Did something new and it worked like a champ

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Cooked a SRF brisket for a party my nephew was throwing this weekend. I wanted to use the dishwasher (Karubeque) but I didn't want to stay up all night and be a zombie all day at the party. It was a 15 lb brisket and probably a 15-18 hour cook at 250 so I did a bunch of research, found essentially nothing but snippets of wives tales and pitmaster lies but I decided to give it a shot anyway. The rare unicorn that is the twice smoked brisket (aka cook half at night, cool it and finish it the next day).

So I put it on around 6pm and had #1 son feed sticks of Post Oak to the beast while TFJ and I went out with friends for the night. Got home and the whole house smelled like a campfire. I asked him what was up and he said he left his door to the patio open (3 feet from the KBQ) because he loved the smell of fire. I think we will keep him. Anyhow, I got home and pulled it off around midnight. stuck it in the freezer for about an hour to rapid cool it then wrapped it and put it in the fridge for the night. I got back up at 6 am and finished it off back in the KBC unwrapped. It was done around 2pm and it was one of the best I have ever done. I'm not sure it was any better, but it was certainly no worse than it would have been if I had cooked it all the way through in one shot. It was perfect and I got to use a stick burner and get sleep. It got crushed at the party and everyone said it was one of the best they'd ever had (it was a good one and none of them had ever tasted SRF so take that for what it's worth). 

Anyhow- I thought it was kind of cool to do something different. I thought about throwing it in my BGE to finish still wrapped in the morning but I went ahead and finished it off in the Dishwasher. I would have thrown it in my bge to finish overnight but I thought it would finish to quickly if wrapped and I didn't want to finish it unwrapped over lump after spending all the time bathing it in sweet, sweet post oak.

It's only one cook but I really enjoyed it and the results speak for themselves. Another tool in the tool chest.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

The Cen-Tex Smoker

served poolside. Didn't get many pics- was gone fast

SkinnyV

Good to know, not similar but I yanked jerky off the dehydrator half way because it was going to run late and put in the fridge.started it back up next day and all worked out fine. 

Definitley worth a try on a cook if needed. I luckily trapped the smoke smell in the ziplock also no smell in the fridge to tick off the wife.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

never good to yank jerky half way. Even if running late.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

And this is why I never make burnt ends. Point sammies blow burnt ends away.

caliking

This is good intel.

But I think the key factor in your success story is this:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

...
So I put it on around 6pm and had #1 son feed sticks of Post Oak to the beast while TFJ and I went out with friends for the night.

I need to make sure caliprince learns these lessons. No other  temp controller needed.  

bgeaddikt

So you had to start from cold temps again with the brisket? Did you let it come up to room temp after pulling it from the fridge the 2nd time? Or slapped it right on the KBQ? I wonder if the same is possible on a butt. I hate being a zombie on overnight cooks.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

bgeaddikt said:

So you had to start from cold temps again with the brisket? Did you let it come up to room temp after pulling it from the fridge the 2nd time? Or slapped it right on the KBQ? I wonder if the same is possible on a butt. I hate being a zombie on overnight cooks.

I put it on cold which is why it took so long to finish. It would work for a butt too. Same concept. 

Eggcelsior

caliking said:

This is good intel.

But I think the key factor in your success story is this:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

...
So I put it on around 6pm and had #1 son feed sticks of Post Oak to the beast while TFJ and I went out with friends for the night.

I need to make sure caliprince learns these lessons. No other  temp controller needed.  

I'm the same way. There is no grass to cut at our house so they better get their **** together when it comes to the cookers. Making their beds alone ain't pulling no weight 'round here.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

caliking said:

This is good intel.

But I think the key factor in your success story is this:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

...
So I put it on around 6pm and had #1 son feed sticks of Post Oak to the beast while TFJ and I went out with friends for the night.

I need to make sure caliprince learns these lessons. No other  temp controller needed.  

Start them young and they will never know anything different. The KBC has a thermostat (as you saw at pig-a-palooza) so I felt comfortable with him tending the fire. He loved it. He was out there poking around every half hour with a cocktail in hand (wonder where he learned that). 

HeavyG

A few other folks with KBQ's on some other forums have done briskets in stages. Either cooked in multiple stages on the KBQ or shared stages with the KBQ and the hot tub.

I've not yet done a brisket on my KBQ but my plan is to KBQ>Hot Tub>KBQ for the finish spread over a couple of days most of which would be in the hot tub.

On the other hand, since the KBQ functions a lot like a convection oven cook times aren't nearly as long as on many other cookers so perhaps I'll just get up really early and commit to doing it all on the KBQ. My guess is that a brisket of the size you had might finish in 10-12 hours (maybe?) which I could deal with.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

HeavyG said:

A few other folks with KBQ's on some other forums have done briskets in stages. Either cooked in multiple stages on the KBQ or shared stages with the KBQ and the hot tub.

I've not yet done a brisket on my KBQ but my plan is to KBQ>Hot Tub>KBQ for the finish spread over a couple of days most of which would be in the hot tub.

