Butcher Paper, 13# packer brisket and cook time.

[hawkerdude]

Got a pretty decent full packer brisket from Costco. 18 lbs. It looked like there would be a few pounds of fat to trim but I figured it would still be a better cost per pound vs $7/pound at our local butcher. It's a high end place with some great meat but $7/lb was a bit high even in suburban D.C. After trimming it came out to $5.30/lb.

Trimmed off 5 pounds of fat still leaving a nice 1/4" cap. I'm wondering how cook time will be affected by doing the butcher paper wrap. I've never tried it before.

Smoker: Yoder 640 pellet smoker using hickory pellets.
Brisket: Full packer 18.1 lbs un-trimmed. 13 lbs trimmed.
Temp: Set temp for the smoker will be 235 degrees F.
Altitude: Sea level

Using the 1.5 hours/pound rule I'm assuming 21.5 hrs to smoke and 2 hours to rest. Eat at 6pm tomorrow.

I have a basic wireless temp monitor so I can pull it early if the wrap has the brisket finish earlier than expected but I hate surprises.

Thanks in advance.

 

[bregent]

Last Costco prime brisket that I cooked whole was 14lbs after trim and it took 12 hours in my pellet cooker. Ran 180 for the first 4 hours and then up to 225 until done. Did not wrap. In my experience, pellet cookers tend to cook considerably faster than other smokers. My guess is that yours will be done well before 21.5 hours

 

[oldsmokerdude]

In my experience, wrapping in paper will shave a couple hours off your total cooking time, similar to wrapping in foil.

 

[worm304]

HA! I got something similar going on over here. Starting a costco prime packer tonight for my fantasy draft tomorrow and this will be the first time I am going to wrap with butcher paper. Mine was 14 lb. before trim and I would say 11 lb. after. Im planning on starting it tonight around 10 and will wrap when I wake up at 8 am or so. Going to go 225 on my WSM with guru. I also agree that 21.5 hours is way longer than it will take at 235 degrees, especially with wrapping. After 10 hours you should have great bark and wrapping will speed that thing up pretty quick. I am no expert but another 2-4 hours wrapped should get it there. Every piece of meat is different so just keep an eye on it starting an hour after you wrap and start probing for doneness when its between 190-195. Good luck!

 

[hawkerdude]

Wow. Maybe Ill start at a lower temp for the overnight. Maybe 180-195. Then kick it up tomorrow. I had no luck finding butcher paper so this will be a no wrap smoke. Been a while since I've done a brisket. Have to check my notes. As I recall the last big one I did got done a lot sooner than I expected.

I guess it makes sense that the pellet smokers cook faster. I did a time lapse video of the digital smoker thermostat. Some pretty big swings above and below set temp. IIRC it was +/- 15-20deg.

 

[bregent]

I guess it makes sense that the pellet smokers cook faster.

Yeah, the main reason I figure is due to much more convection current than other cookers.

 

[meatallica]

hawkerdude

 

[hawkerdude]

On order from Amazon. Found a guy in my subdivision who accidentally ordered 2. He's going to drop on off first thing in the morning. WOOOHOOO!!

 

[hawkerdude]

Lit smoker at 2330 in a thunderstorm. Had the smoker under the pop up awning already thankfully.
Set to 190deg.
Placed meat on top rack with 12" tube smoker lit.
0830 the next day. Smoker holding at 190deg. Meat at 155deg. On schedule.
Plan to wrap at noon.