Brisket - Simplified and Reliable Dinner Timing

[DRKsmoking]

Thanks @schlotz and @civilsmoker . I know I will try it sometime. And yes it will have to be divided up , vac'd and frozen as way too much for me and the 3 birds the way they are eating lately. lol

David

 

[BlessedSmokeTx]

Thank you! Excited to try your method. My first brisket came out wack.

 

[jcam222]

Well sometimes a bad cut is a bad cut.... but 205 is getting to pulled temp, i've never taken brisket above 200 INT..... .

I usually shoot for between 200 and 203F prove tender. The flat was still tight at 205F. I had hoped a long rest would help. Double checked the thermos too. Kind of a mystery to me. It will end up in chili at some point.

 

[civilsmoker]

Thanks @schlotz and @civilsmoker . I know I will try it sometime. And yes it will have to be divided up , vac'd and frozen as way too much for me and the 3 birds the way they are eating lately. lol

David

Well when you do try it please post the journey! Its a right of passage as a smoker to summit with a brisket....LOL

Thank you! Excited to try your method. My first brisket came out wack.

you are welcome and hope it turns out if you can find a point cut that is the best and spend time looking a the cut section and look for that spiderweb of marbling. a light spiderweb is better than thick veins of fat.... I call it the web of flavor!

This is what you want the cut section across the point to look like....you can even see the web strands in the flat portion at the bottom, even though the grain is long ways in the pic...

I usually shoot for between 200 and 203F prove tender. The flat was still tight at 205F. I had hoped a long rest would help. Double checked the thermos too. Kind of a mystery to me. It will end up in chili at some point.

I had a flat do that about a year ago.... it was even from a prime grade packer, and it was just not good (ended up in the round file, didn't want to mess up a good pot of chilli over it....err).....but it had zero marbling even in the point.....It wasn't prime grade even though it was marked as such.....It was select at best and I haven't gotten another one from that vender since....

 

[hoity toit]

what a nice step-by step on the brisket. You make it straight up uncomplicated. Only thing I do different is wrap in red unwaxed butcher paper, all comes out the same either way. Nice Tutorial ! and good looking beef....it's what for dinner.

HT

 

[coltranem]

@civilsmoker Thanks for sharing. Do you let it come down in temp before holding in the oven? I usually let it cool until it hits my hold temp before putting in the oven.

 

[civilsmoker]

what a nice step-by step on the brisket. You make it straight up uncomplicated. Only thing I do different is wrap in red unwaxed butcher paper, all comes out the same either way. Nice Tutorial ! and good looking beef....it's what for dinner.

HT

Thanks hoityt! I'm a make it consistent and reliable person so the KIS is a huge thing to me. The paper wrap is also very solid step that would fit right in as well. I would just save the rendered tallow on the side to dress it once sliced....I do the foil pan because I'm usually working and don't have any time to deal with things so the foil pan is quick and easy.....I have even done this all in project meetings with the blue tooth head set on..... Many of my team members give me a hard time because they say "you are smoking meat aren't you" The know the look in my eyes.....LOL

@civilsmoker Thanks for sharing. Do you let it come down in temp before holding in the oven? I usually let it cool until it hits my hold temp before putting in the oven.

you are welcome coltr! I don't cool it, I place it right in the 145 degree oven. The reason I don't cool it is because I want it to hold above INT 180 for at least an hour to help with the rendering process. This time will make it meat jello and will help with a stubborn flat without over cooking it and drying it out. If it cools to quicky it will stop and it can firm up. I have put a probe in to verify the non-carry over cook in the warming oven......

Putting in a cooler with towels can cause it to carry over cook so you do have to cool it a bit for that.

 

[schlotz]

In regard to using a cooler and avoiding carry over cooking: If the brisket was pulled once probed tender, let it sit open on the counter for a few minutes until the IT has dropped 5-8º before re-wrapping and placing in a cooler with towels.

 

[civilsmoker]

In regard to using a cooler and avoiding carry over cooking: If the brisket was pulled once probed tender, let it sit open on the counter for a few minutes until the IT has dropped 5-8º before re-wrapping and placing in a cooler with towels.

Schlotz thanks for the add to the KIS! A proper hold after will really amp up the overall quality of a brisket. This will also allow it to be “traveled” to a function and the. Can be sliced right before it’s served!

