Hot Hold Brisket

[GatorAGR]

Anyone ever done a hot hold on Brisket? Thinking of smoking one over night, rest at room temp until it drops to 170F IY then holding in my MES at 150F until serving.

Thoughts, suggestions or other ideas? I’m using a Kamado Joe so it’s always an adventure on long cooks. I worry about running out of fuel, temp varying, etc. I’ll have remote thermostats and I’m try the flame boss fan controller so hopefully that will help provide some consistency.

 

[mneeley490]

I don't have any experience with a Kamodo style smoker, so I can't say how that would work out.
It depends on how long you wish to hold it. You can just wrap in foil, and transfer it to a cooler with towels. It'll stay very warm for 6 hours or more, in my experience.

 

[JIMSMOKES]

I'm a long hot hold fan! One of the reasons I bought a MES.
Brisket still needs to be cooked till probe tender. No matter how long that takes. IMO

 

[JckDanls 07]

Yes.. Very much so it can be held at a warm temp... Although I would like to say a lower holding temp (150ish) ...

You can just wrap in foil, and transfer it to a cooler with towels. It'll stay very warm for 6 hours or more

This is very true as well... Put it in the bottom of a cooler... Cover with towels and close the lid... Stays warm for many of hours... The side effect (which is desired) of this is that it keeps rendering the fat down and becomes/stays much juicier...
I go straight in the cooler (after wrapping again with a clean piece of foil) from the smoker... no counter rest...

 

[GatorAGR]

I'm a long hot hold fan! One of the reasons I bought a MES.
Brisket still needs to be cooked till probe tender. No matter how long that takes. IMO

Agree. I've started using my MES as a holding oven. The Auber PID lets me dial in low temps for how ever long I want.

 

[normanaj]

Agree. I've started using my MES as a holding oven. The Auber PID lets me dial in low temps for how ever long I want.

This is exactly when I started using mine as a holding oven.

 

[GatorAGR]

Now I'm wondering how long I could hold it without worrying about drying it out? I'd love to smoke it one day (avoid the overnight cook) and hold overnight and the next day (~20 hours?). Seems like I'd be pushing it, but I've also read that the big commercial guys do this. Thoughts?

 

[Displaced Texan]

I have held a brisket at ~150° in a warming oven that I bought a few years ago for up to 18 hours. The result:

 

[GatorAGR]

Dang, that looks awesome. Do you feel you lost any moisture?

 

[Displaced Texan]

Dang, that looks awesome. Do you feel you lost any moisture?

Thank you. No, not all. It was amazing. Probably someone mentioned it, but you have to let it rest at room temp down to about 150, so it does not over cook, prior to placing in a warming oven.