seam between point and flat if you
know how to find and follow it. A hacksaw isn't deep enough. You might
manage it with a coping saw, setting the blade sideways where necessary to
achieve clearance.

>
> You could partially thaw the brisket in the fridge, just enough to pry
> the parts with your fingers while severing with a boning knife, I've
> done that with top round, to separate that fat cap portion. Refreezing
> partially thawed beef is no problem.

Except for the deleterious effect on texture.

You really shouldn't offer advice on breaking down briskets.