First Brisket Question

[texas smokin]

I plan to smoke my first brisket this weekend on my Yoder YS640. My thoughts is to run the smoker at 225 until I hit the stall and the bark is looking good, remove it, wrap in butcher paper with some tallow, throw it back in until I hit 203-205 and it feels probe tender throughout.

So my question, after I hit the finished temp I was going to wrap in towels and put it in a cooler for 3-4 hours. Is that the best way to rest it? And second, do I open it up before putting it in the cooler?

Any help or tips would be appreciated.

 

[Texas Cookin']

First off hello from one Texan to another. Pretty similar screen names! I think you have a good plan here. I would not open it up if you are going to rest it. Good luck and post pics of the cook if you can.

 

[TNJAKE]

Sounds like a good plan but definitely make sure it's probing like butter before you pull it off the smoker. I rest mine in a cooler with towels for 2-4 hours usually if time allows. Yes you need to let the brisket start to cool before you put it in the cooler but since in paper you don't have to open it up or else it will continue to cook. I'd put the paper wrapped brisket and put it in a foil boat or a pan before you put it in there so the towels don't soak up all your juices

 

[texas smokin]

First off hello from one Texan to another. Pretty similar screen names! I think you have a good plan here. I would not open it up if you are going to rest it. Good luck and post pics of the cook if you can.

Thank you so much for your feedback. Yes, very similar screen names - something about us Texans. I'm in the DFW area, how about you?

 

[texas smokin]

Sounds like a good plan but definitely make sure it's probing like butter before you pull it off the smoker. I rest mine in a cooler with towels for 2-4 hours usually if time allows. Yes you need to let the brisket start to cool before you put it in the cooler but since in paper you don't have to open it up or else it will continue to cook. I'd put the paper wrapped brisket and put it in a foil boat or a pan before you put it in there so the towels don't soak up all your juices

Great tips - both on the extra probing to make sure it is all done, but then also to wrap the whole thing in foil to avoid a big mess!!

I'm a bit nervous to be honest. Got my Yoder back in early October and have done a bunch of cookin, including some long cooks with pork butts, some ribs, whole chickens, a turkey and of course steaks and burgers. But the brisket is the super bowl of smokin! So I decided to do it super bowl weekend. Hopefully everything will go well.

 

[Texas Cookin']

Thank you so much for your feedback. Yes, very similar screen names - something about us Texans. I'm in the DFW area, how about you?

Big country

 

[gmc2003]

I plan to smoke my first brisket this weekend on my Yoder YS640. My thoughts is to run the smoker at 225 until I hit the stall and the bark is looking good, remove it, wrap in butcher paper with some tallow, throw it back in until I hit 203-205 and it feels probe tender throughout.

So my question, after I hit the finished temp I was going to wrap in towels and put it in a cooler for 3-4 hours. Is that the best way to rest it? And second, do I open it up before putting it in the cooler?

Any help or tips would be appreciated.

You've got some good advice in the above posts. I'll add that at 225* the carry over will be minimal. If you were cooking at 250+* then I'd recommend letting it cool down before wrapping and resting to avoid overcooking.

Good luck and enjoy
Chris

 

[texas smokin]

You've got some good advice in the above posts. I'll add that at 225* the carry over will be minimal. If you were cooking at 250+* then I'd recommend letting it cool down before wrapping and resting to avoid overcooking.

Good luck and enjoy
Chris

Thanks Chris.

 

[JckDanls 07]

Only thing I can suggest is to start probing for tenderness at 195 IT ... Otherwise it sounds like your in for some great briskett ...

 

[texas smokin]

Only thing I can suggest is to start probing for tenderness at 195 IT ... Otherwise it sounds like your in for some great briskett ...

Great suggestion. Thank you.

 

[oregonrider]

Big country

Once it’s wrapped it’s not going to take on any more smoke so I finish mine in the oven, then wrap in towels and put in a cooler (faux Cambro).

