14 LBS. monster and need some help.

[soafung]

I'm about to start a monster 14 LBS. brisket. This will be the second time I've smoked anything. The pulled pork i smoked first was AMAZING! the real question i have is...how long should i let that beast rest? It's gonna be a 21 hour smoke. I'm going to put it on at 8:30 PM tonight. There will be people over at 7:30 tomorrow. I was planning on resting it an hour. Will that be enough? What "techniques" should i use to not have the temp. fall to low for serving?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[pineywoods]

First welcome to SMF please stop by roll call and make a thread telling us about you and the type of smoker your using. Now as for that brisket take a look at this thread follow it and you'll be fine

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=50979

 

[crockadale]

What Piney said, read Dutches post several times just to get it in. Don't cook to time cook to temp.

 

[bassman]

I've done 17 pounders before and never hit 21 hours. I like my briskets to hit 192 degrees for slicing. I wrap in foil and old towels and place in a cooler for three or four hours. It will still be too hot to handle bare handed.

 

[meat hunter]

Welcome to the site. Heres what I have done to keep the brisket hot while it rests. If you have 2 old or cheap down pillow, take one and put it in a cooler, then the brisket then the other pillow, and put the lid on. I have put a brisket in at 10 at night, and by noon the following day, it was still almost too hot to handle with bare hands. It works very good. If it were me and you had guests coming at 730, I would try to get it started a bit earlier so you can at least give it a few hours to rest.

 

[soafung]

what temp. did you guys keep the smoker at? around 220-235? that's what i'm shooting for. a bit more info on my situation: the damn thing wasn't completely thawed. it's been on now for 1 hours and it's still 32 in the center.

at this rate, it's gonna be a long night.

 

[pineywoods]

You can safely bump the smoker temps up to the 250 range and still have a fine finished product and it will help speed things up a little

 

[soafung]

ok. i'm gonna do that. i'll try and get some pics of this thing on here so you guys can give some praise or heckle me.

i feel lame, because i used a store bought rub and a store bought sauce. the pork shoulders i did had "home made" rub, sauce, and slaw. the recipes were off food network web site.

 

[pineywoods]

If you look around here you will find some pretty good recipes some of our members have some real talent and come up with some good ones

 

[rickw]

I do my briskets @ 250F or so. I have had very good luck at higher temps with briskets. I take mine to 205F (internal temps) for pulling.

 

[soafung]

sorry for all the posts. the wife likes the finished product, but doesn't like the process. you guys are gonna be my "entertainment" for the all nighter.

i should have prepred better, but this was kinda last minute. i got suckered into hosting UFC 100 tomorrow.

i hope Mir beats Lezner.

 

[old poi dog]

Aloha SoaFung, Welcome to the forum. You are a better man than I am. I've been here for a while and I still haven't done a brisket or pulled pork!!!

I will try a Pastrami soon though.

 

[soafung]

two 8 lbs shoulders was my virgin voyage in to the realm of smoke. again (if i may repeat myself) they were AWESOME!

 

[soafung]

well...the batteries in the camera took a dump. the wife went to bed, so it's pandora radio, the dog, and cold beer to keep me company. i'll try and get away to get batteries when the wife wakes up to post some pics.

 

[herkysprings]

You should roll up a breakfast fattie, so you can toss it on the smoker and eat it tomorrow. :D

 

[soafung]

seeing as how i just NOW learned of the FATTY, i am lacking required materials. i'm very interested in trying one though. i'm a lone man on a mission. it's been like 3 hours. should i turn this bish? i'm not mopping the thing either. i did some research and i am a texan. smoke and fat only.

i didn't turn my pork shoulders until half way through the smoking process. how much difference will this really make?

 

[mikey]

There's no reason to feel lame since I'm sure that the majority of folks here have used or still use on occasion store bought rubs & sauces.

 

[soafung]

ok. 4 hours in and i'm @ 100. i'm feeling a bit better about this (i guess). from what i've read, i should be reaching the "plateau" soon.

info update (i've been reading ALOT in the forums):

14 lbs. flat, scored the fat cap (shoulda look here yesterday), New Braunfels Hondo (225 roughly), grates only (no pan), no mop.

is this gonna be a disaster?

 

[mikey]

I was hoping that you would have hit 140 degrees within 4 hours. Did you put a probe in the brisket at the begining?
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...61&postcount=2

 

[ronp]

4 hours and only 100' ? Yes your in trouble check your thermometer.
The rule 40' to 140' is safe in four hours. You need to get it to 140' in four hours.