On the other hand, since the KBQ functions a lot like a convection oven cook times aren't nearly as long as on many other cookers so perhaps I'll just get up really early and commit to doing it all on the KBQ. My guess is that a brisket of the size you had might finish in 10-12 hours (maybe?) which I could deal with.

It does cook a little faster but even 10-12 hours was too long for an afternoon lunch. If we were doing dinner i would have put it on at 6 am and cooked all day. I did that on my last brisket but it was only a 8 lber. It was done in 7 hrs and had to cooler it. I did cook hot on that one though and didn't love the results. There were some good bites but it was pretty crusty on the edges. Probably should have wrapped that one. This one I set around 250 (using my thermopop) and that seemed to do the trick. It bounced between 235 and 260 most of the cook. 

I could definitely see finishing on a BGE if you wrapped. I totally would have but I figured it would be done in 3 hours and that timing really didn't really help me. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

HeavyG said:

A few other folks with KBQ's on some other forums have done briskets in stages. Either cooked in multiple stages on the KBQ or shared stages with the KBQ and the hot tub.

I've not yet done a brisket on my KBQ but my plan is to KBQ>Hot Tub>KBQ for the finish spread over a couple of days most of which would be in the hot tub.

On the other hand, since the KBQ functions a lot like a convection oven cook times aren't nearly as long as on many other cookers so perhaps I'll just get up really early and commit to doing it all on the KBQ. My guess is that a brisket of the size you had might finish in 10-12 hours (maybe?) which I could deal with.

would you PM the forums you are talking about? Would love to see what others are doing.

Focker

The kbq<hot tub<kbq has merit, if I were ever to cook brisket again.  Would be much easier to tend.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Focker said:

The kbq<hot tub<kbq has merit, if I were ever to cook brisket again.  Would be much easier to tend.

chef steps has a great SV brisket. They finish in the oven with smoked salts etc but I finished on my bge. Mine turned out a little weird but I didn't do it right. You could tell all the parts were there so I want to try again soon. 

SkinnyV

So why was pulling off the jerky different than a cook? Temp? 

Foghorn

I just like how clean the brisket gets after 12+ hours in the dishwasher.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Foghorn said:

I just like how clean the brisket gets after 12+ hours in the dishwasher.

very clean.

Focker

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Focker said:

The kbq<hot tub<kbq has merit, if I were ever to cook brisket again.  Would be much easier to tend.

chef steps has a great SV brisket. They finish in the oven with smoked salts etc but I finished on my bge. Mine turned out a little weird but I didn't do it right. You could tell all the parts were there so I want to try again soon. 

Cool.  I saw a post recently from Kenji that was intriguing.
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/08/sous-vide-barbecue-smoked-bbq-brisket-texas-recipe.html

Holding in the fridge for up to one week, and using the bag juice in a finishing or dipping sauce would be nice options too.  The no trim concept, or even a trim and season before finishing on the pit concept, was interesting.  Would hold off on the liquid smoke though.  Could separate point and flat to SV, and pull when done separately as well.  

Where did things go awry in the BGE finish?  Seems like 275-300 dome would be a good range to firm things up.   

blind99

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Focker said:

The kbq<hot tub<kbq has merit, if I were ever to cook brisket again.  Would be much easier to tend.

chef steps has a great SV brisket. They finish in the oven with smoked salts etc but I finished on my bge. Mine turned out a little weird but I didn't do it right. You could tell all the parts were there so I want to try again soon. 

that's on my project list, as well.  I'd love to be able to get a tender brisket flat with good smoke and bark and I think SV may be the answer.

blind99

caliking said:

This is good intel.

But I think the key factor in your success story is this:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

...
So I put it on around 6pm and had #1 son feed sticks of Post Oak to the beast while TFJ and I went out with friends for the night.

I need to make sure caliprince learns these lessons. No other  temp controller needed.  

Seriously, this is could be a brisket camp for kids.  Instead of swimming and arts and crafts they can do butchering, smoking, curing. Spirited games of Capture the rockwood.

HeavyG

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

HeavyG said:

A few other folks with KBQ's on some other forums have done briskets in stages. Either cooked in multiple stages on the KBQ or shared stages with the KBQ and the hot tub.

I've not yet done a brisket on my KBQ but my plan is to KBQ>Hot Tub>KBQ for the finish spread over a couple of days most of which would be in the hot tub.

On the other hand, since the KBQ functions a lot like a convection oven cook times aren't nearly as long as on many other cookers so perhaps I'll just get up really early and commit to doing it all on the KBQ. My guess is that a brisket of the size you had might finish in 10-12 hours (maybe?) which I could deal with.

would you PM the forums you are talking about? Would love to see what others are doing.

Hmmm... it appears that I have only actually bookmarked one KBQ thread on another forum:

http://www.letstalkbbq.com/index.php?topic=14993.0

It's a long thread but the fellow that started it has done some nice cooks.

There are other KBQ users on the BBQ-Brethren forum and the AmazingRibs forum (which is paywalled) has quite a few KBQ users. I haven't bookmarked any specific threads but a search should turn them up.

