Can I partially presmoke/precook brisket and finish the next day?

huge29 · Jul 2, 2013

I have a family reunion here later this month and I had hoped to use the smoker. I have done brisket my last three smokes and each one has been better than the last and even the first was great. We have a group of about 80, about 60% being kids who can just have hot dogs. All I have is a UDS and I dont think I can cook enough for that many in one day. I have read that the smoke essence is done in about 2-3 hour usually to where it has sealed in and any wood after that point does not do any good; not sure if this is accurate, but it got me thinking. Could I presmoke these the day before we go up the mountain to elevation of about 9,500' where a UDS can struggle it seems? Cool it back down put it in the coolers and finish it off in an oven onsite until appropriate temp is achieved? Just a thought, if this is no good are there are any other ways of accomplishing this or do I just need another smoker? Thanks for any input guys!

jirodriguez · Jul 2, 2013

Your best bet is to cook it all the way to 190° internal temp, rest it for 1 hr. and then pop it into the fridge overnight. Then put it in a foil pan in your oven with a can of low sodium beef broth and set the oven to 250°. Give it 3 or 4 hrs to re-heat, then slice it and put the slices back in the broth in the foil pan to serve.

Cooking it part way is a really good way to run the risk of making people sick. It is best to fully cook and then re-heat slowly to preserve the tenderness and juices. Also by cooking ahead you can actually cook it up to a week ahead so there is no time conflict what so ever.

foamheart · Jul 2, 2013

Looks like you've got the answer.

If you could time it to comming out of the cooker about the time you are ready to go, I understand you can bag and tag (wrap and rest in a cooler) for 4 or 5 hours. But I guess then your UDS would also be too hot to travel.

Hope you can figure out something cause ya know the family needs to taste some of that brisket you're makin!

huge29 · Jul 2, 2013

Thanks for the help guys! Good info!

superbeek · Oct 16, 2019

I disagree. Beef is technically “done” at 165 so, pulling it at that temp would save time. at 165 It would technically be done, just not tender. So in theory, I think the concept stands up and shouldn’t get anyone sick anymore than warming up a Tough left-over pot roast in the microwave.

jirodriguez said:
Your best bet is to cook it all the way to 190° internal temp, rest it for 1 hr. and then pop it into the fridge overnight. Then put it in a foil pan in your oven with a can of low sodium beef broth and set the oven to 250°. Give it 3 or 4 hrs to re-heat, then slice it and put the slices back in the broth in the foil pan to serve.

Cooking it part way is a really good way to run the risk of making people sick. It is best to fully cook and then re-heat slowly to preserve the tenderness and juices. Also by cooking ahead you can actually cook it up to a week ahead so there is no time conflict what so ever.

chef jimmyj · Oct 17, 2019

As long as the Beef is intact as in not Injected with anything, all that is necessary is for the surface to be heated, hot smoked, to 140°F and held there for 12 minutes, or more, to kill surface bacteria. The interior is Sterile and can still be Raw or Cooked to any IT desired when refrigerated. Since exterior and interior are bacteria free, there are no safety risks finishing the cook the next day or two.
When it comes to Beef, the term " Done " is subjective. Some folks feel, heavily Seared Outside and Raw in the middle, Pittsburgh Rare, is done. Then there is 120 Rare, 130 Med/Rare, 140 Medium, 150 Med/Well and 160+ Well Done, all perfectly Done to the individual eating the Beef...JJ

superbeek · Oct 17, 2019

That makes a lot of sense jimmy, man the advice in this thread has really turned around! last night i had a rack of ribs and a pork belly in the fridge that i had planned to smoke over the weekend, but it just didnt happen. in order to not waste the meat i ended up needing to bbq on a "school night". this generally means a short night of sleep for this guy, which i wasnt super excited about, but you do what you gotta do. so i got to the business of smoking the rack of ribs and pork belly cut into cubes for "burnt ends". Then i had an idea... instead of wrapping and finishing on the smoker and ending up with fully cooked meat that i didnt want to eat at 10:30pm i pulled them and let them cool, then vacuum sealed them and threw them in the freezer. it is an experiment, but im hoping this will give me the ability to toss them in the oven to finish the cook. i run a stick burner so, this would open me up to eating bbq on the days i dont have time to babysit my smoker for hours. ill report back with my findings.

gmc2003 · Oct 17, 2019

Almost all leftovers from my smokes are vacuum sealed and frozen for another day of enjoyment. In some cases it tastes better then the day it was smoked. No need to fire up the oven to reheat, just plop the bag into a pot of simmering water. If I take them to work then I reheat with the microwave - not as good but it works. My freezer is full of single serving packages.

Chris

chef jimmyj · Oct 17, 2019

Intact red meats are internally sterile. This is why we have no issue eating rare or raw Beef and Lamb. Pork is cooked to 145 to eliminate the rare occurance of Trichinella. Commercially raised Chicken and Turkey are often injected with salty Broth to add moisture and are thus not intact and must be fully cooked in one step. It should be noted that some Pork Producers, now Enhance, aka Inject Pork with a Brine and this places these in the same category with Chicken...JJ

dan the mano · Dec 25, 2020

superbeek said:
That makes a lot of sense jimmy, man the advice in this thread has really turned around! last night i had a rack of ribs and a pork belly in the fridge that i had planned to smoke over the weekend, but it just didnt happen. in order to not waste the meat i ended up needing to bbq on a "school night". this generally means a short night of sleep for this guy, which i wasnt super excited about, but you do what you gotta do. so i got to the business of smoking the rack of ribs and pork belly cut into cubes for "burnt ends". Then i had an idea... instead of wrapping and finishing on the smoker and ending up with fully cooked meat that i didnt want to eat at 10:30pm i pulled them and let them cool, then vacuum sealed them and threw them in the freezer. it is an experiment, but im hoping this will give me the ability to toss them in the oven to finish the cook. i run a stick burner so, this would open me up to eating bbq on the days i dont have time to babysit my smoker for hours. ill report back with my findings.

wow i really like that what you were saying ..

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Can I partially presmoke/precook brisket and finish the next day?

huge29

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jirodriguez

Master of the Pit

foamheart

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

huge29

Newbie

superbeek

Newbie

chef jimmyj

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

superbeek

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gmc2003

Epic Pitmaster

chef jimmyj

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

dan the mano

Meat Mopper

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