Largest Brisket

[utrocket09]

Husband and I are getting ready to smoke our largest brisket so far at 16 pounds this weekend. I was planning to smoke for 24 hours at 225 with our bullet smoker. Anyone have any pointers with something this large? I was going to skip foiling as my mother in law and I love the bark. This brisket is also a packer not flat.Also it would used for slicing and not pulled.

 

[SmokinAl]

Smoke it until probe tender, start checking around 195.

Could take up to 2 hours per pound at 225.

Al

 

[sauced]

 
Smoke it until probe tender, start checking around 195.

Could take up to 2 hours per pound at 225.

Al

Yep....I agree!!

 

[ynot2k]

Briskets cannot tell time.  They get done whenever they get done.  Probe tender in the flat is the telltale sign that the collagen has rendered.

Never cook to time.  Never cook to temp.  Always cook to tender.

If you HAVE to check it with a probe thermometer (it's more fun not to) the final internal temp is usually between 200-203 degrees.

When customers ask me how long I smoke the brisket I tell them "until they are done".  When they ask what internal temperature the brisket finish at I can honestly tell them I don't know, because we don't check that here.  We cook to feel.  

Another thing you may find interesting - after smoking with our current offset pit for some time I have removed the temp gauges and plugged the holes.  We just keep a clean fire and make BBQ.  No fancy gizmos for us.

Jeff

Jeff's Texas Style BBQ

 

[utrocket09]

Thanks Jeff. I have my probe ready. Is it a good idea to a mop to keep it moist?

 

[humdinger]

Thanks Jeff. I have my probe ready. Is it a good idea to a mop to keep it moist?

Not if you want lots of bark. However 24 hours is a long time and a bark cooked like that might be more than you bargained for, so maybe do a light spritz with a spray bottle every 2 or 3 hours. Feel it to see if it's where you like. If it's not getting crusty enough stop spritzing, if it is, adjust accordingly and so on.

 

[ynot2k]

Thanks Jeff. I have my probe ready. Is it a good idea to a mop to keep it moist?

I never mop mine.  I do wrap in butcher paper after 4-5 hours when the bark is formed the way I like it.  If you're not wrapping, then mopping or spritzing will help keep the surface cool and stop heavy bark formation.  It's labor intensive to do it that way, but works pretty well.

Jeff

Jeff's Texas Style BBQ

Marysville, WA

 

[c45br]

I just did a 17 LBer on my pellet grill at high smoke setting. It his the stall at 12 hours, I did wrap it and turned the heat to 250°. Plenty of bark at the end. Pics here... http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/260760/happy-day#post_1690791