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Big Brisket Cooking Time

I have a large brisket to smoke tonight. 15 pounds out of the bag. I know rule of thumb is 1 1/2 hours per pound. With this large of a brisket, that would mean 22 hours.

What suggestions for time for this big of a brisket does everyone have?

Thanks!!

Comments

  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    Cook it at 300 dome and you will shave some time off and it will turn out more moist. 
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • hr per lb at 275-300.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • A new guy here (new to BGE, not smoking briskets.  my first posting) --

    How I would proceed:

    -Cut the fat cap completely off.  You really don't need it (based on the 4 brisket's I've done since getting a LGE), and this way you can get rub on all surfaces.  This will reduce your brisket down to about 10 pounds, and let the heat and smoke in from all sides.
    -Rub with your favorite rub.  Use a fork to jab the rub into the meat.
    -Smoke at about 250 until you get an IT of about 160.  I like to use oak chunks for smoke.
    -Into foil pan(s).  Add finishing liquid (see below). Seal with HD foil.
    -Into oven at 350 for about 2 hours or until your chosen IT is reached.  You can smell it when it's getting close to done.
    -Slow cool as long as you can.  This part is very important, to get the flavored liquid drawn into the meat.
    -Remove from liquid.  Separate fat from liquid (if you trimmed it well, there won't be much).  Store finished brisket in decanted liquid until ready to heat and eat. (Liquid will thicken, when cooled, from rendered gelatin from the meat.)

    Finishing liquid:
    3 bottle of a nice Nut Brown Ale
    1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped
    1 bay leaf
    2 tablespoons chopped garlic
    salt and pepper
    Generous dash of your favorite hot sauce.
    Generous squeeze of honey.

    Simmer all together for about 1 hour.  Remove bay leaf.
    Pour into pan(s) with the brisket and braise to the final temperature, as described above.

    I have people raving over these briskets every time.  Experiment with beer types to vary the flavor.

    Good luck!

    Regards,
    wilsonhp
    --wilsonhp
  • pezking7p
    pezking7p Posts: 132
    Doing a 6 lb flat-only at the moment.  It went on at midnight, temp shot up to 260ish overnight and 6 hours later IT was 192, not quite done.  Still waiting on this bad boy but looking like about 1.25 hrs/lb.

    I've never finished by braising, but I think I have to try next time.  I guess I haven't done it because I'm worried about having soggy bark. 
  • Post-braising will indeed render the surface moist again, rather than hard and dry (bark).  I've always found the bark to be too dry, and lacking flavor, except for intense smoke.  I'm more about the internal meat flavor and texture, hence my chosen technique.  To each his or her own.  You gotta make what you like.

    Doesn't foiling and resting do pretty much the same thing to the bark?
    --wilsonhp
  • pezking7p
    pezking7p Posts: 132
    Foiling and resting does do the same thing I reckon.

    As it turns out, I closed off the egg entirely this morning, thinking dome temp of 260 would be enough to carry the brisket from 192F until it was done.  I was wrong.  Everything was done except the thickest part, but dome temp was down below 200.

    So, I've brought the thing inside, whipped up a quick beer bath, and it's now in the oven to finish.  Hopefully this works out well, company coming at noon.  Good thing I saw this post this morning or I might be outside panicking right now about re-starting my fire!
  • Glad to help.  Let us know how it turned out.

    I'm still searching for a new favorite Nut Brown Ale, as Leinies discontinued my favorite Fireside Nut Brown Ale.  Tried the New Glarus Fat Squirrel, but the flavor wasn't intense enough after the cooking.  So, I'm again looking for recommendations.  (I don't drink it, only cook with it.  I have other drinking favorites....)
    --wilsonhp
  • gerhardk
    gerhardk Posts: 942
    pezking7p said:
    Foiling and resting does do the same thing I reckon.

    As it turns out, I closed off the egg entirely this morning, thinking dome temp of 260 would be enough to carry the brisket from 192F until it was done. 



    I don't think it is a good idea to shut the egg down while you still have your meat in it, I think it invites bad smoke.

    Gerhard
  • pezking7p
    pezking7p Posts: 132
    Finished brisket at 300F in the oven in a puddle of beer/onions/garlic/hot sauce.  Pulled at 201, wasn't "fork done" but I wasn't going to push it any farther for fear that it was already over cooked.

    Foil, towel, cooler for 4 hours.  Delicious flavor but texture was terrible imo (though my standards are high).  It was like a smoked beef brick.  The edges were falling apart but were too hard to slice.  I guess I should have pulled earlier and just accepted some parts weren't quite done? 

    Either that or I should just smoke it, then foil it after it hits 160/170F internal. 
  • pezking7p said:
    Doing a 6 lb flat-only at the moment.  It went on at midnight, temp shot up to 260ish overnight and 6 hours later IT was 192, not quite done.  Still waiting on this bad boy but looking like about 1.25 hrs/lb.

    I've never finished by braising, but I think I have to try next time.  I guess I haven't done it because I'm worried about having soggy bark. 
    Flats are really hard to get right.  This was probably the best brisket flat I have done.  No the bark was not hard and black,  But this brisket flat was incredibly good.

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1141803/i-might-be-catching-on-to-this-cooking-brisket-flats#latest
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    Welcome to the Swamp.....GO GATORS!!!!
  • pezking7p
    pezking7p Posts: 132
    I wonder if I need to inject to get those kind of results.  I guess all the competition brisket guys can't be wrong....