 

[chilerelleno]

250°-275° will give you a much better bark.
And you should still get plenty of smoke flavor.
If concerned about smoke, run 225°-250° for two hours and then kick it up to 250°-275°, or even higher.
Bark should be good by the time it hits an IT of 165°.
Wrap in butcher paper (I prefer double wrapped butcher paper over foil) remembering where the Flat is.
Place your temp probe in the Flat (if being used).
Do your tenderness probing in the Flat, the Point will probe tender well before the Flat.
Some people say it should probe like Butter, others Peanut Butter.
I lean towards peanut butter now, and carry over combined with a good rest leads to butter at cutting time.
Start probing at 195° IT, and every 2° after that.

Something to think about.
I don't do Low-n-Slow briskets anymore.
I do Hot-n-Fast (250°-300°) on briskets less than 15lbs, and Extreme Hot-n-Fast (300°+ 350°-400°) on 15lb + brisket cooks.
I smoke for 2-3 hours at 250°-275°, then crank the heat to 350°-400°, wrap at 165° IT and finish till probe tender.
I cook 15-18lb briskets in an average 7 hours and they're tender, juicy and like jello on the cutting board.
No need to spend 18 to 24 hours on a brisket.

Proof is in the pudding.

Prime Packer Brisket Extreme Hot-n-Fast
Brisket EXTREMELY hot-n-Fast
Big'ol Brisket Done EXTREME Hot-n-Fast

 

[texas smokin]

250°-275° will give you a much better bark.
And you should still get plenty of smoke flavor.
If concerned about smoke, run 225°-250° for two hours and then kick it up to 250°-275°, or even higher.
Bark should be good by the time it hits an IT of 165°.
Wrap in butcher paper (I prefer double wrapped butcher paper over foil) remembering where the Flat is.
Place your temp probe in the Flat (if being used).
Do your tenderness probing in the Flat, the Point will probe tender well before the Flat.
Some people say it should probe like Butter, others Peanut Butter.
I lean towards peanut butter now, and carry over combined with a good rest leads to butter at cutting time.
Start probing at 195° IT, and every 2° after that.

Something to think about.
I don't do Low-n-Slow briskets anymore.
I do Hot-n-Fast (250°-300°) on briskets less than 15lbs, and Extreme Hot-n-Fast (300°+ 350°-400°) on 15lb + brisket cooks.
I smoke for 2-3 hours at 250°-275°, then crank the heat to 350°-400°, wrap at 165° IT and finish till probe tender.
I cook 15-18lb briskets in an average 7 hours and they're tender, juicy and like jello on the cutting board.
No need to spend 18 to 24 hours on a brisket.

Proof is in the pudding.

Prime Packer Brisket Extreme Hot-n-Fast
Brisket EXTREMELY hot-n-Fast
Big'ol Brisket Done EXTREME Hot-n-Fast

Okay, thanks so much. Had not considered a hot and fast approach. Appreciate the idea and feedback.

 

[Newglide]

Following along, Haven't done a brisket yet myself.

I'd recommend letting it cool down before wrapping and resting to avoid overcooking.

How long do you let it cool before wrapping and putting in a cooler?

 

[JLeonard]

Welcome from Mississippi! Look forward to posts and pics.

Jim

 

[schlotz]

The IT should start to go down at least 5-10º. Many variants here before putting away to rest. I leave the brisket open on the counter until the IT in the thickest part of the flat has dropped to somewhere around 185-190º. Then re-wrap and into the cooler with towels for 2-3 hours.

 

[Marknmd]

I would run it at 225 until it gets close to the stall, then jack it up to 275. When it's done, I'd vent it to keep it from over cooking. But what do I know? I'm from Maryland. :-)

Good luck

 

[gmc2003]

Following along, Haven't done a brisket yet myself.

How long do you let it cool before wrapping and putting in a cooler?

I wait until the temp drops down somewhere between 170 and 180*

Chris

 

[CTXSmokeLover]

You've gotten lots of good info above. Another option is an oven rest. Throw it in the oven at the lowest setting (170 on most ovens). I've gotten great results using both the cooler and oven method. Good luck and welcome from another Texan!

 

[CTXSmokeLover]

Big country

Nice! Abilene native here.