 

[paleoman]

Thanks for the great write-up @civilsmoker ! I've only done brisket once with a flat, using the electric smoker. It came out well, but took over 10 hours. I'd like to try doing it again, with the Traeger pellet smoker. This will be a great guide to follow!

 

[civilsmoker]

Thanks for the great write-up @civilsmoker ! I've only done brisket once with a flat, using the electric smoker. It came out well, but took over 10 hours. I'd like to try doing it again, with the Traeger pellet smoker. This will be a great guide to follow!

Thanks and you are welcome paleo! This is usually 9-10 hours if you add it all up it’s a 8to5/6 deal but it’s consistent and repeatable. Be sure to make a post and share if you do try it and post even if you don’t cause we all like brisket pics!

 

[paleoman]

Thanks and you are welcome paleo! This is usually 9-10 hours if you add it all up it’s a 8to5/6 deal but it’s consistent and repeatable. Be sure to make a post and share if you do try it and post even if you don’t cause we all like brisket pics!

Oh, I will. It's always good to get feedback on the process, and there's a lot of great advice in this forum from folks.

I've gotta finish my bacon smoking project first... few more days of curing.

 

[Parshooter]

Great write up. I haven't tried a brisket yet. Am definitely starting with a point. My smoker has set temps though, 225, 250, 300 and up. I'd have to go with 250 and just plan on a longer smoke ? I like the dry brine idea. Thanks.

 

[civilsmoker]

Great write up. I haven't tried a brisket yet. Am definitely starting with a point. My smoker has set temps though, 225, 250, 300 and up. I'd have to go with 250 and just plan on a longer smoke ? I like the dry brine idea. Thanks.

Thanks, and just use the 250 and make sure you give yourself an extra hour, ie put in on by 7am. Your smoker will bounce up and down from 250, ie up to 275 to 225, so you will be good to go.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

I'm bumping this because I'm smoking a brisket this Saturday for my zoo and I'm using this as a guideline. The hold in the oven part probably isn't going to work for 2 reasons. First is my oven won't go below 175℉ and yes I know I can cycle it off and on, but I'll have a lot going on so remembering that may be difficult. Second is the 2 large pans of Mac & cheese that will need to be baked. My thought is to try the hold in the smoker, we'll see how it goes...

 

[paleoman]

I'm bumping this because I'm smoking a brisket this Saturday for my zoo and I'm using this as a guideline. The hold in the oven part probably isn't going to work for 2 reasons. First is my oven won't go below 175℉ and yes I know I can cycle it off and on, but I'll have a lot going on so remembering that may be difficult. Second is the 2 large pans of Mac & cheese that will need to be baked. My thought is to try the hold in the smoker, we'll see how it goes...

Can you hold in a cooler?

Folks were suggesting resting on a counter, until it drops 5-8˚F, then wrap and put in cooler with several towels to insulate. I did that with pork shoulder and it held for quite some time.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Can you hold in a cooler?

I can, but don't want to overcook it. I'll figure something out...

 

[paleoman]

I can, but don't want to overcook it. I'll figure something out...

For my pork shoulder, I rested on the counter, before placing in the cooler.

schlotz above wrote...
"In regard to using a cooler and avoiding carry over cooking: If the brisket was pulled once probed tender, let it sit open on the counter for a few minutes until the IT has dropped 5-8º before re-wrapping and placing in a cooler with towels."

 

[civilsmoker]

I can, but don't want to overcook it. I'll figure something out...

I would suggest putting an elevated baking/cookie rack on the bottom of your cooler and then just set the covered foil pan on the rack right out of the smoker. The rack will allow air flow under and keep it from over cooking. The initial cool down will heat up the cooler but not over cook it. After an hour in the cooler place a towel over it….this should cover you.

Also I have held brisket at 175 for 1-2 hours as well, but you are cooking mac in the oven so in the cooler to simulate a portable food service cooler….so no stress easy peezy…..

 

[Operator]

Re: holding, when folks do this, is the whole brisket literally wrapped in towels? I.e. it's direct contact, brisket-to-towel, not also in foil or paper or something else between the meat and the towels? That doesn't dry the meat out a little?