Long Brisket Hold Times

[jcam222]

I am having folks over for Christmas dinner on the 24th at 1PM. They all requested a smoked meal so I'm doing brisket, my keto beans and loaded steakhouse style cauliflower salad. I am doing the brisket the day before. Rather than warming it up the next day I'm considering putting it in the Smokin Tex and holding at 150 for 14-16 hours. Have any of you held brisket that long? I've seen folks talking about 8-12 hour holds. Interested in feedback. If this won't work I'll likely just do brisket sandwiches slicing it thinon my slicer

 

[zwiller]

Have not done it YET but want to. Bet it works well. Panned/wrapped in foil right? A little longer than typical but just fine IMO. 150F is also a little hotter but I think doable. PID control would be better on that bad boy but think you're fine stock. I would cover the vent somehow.

 

[JeffShoaf]

I've held briskets in an electric smoker for over 24 hours and was very happy with the results. Since testing had indicated that the smoker is hotter at the top than at the bottom, I monitor the smoker temp at the shelves that are in use. I've also found that the smoker temps are more stable when I use the water pan. With my smoker, setting the smoker temperature at 155° keeps all 4 shelves above 140° F and before 175°.

I bought the electric smoker just for this purpose; I do the actual cook in my insulated gravity feed smoker.

I've held pork butts for over 24 hours as well with good results. I've found that doing a hot and fast smoke the day before an event and holding the smoked meat overnight in the electric smoker takes a lot of the stress out of cooking for a crowd and let's me get a good night's sleep so I enjoy the meal a lot more. It's also opening the door for me to move to a stick burner - the main reason I went with the gravity feed smoker instead of a stick burner is that I don't wanna baby sit a smoker overnight.

 

[jcam222]

Have not done it YET but want to. Bet it works well. Panned/wrapped in foil right? A little longer than typical but just fine IMO. 150F is also a little hotter but I think doable. PID control would be better on that bad boy but think you're fine stock. I would cover the vent somehow.

I've held briskets in an electric smoker for over 24 hours and was very happy with the results. Since testing had indicated that the smoker is hotter at the top than at the bottom, I monitor the smoker temp at the shelves that are in use. I've also found that the smoker temps are more stable when I use the water pan. With my smoker, setting the smoker temperature at 155° keeps all 4 shelves above 140° F and before 175°.

I bought the electric smoker just for this purpose; I do the actual cook in my insulated gravity feed smoker.

I've held pork butts for over 24 hours as well with good results. I've found that doing a hot and fast smoke the day before an event and holding the smoked meat overnight in the electric smoker takes a lot of the stress out of cooking for a crowd and let's me get a good night's sleep so I enjoy the meal a lot more. It's also opening the door for me to move to a stick burner - the main reason I went with the gravity feed smoker instead of a stick burner is that I don't wanna baby sit a smoker overnight.

Thanks guys! I'm going to smoke in my Lang then I plan on separating the point and flat post cook if necessary so it will fit. The Smokin Tex will only fit half pans. I do plan on pans with a little broth. I'll put flat on top shelf and the point next shelf down closest to heat. Once I review my temp monitoring notes I plan on setting it to stay in a range of 140 - 160ish. I'll post up something on the results

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

Sounds like a plan. I wish I was sitting up to that table. I am sure your going to but use a low temp alarm in case of power failure. Hope Amber gets a special Christmas dinner

 

[chopsaw]

I'm considering putting it in the Smokin Tex and holding at 150 for 14-16 hours.

Use my 30 for a holding oven all the time . I've actually used it as a fridge before . Set to 37 on a 10 degree day . Put my beer in there .

I hold briskets in the oven , and cycle it on and off with rise and fall of the internal temp .
Not letting it fall below 140 , or over 170 .

 

[801driver]

Yep, will work well tightly foiled. I posted another thread recently of getting a pork butt done about midnight, pulled and put in a crock pot on low the rest of the night, then serving at 11am the next day with great results. Very similar to many who have posted here holding in their electric smoker, in a pan in the oven at about 170, or like me using a crock pot.

Anything to hold the temp up in the 150-160 range and the moisture in. A little beef broth could be added to the finished product if you find the outside might be a little dry. Let us know how it turns out. I am getting ready to pull a 20 lb PB to package and freeze in quart zip bags for Christmas presents along with smoked cheese. Merry Christmas to all.

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

I've held them in a turkey roaster almost 20 hours. You should be fine.

 

[culpepersmoke]

I’ve put them in a Sous Vide pot at 141 degrees for over 24 hours.

 

[Hijack73]

If you pull it a few degrees before you think it's perfect, you can hold it a VERY long time and it may sell you on pulling all of your briskets before they 'probe tender' and letting them rest like that.

 

[Displaced Texan]

Have held for 15 hours prior to slicing. It was amazing.

 

[Florida Chris]

There's a guy on YouTube who basically made the world's biggest sous vide out of a chest freezer. His life goal is to replicate Aaron Franklin's brisket. I want to say he holds brisket for 24 hrs in it.

Longest I've personally done is about 8 hrs in a cooler, and it was one the best dang hunks of meat I've ever had. Watch the temps for food safety and I think you'll be good.

 

[Jonok]

I routinely smoke briskets to 140 on the rack, place them in a pan and foil tightly, keep going to 180, then turn the temp down to 145 and leave it for 12-24 hrs.
I rarely have anyone say it wasn’t the best they ever ate…

 

[ReelFaster]

Great thread and great info, just the advice I was looking for.

I see so many folks pull the evening before (6-10PM range) and hold for 12-14hrs, I always wondered are they having brisket for breakfast (which is not a bad thing)? I need to extend that to at least have an early Sunday dinner.

 

[801driver]

Ha, I for one have definitely had brisket for breakfast, with a fried egg and a few fried potato slices and it was excellent.

But for the most part, I think our comments were referring to as holding that long then getting into the warm up for serving lunch mode changing dishes and adding a little beef broth if necessary. My personal preference is if serving the next day is to go ahead and put it into crock pots as I slice it with some beef broth to keep it from drying overnight. Keep it at a warm desired 150 in the oven, (my crocks are too hot even on low) then transport and go for the final reheat a couple hours before serving. I have done many that way and it has worked well for me. Good luck to you finding what works well for you.

 

[ReelFaster]

Ha, I for one have definitely had brisket for breakfast, with a fried egg and a few fried potato slices and it was excellent.

But for the most part, I think our comments were referring to as holding that long then getting into the warm up for serving lunch mode changing dishes and adding a little beef broth if necessary. My personal preference is if serving the next day is to go ahead and put it into crock pots as I slice it with some beef broth to keep it from drying overnight. Keep it at a warm desired 150 in the oven, (my crocks are too hot even on low) then transport and go for the final reheat a couple hours before serving. I have done many that way and it has worked well for me. Good luck to you finding what works well for you.

Thank you! My oven has a keep warm setting which keeps temps around 150ish. Planning on smoking till 7-8ish then holding overnight for a late lunch/early dinner.