for the millionth time...brisket finished early...what to do?

busmania

Brisket was at 199 when I woke up this morning at 730.  Dinner is not till 5.  Right now it is FTC'ing in my microwave.  Should I let it sit for 2 hours then refrigerate and reheat later (ugh...I hate this idea) or just let it sit for 9 hours in the microwave?  9 hours might be pushing it, no?

Wolfpack

Yes 9 hrs would be pushing it. I have gone 5-6 but I think your best best will be to refrigerate and reheat. 

tarheelmatt

Hmm.. I'd put in oven on warm feature.  Never done 9hrs, but have done 6hrs. I'd roll the dice. 

busmania

Thanks yall.  if it were just me eating it, id probably just let it sit for 9 hours.  Since I am feeding people I  like, I will probably refrigerate.  But, one more question.  When I go to reheat it, ill do so at an oven temp of 200 or so.  How long should I reheat it for?  3 hours?  Or go higher temp for shorter time?

blasting

Well that kind of blows.  Do you have a foodsaver?  I'd probably lean towards cutting it in half and food saver it.  Then heat up in a water bath, sous vide style, so it wouldn't dry out.

smbishop

Just brainstorming here...Refrigerate and put back on the egg for a couple of hours at the lowest temp wrapped.   Do you have the point?  You can always go with burnt ends starting a few hours before the guests arrive while you are reheating the flat....

busmania

smbishop said:

Just brainstorming here...Refrigerate and put back on the egg for a couple of hours at the lowest temp wrapped.   Do you have the point?  You can always go with burnt ends starting a few hours before the guests arrive while you are reheating the flat....

oooh, not a bad idea.  maybe I will do burnt ends.  It is as simple as cubing and smoking for a couple hours, right?  Never actually made burnt ends from a brisket point (I did them once with beef ribs).

northGAcock

busmania said:

Brisket was at 199 when I woke up this morning at 730.  Dinner is not till 5.  Right now it is FTC'ing in my microwave.  Should I let it sit for 2 hours then refrigerate and reheat later (ugh...I hate this idea) or just let it sit for 9 hours in the microwave?  9 hours might be pushing it, no?

Only one thing to do......brisket and eggs.

DoubleEgger

What happened that caused your brisket to finish earlier than you anticipated by nine hours? Let's try to solve that problem so your millionth +1 time is on the mark. Size brisket? Grade? Dome temp, grate temp if known, time etc. 

As far as today is concerned,get on the phone and tell folks to get their butts in gear and come over now. 

busmania

DoubleEgger said:

What happened that caused your brisket to finish earlier than you anticipated by nine hours? Let's try to solve that problem so your millionth +1 time is on the mark. Size brisket? Grade? Dome temp, grate temp if known, time etc. 

As far as today is concerned,get on the phone and tell folks to get their butts in gear and come over now. 

That's the thing, it was probably the most perfect cook (temp wise) I have ever done.  It finished 6 hours early.  My goal was to pull around 1pm and ftc for 4 hours.  Got the egg settled at 225 grate temp (dome was about 240), 3 hours later went to bed it was at 229, when I got up it was at 232.  Cant really ask for much better than that.  It was a 14 pound prime brisket from costco.  Probably 12-13 trimmed (needed almost no trimming, was the most perfect shaped brisket I have cooked yet). The point seems almost absent so I wonder if it is a lean piece (I hope not).  it probed so nicely at 7am. 

ryantt

 Set your oven to 160°, wrap the thing in for foil put it on the sheet tray and let it ride, held one for seven hours no problem. 

Had to ftc  part way wife needed the oven 

buzd504

busmania said:

That's the thing, it was probably the most perfect cook (temp wise) I have ever done.  It finished 6 hours early.  My goal was to pull around 1pm and ftc for 4 hours.  Got the egg settled at 225 grate temp (dome was about 240), 3 hours later went to bed it was at 229, when I got up it was at 232.  Cant really ask for much better than that.  It was a 14 pound prime brisket from costco.  Probably 12-13 trimmed (needed almost no trimming, was the most perfect shaped brisket I have cooked yet). The point seems almost absent so I wonder if it is a lean piece (I hope not).  it probed so nicely at 7am. 

