How fast can I cook a 10lb brisket?

[ryanhoelzer]

Picked up a 10.34lb brisket from WalMart tonight. Going to do another test tomorrow or Saturday. I'm going to separate, trim, and inject with beef broth and apple juice. I'm going to start with about 2 hours on the CharBroil offset, then foil it and move it to the MES for easy temp control and minimum maintenance. I'm planning on about 2 hours foiled and then back on the MES rack unfoiled. I think it can have it done in 5 hours at around 275 the whole time.

 

[graybeard]

I'm planning on about 2 hours foiled > you lost me here butt as far as time I'm thinking more in the 12 to 15 hour mark.
beard

 

[ddave]

LOL That's a good one.

What temp do you consider "done"? Because I don't think you're going to hit 195° in 5 hours at 270°. Maybe 375°.

Keep us posted.

Dave

 

[solaryellow]

I would give you 6 hours at 350* but 5 hours at 275* seems a bit of a stretch.

 

[moltenone]

good luck.

 

[ryanhoelzer]

I take them to 195-200.

I think separating makes the biggest difference. I did a 15 lb in 7 hrs at 275 without foiling. It was on the dry side but still tasted great.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=89212

I did one a few weeks ago that I started on the offset and had to move to the MES because I ran out of charcoal.. It was almost 9 lbs and was done in 7 hours at 240.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=91395

 

[ddave]

Who knows, you miight hit a fast one. I had a 14 pounder hit 195° in 10-1/2 hours smoking in the 250s. Certainly not the norm for me though. Twelve to 14 pounders usually take 15 hours + in the UDS.

But like I said, keep us posted.

I do want to try one in the 350s sometime just to see how it turns out. I've read about several folks doing "high heat" briskets and it may be fun for a change.

Dave

 

[mythmaster]

Don't listen to them. You can easily have it up to 185* in five hours if you foil it after three hours at 250*, so if you're going with 275* then you could actually get it higher. 200-205* is a good target temp for tenderness and juiciness, so that could take a bit longer.

Instead of foiling it and then un-foiling it, though, I'd let it build up a good bark first and soak in the smoke before I foiled it. That's just me, though, and I could see how you would want to have it un-foiled for a while at the end -- kind of like the 3-2-1 method for ribs.

 

[solaryellow]

Indeed. I have only done a half dozen high heat briskets that were all 12 or more pounds each. Don't listen to me. I am obviously full of ****.

 

[eman]

If you put your brisket in a foil pan and cover after 2 hours of smoke you can get a brisket done in 5 hrs at 275 degrees.

 

[mythmaster]

Indeed.

Don't take things so personal, please.

 

[ddave]

I doubt it.

Depends on the weight.

Dave

 

[mythmaster]

Let me point out a couple of details, because I'm not going to argue with you people that think that you need to cook your brisket for 2 weeks.

I'm talking about a pre-trimmed brisket, not a packer's cut, and bringing the temp up to 185* which is just fine. If you foil it after 3 hours at 250* then this can easily be accomplished in 5 hours. I've done it before. So, you shouldn't have any problem with it at 275*.

5 hours cooking time is the fastest that you can get a brisket done AFAIK.

 

[ddave]

According to your post of 3-24-2010

So you've been smoking less than a month.

Looking through the threads that you started you've smoked a prime rib, some chicken and some pulled pork.

I didn't see anything about smoking a brisket. I must have missed that thread.

Don't discount the posts of people who may have a little more experience smoking briskets. No one is saying you have to smoke them for 2 weeks but the temp is the deciding factor, not time. And many people DO smoke packers so that is an important detail.

Dave

 

[ryanhoelzer]

Going on the Char Broil at 8:25

 

[rdknb]

Good luck and keep us informed

 

[smokeguy]

Temp and time are the main factors, and you could always smoke it for 2 hours and then nuke it to finish it fast and "legally" it's done, but like Jeff said in his newsletter, it's not done until it's tender.

 

[ryanhoelzer]

After 1 hour in the pan, before flipping.

 

[ryanhoelzer]

Here is the point after 2 hrs in the foil pan uncovered. My avg temp was probably closer to 280 or 285 than the original planned 275.

The last time I did one kinda this way I had it in a shallow piece of foil bent to hold the moisture, not a full pan. I'm afraid the higher sides might have kept it from getting more direct heat to the outside. The last time it had a start of a bark at this point. I think I wish I would have put them directly on the grate for the first 2 hrs. We'll see.

I foiled the flat and forgot to take a picture..

Next, 2 hours foiled in the MES at 275.

 

[smokin' dick]

Alrightie! A Briskie Hissy Fit! Such fun!

I have cooked a 4-5 lb. flat at 275*, foiled the whole time, in the oven for 5 hours and it was done. It was tender and juicy. It was not smoked though. This was done as a test for the elusive "probe slides in like butta" texture.
So just to add to the fun here. Time and temperature will get you close to where the brisket should be, but to gauge the doneness, read tender and juicy here, forget reading the temperature and go by probe feel. It's done when it's done. My personal best packer brisket was cooked on the grate, no foil and no thermometer. No idea what the internal temp was either. Probe a few times and when all resistance was gone, took it off to rest. Separated the point and flat with a gloved hand only, no knife. The point was drop dead delicious and the flat was tender and juicy. Hopefully I can replicate this cook. Anyway, getting wordy here, so I'm done. Good luck with your cook and let us know how it goes.