I don't recall where I read about a fellow doing the KBQ/hot tub brisket but I'll see if I can dig that up.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Focker said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Focker said:

The kbq<hot tub<kbq has merit, if I were ever to cook brisket again.  Would be much easier to tend.

chef steps has a great SV brisket. They finish in the oven with smoked salts etc but I finished on my bge. Mine turned out a little weird but I didn't do it right. You could tell all the parts were there so I want to try again soon. 

Cool.  I saw a post recently from Kenji that was intriguing.
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/08/sous-vide-barbecue-smoked-bbq-brisket-texas-recipe.html

Holding in the fridge for up to one week, and using the bag juice in a finishing or dipping sauce would be nice options too.  The no trim concept, or even a trim when serving concept, was interesting.  Would hold off on the liquid smoke though.  Could separate point and flat to SV, and pull when done separately as well.  

Where did things go awry in the BGE finish?  Seems like 275-300 dome would be a good range to firm things up.   

It wasn't the bge finish that did it. I didn't have time to finish it when it was done in the brine so I had to hold it in the fridge for a few days. I don't think I rinsed it well enough or something but the pink salt I used for the smoke ring grew to like and inch thick. It also had an odd texture in parts. It was close but I think the extra days in the fridge played with the chemistry a bit and threw it off. I posted it on here somewhere- I'll look for it. 

Foghorn

blind99 said:

caliking said:

This is good intel.

But I think the key factor in your success story is this:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

...
So I put it on around 6pm and had #1 son feed sticks of Post Oak to the beast while TFJ and I went out with friends for the night.

I need to make sure caliprince learns these lessons. No other  temp controller needed.  

Seriously, this is could be a brisket camp for kids.  Instead of swimming and arts and crafts they can do butchering, smoking, curing. Spirited games of Capture the rockwood.

If we got organized we could even use them to do good testing of a variety of things like "best way to start the fire", "best lump", "best temp for a brisket cook", etc.

CenTex has a pretty big back yard...

Focker

HeavyG said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

HeavyG said:

A few other folks with KBQ's on some other forums have done briskets in stages. Either cooked in multiple stages on the KBQ or shared stages with the KBQ and the hot tub.

I've not yet done a brisket on my KBQ but my plan is to KBQ>Hot Tub>KBQ for the finish spread over a couple of days most of which would be in the hot tub.

On the other hand, since the KBQ functions a lot like a convection oven cook times aren't nearly as long as on many other cookers so perhaps I'll just get up really early and commit to doing it all on the KBQ. My guess is that a brisket of the size you had might finish in 10-12 hours (maybe?) which I could deal with.

would you PM the forums you are talking about? Would love to see what others are doing.

Hmmm... it appears that I have only actually bookmarked one KBQ thread on another forum:

http://www.letstalkbbq.com/index.php?topic=14993.0

It's a long thread but the fellow that started it has done some nice cooks.

There are other KBQ users on the BBQ-Brethren forum and the AmazingRibs forum (which is paywalled) has quite a few KBQ users. I haven't bookmarked any specific threads but a search should turn them up.

I don't recall where I read about a fellow doing the KBQ/hot tub brisket but I'll see if I can dig that up.

A great thread on the KBQ.
Can relate, with the thinning of the herd, and outdoor chair comments. 
Those reheated brisket tacos, lamb, zagna, Jesus H...
Gonna try some searing/cooking with the mangrate on top of the firebox.  
Sooo looking forward to football season with a KBQ in the yard. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1189046/sous-vide-brisket-cook/p1

here is my first go with the chef steps SV/egg finish brisket

jeffwit

I worked in a BBQ restaurant in high school and college, and the owner did this with butts all the time. Would let them get about 1/2 way cooked and then pull them off and into the fridge for the night. Once the fire was up and running in the morning, he would put the partially cooked ones back on and they were done by lunch.

blind99

Foghorn said:

blind99 said:

caliking said:

This is good intel.

But I think the key factor in your success story is this:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

...
So I put it on around 6pm and had #1 son feed sticks of Post Oak to the beast while TFJ and I went out with friends for the night.

I need to make sure caliprince learns these lessons. No other  temp controller needed.  

Seriously, this is could be a brisket camp for kids.  Instead of swimming and arts and crafts they can do butchering, smoking, curing. Spirited games of Capture the rockwood.

If we got organized we could even use them to do good testing of a variety of things like "best way to start the fire", "best lump", "best temp for a brisket cook", etc.

CenTex has a pretty big back yard...

@foghorn great idea!  and think of the merit badges they could earn...

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I've made it this far without being on a single registered sex offender list. I don't think I'm going to be passing out blindfolds and playing "guess the meat" or "find the lump" with my neighbor's kids starting now.

Foghorn

That idea went south quickly.

Centex, when the concept of teaching kids to do butchering was mentioned I first thought of our pig farm - but only for a microsecond because it is no place for a kid - so your house was the next logical choice.  @caliiking is a kids' doctor, but given his specialty, we'd be at risk for games like "find the keistered meat" and "lump or turd"...