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Stacking a low and slow

Unknown
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I'm trying to maximize cook space, what do any of you think of using a grid extender so i can do a brisket and picnic at the same time (brisket on the lower and picnic on the upper). i kno the picnic will be on longer, but has anyone tried this method?[p]as always, a bge novice thanks you.

Comments

  • goldencoop,
    Butt(s) over brisket is done often by several on this forum including me. [p]"stacking"... I have the grill extender (the bge one) I'll stack 2 butts over two butts in a cross or X pattern with great results. You want to keep some air gaps between the meat on each level, but your cook will start out with the butts on top touching portions of the meat on the bottom - not too big of a deal IMHO. You may want to rotate them for better bark development, but that is the only issue as I see it. The timing on these two are different, but you can compensate by starting the brisket after the butt using the "time to cook" guidelines - 2 hours per pound for butts and 1 - 1 1/2 hours for brisket. If you don't get them to finish together or close together you can always wrap one or the other in foil and keep in a cooler wrapped in towels. I usually wrap them in foil, rest in cooler anyway before I pull butts & cut brisket.
    There are some folks who have posted pix of the set-up. Maybe thay can re-post or point you to a site to view. Sometime a picture is worth a thousand words.
    Good luck and keep us posted on your cook! Joe[p][p]Butt(s) over brisket - a great cook! the drippings from the top help the brisket moisture. Some like the flavor transfer - other do not... a personal thing

  • dan
    dan Posts: 57
    Smokin Joe,
    I'm going to be doing the same thing this weekend, Picnic and brisket, and I know when I did my brisked last time, I had it on the extender and indirect. Can you just stick the brisket on the extender and the picnic on top of that? Then when the brisket is done, wrap and put in a warm cooler and wait for the picnic? Or is there a better set-up than that? Also, with the skin on the picnic - get rid of it or keep it? Any suggestions would be great.[p]Thanks,
    Dan

  • goldencoop,[p]I have cooked in two layers in the cooker quite often and will be doing this kind of cook in the morning. I do use a grid extender but it is placed below my two grids and the drip pan rests on it. This setup can all be done in your kitchen which is nice in lousy weather. [p]15MVC-015E.jpg[p]The above picture shows two large butts over a brisket just before I carried it out and dropped it into the cooker.[p]8MVC-020E.jpg[p]This picture is of 2 butts with one over the other and several small brisket flats. I would have preferred to have the butts over the brisket but didnt have enough room. [p]24MVC-008E.jpg[p]This cook was four large pork butts and the total weight was close to 33 pounds. The picture was taken before the drip pan was added. I have probably done this cook 60-70 times and it works well.[p]Hope this will give you an idea of one method for two layer cooking in the Egg.[p]Dave

  • Dan,
    My set-up is indirect w/ plate setter legs up, drip pan laying on the plate setter, main grill, brisket on it (or first two butts in a north/south pattern, grill extender over the brisket (or lower level butts)and butts on the grill extender over the brisket or east/west to the lower level butts. There may be a better way, but this is how I do it and haven't ever had a problem.[p]Foil wrap & cooler - it's not an issue if the brisket finishes first wrap it & into the cooler. I wait to put the brisket on and try to time them to be done roughly same time. Most times it worked great and a few times the brisket was done first. Again, no biggie. I warpped it and into the cooled it went. [p]Skin on the picnics - I slice X's and rub generously. Some remove it, rub and put it back on. Others remove completely - a matter of preference.

  • Old Dave,
    Nice looking set up you have there! Joe[p]PS: Did I read that you were in the pizza business? Where? While I was in college I worked a pizza joint at the Jersey shore for four years. It was my room mate's family's place. I'm learning that there are many parrallels to the "science & art form" between the BGE and making dough/pizza's. Both are a lot of fun too!

  • dan
    dan Posts: 57
    Smokin Joe,
    I have an old large clay egg, so I have been told that the plate setter will not work with it ( plate setter diameter too small ). I might try a second grid and firebricks. Thanks,
    Dan

  • Dan,
    Any indirect set up should work. Keep us posted! Joe

  • Dan,[p]Would seem strange to me that a plate setter wouldn't work in your cooker. When these things first came out, they just set on the standard cooking grid and I guess I don't understand why one wouldn't work in your older clay cooker. Another thing, plate setters come in many different sizes from many different sources. They are not unique to the ceramic cookers. You might want to try another source and just pick out the size you think would work. [p]Dave

  • dan
    dan Posts: 57
    Old Dave,
    I was under the impression that the plate setter sat directly on the ring, which is why I thought it wouldn't work. If you are saying that I would still use 2 grills, and just have the plate setter in-between it, then that should work great. I was just confused. :)[p]Thanks,
    Dan

  • Dan,[p]You are correct in that the plate setters coming from BGE now do sit on the fire ring. I have one of the older ones and I just set it on the standard grid and then use another grid on top just like you suggest. [p]Dave