Those Costco prime briskets do cook quick.  I'd have gone 15 minutes on the cutting board, then FTC into the best cooler I had - I'd peek, but I think you could go 8 hours and take it out.  Or 6 hours and move to oven.

But, generally, you shouldn't listen to me about brisket either.

smbishop

Here is a great place to start with Burnt Ends:  http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/07/beef-burnt-ends.html

FATC1TY

I would put in oven on lowest temp you can hold.. wrap in butcher paper, or plastic wrap and foil instead. 

FTC the last hour or so.. should hold the temp safely..

Chubbs

FTM - Fack the microwave

cazzy

As a couple mentiond above...stick it in your oven and turn on the warm setting (if you have it).   

This was in my oven for 10.5 hours @145

This was in for about 11:


I wouldn't go any higher than 170

lousubcap

What follows is a process I have had to use when the friggin cow declared victory at a cook-rate I had not seen before.  All thermos calibrated BTW.

Here is a process I use to get at least 8 hours out of a FTC (no comment on why the extended requirement...friggin cow:)) .  Pre-warm your cooler (I use and el cheapo Igloo) with hot water.  Heat some garage quality towels in the dryer.  Double wrap the target meat in HDAF and the towels, into the cooler and place in the sun.  You are good to go.  In winter-just leave it in the house and I am confident I could have hit 9+ hours with the brisket still > 140*F.  

There have been FTC's in the double digit duration so next time when the cow wins again give it a go.  If concerned, just stick a remote reading thermo in there and track the temp vs time.  You can always bail with the clock box.  FWIW-

SmokeyPitt

I had this happen and held it in my oven on the lowest setting (170) but it overcooked.   I tested the oven later with my maverick and set at 170 it fluctuates between about 175-190.  The brisket was still good but it fell apart like pot roast.  I had it wrapped in foil and in an oven bag and while that kept it moist it also "steamed" at those temps.  

tarheelmatt

SmokeyPitt said:

I had this happen and held it in my oven on the lowest setting (170) but it overcooked.   I tested the oven later with my maverick and set at 170 it fluctuates between about 175-190.  The brisket was still good but it fell apart like pot roast.  I had it wrapped in foil and in an oven bag and while that kept it moist it also "steamed" at those temps.  

I only do the warm feature,  not bake. Keeps around 150°. 

clintmiller

This doesn't help you with your dilemma for today, but I typically cook 15-16 pound Costco prime briskets. I cook at 250, and they almost always seem to finish in 11-12 hours. I don't think I've ever had one go over 13 hours. When I used to cook selects from my local HEB, the cook time was much longer, maybe 15-20 hours. But something about the higher fat content in the primes makes them cook faster, I guess.

If I were shooting for a 5:00 dinner, I'd say worst case, I get a 10-hour cook and am willing to FTC for 7 hours. So 5:00 - 7 hours = 10:00 am. Then 10:00 am - 10 hours = midnight.

So I'd start the brisket at midnight. Then, any cooking time between 10 hours and 16 hours allows me to FTC for 1-7 hours and serve dinner at 5:00. The most likely outcome is a 12-hour cook resulting in 5 hours of FTC.

Jcl5150

lousubcap said:

What follows is a process I have had to use when the friggin cow declared victory at a cook-rate I had not seen before.  All thermos calibrated BTW.

Here is a process I use to get at least 8 hours out of a FTC (no comment on why the extended requirement...friggin cow:)) .  Pre-warm your cooler (I use and el cheapo Igloo) with hot water.  Heat some garage quality towels in the dryer.  Double wrap the target meat in HDAF and the towels, into the cooler and place in the sun.  You are good to go.  In winter-just leave it in the house and I am confident I could have hit 9+ hours with the brisket still > 140*F.  

There have been FTC's in the double digit duration so next time when the cow wins again give it a go.  If concerned, just stick a remote reading thermo in there and track the temp vs time.  You can always bail with the clock box.  FWIW-

I’m going to give this a try today.  Did a 12 pound prime packer from Sam’s last night.  Threw it on at midnight at 240.  This morning at 8 the temp on the dome had crept to 290 and the friggin’ cow was probing like buttah with internal temps of 205.  I FTC’d and with the hot towels and am going to dump some boiling water in to keep warm since we aren’t eating until 4.