Brisket Start Time

HDmstng · January 4

I'm picking up a packer brisket from the butcher tomorrow (Friday) that I'd like to be ready at 4PM on Saturday. It should be in the range of 10-12 lbs. I'm open to cooking temps and would like to have it on the Egg around 10-11 PM on Friday night. I do have a Maverick to monitor temps, but no assisted temperature control. In searching the forums I've read about 14 lber's finishing up in 9-10 hours (seemed fast), what should I expect for a 10-12 lb brisket? I'd like to shoot for a 1-2 PM finish time, then FTC until 4.

Thoughts?

ricklruss · January 4

I usually rub it down and refrig for at least 3 hrs, overnite if i can. then let it come to room temp, cook it on 210 til it reaches 183 (12-16 hrs). I like to pull mine at 183 degrees and let rest in a cooler (wrapped in foil) for 2-3 hrs

If its not there within a couple of hrs from your desired pull time, wrap it in foil.The temp tends to stall out around 160 -170.Im talking hours!

I also smoke my chips and chunks in burbon and water and put the water?burbon fron the chips in a foil pan under the grillalong with some fresh rosemary.

i also use a digiq to regulate my egg for long cooks such as this.

this may not give you enough time but the brisket will melt in your mouth!

ricklruss · January 4

thats soak not smoke the chips LOL

travisstrick · January 4

I'm gunna disagree with the above. Soaking ur wood will only produce steam and I would never remove a brisket at 183 internal temp

I am disagreeing as respectfully as I can. I don't intend to dog the other guy but in my experience, that won't turn out well. Your and his mileage may vary.

I'd do 300 dome and expect 1.5 hrs per pound. Brisket is done when its done. Doneness is determined by tenderness. (Usually around 195-205).

I'm sure others will chime in and tell you how wrong I am. Good luck with whatever you do.

loveTheEgg · January 4

I disagree with the above and agree with ricklruss. the last 10 brisket I have cooked (10-12 lbs) I cooked them just as ricklruss describes. I have pulled all of them at 187 and they were very tender and very moist. each one took around 18 hours. I am by no means saying travisstrick is wrong. just stating what results I have had. to each its on.

nolaegghead · January 4

Soaking chips generates a lot of steam (white smoke) which may look sexy, but it doesn't add any smoke flavor. If you cook hotter, you can power through the stall and get less moisture loss before the collagen and connective tissue (that make brisket tough) break down. Especially if you do a flat or smaller brisket, higher temps like Travis uses can be your friend.

It's done when it's tender. If that's 187, that's unusually low, but maybe because you cooked it slower. When you cook it around 300 dome (probably 275 grate), it's usually tender around 200, give or take. Measure the temp on the flat - it cooks slower than the point (if you're cooking a packer). Points may be done at lower temps - they have more fat, and that fat is like cooking the meat via confit...

rsmith193 · January 4

There are many different methods that you will hear, and none will be totally wrong and many willbe totally correct. Here is what we do for winning brisket.

We wll inject the brisket the night before the cook, (you can use a simple beef broth), and put the rub on it. Light the egg and bring it up to 250 doome temp. but the brisket in with what ever smoke wood (we use mostly Hickory). When the meat temp is at 170, I seperate the point from the flat, wrap the flat and put it back in the egg. I then cube the point and put it into a pan, put more rub over the cubed point and put some sauce in the pan. I will add more smoke wood. before putting the pan back in the egg. When the flat reaches 198 pull it out and unwrap, pour the juice intoo a cup and loose wrap it and put it into the cambro( or large empty ice chest). about an hour pull the pan of burnt ends out and loose cover and put in the cambro. you can hold the brisket there for several hours. From 33 degrees to 198, on a 12 to 14 pounder it usually takes about 8 to 9 hours.

Good luck and enjoy the brisket.

BigTex33 · January 4

I agree with Travis and Nola... I used to believe that mine were tender at 185 (they were good) and then I made the happy "mistake" of letting one get away from me and go until 196. Turned out to be one of the best I have ever cooked. Since then I have judged brisket by tenderness more than temperature. I think temperature doesn't tell you when a brisket is done but gives you a rough idea when to check for tenderness. When the probe goes in and out like a hot knife through butter, they are done (mine are usually 195-200 when that happens). I cook at 300 dome and do not soak chunks but I do throw a water pan on the plate setter. My last cook was a 14# packer, smoked with post oak, that was done in 9 hours and probably the best I have ever smoked.

SmokinDAWG82 · January 4

I never soak my smoke wood. Steam can be a bad thing.
I also cook brisket to 195° IT

Not disagreeing with anyone else method but this is what works for me.

HDmstng · January 4

Thanks for all the input. Lots of different ways to go, for being my first overnighter I think I'm going to try and keep it simple. Get the egg started around 830 and the brisket going on at 10 at about 250 dome. My goal is for a 14 hour cook, taking me to about 2PM. That should give me some wiggle room to FTC until 430. If it looks to be taking longer around noon, I may bump the temp up to 300ish.

I grew up in Central Texas, and mesquite was what was used the most, funny that post oak seems to be the go to wood for smoke now. But I'll stick with mesquite chunks (unsoaked) and cook until fork tender.

robnybbq · January 4

My last brisket - 15lbs was a full packer. Cooked at 250 Put the meat on at 8:00 PM anticipating a 14-18 hour cook - Took 10 hours. Was not fun getting up at 3:00 AM with the Maverick going off stating the meat was at 185 already. Pulled the brisket at 195 (7:00 AM) when the meat thermometers slid in and out very easily. FTC'd the brisket for 4 hours then kept in the oven at 130. Ate at 6:00 PM. Was awesome.

Crispix49 · January 4

Had a similar eggsperience as robnybbq. Just did a 14lb packer which I figured 1lb an hour at 275-300 dome. Ended up at around 9 hours having to pull at 8am for a party that night...turned out OK, but brisket is not as good reheated. Every piece of meat has its own personality.

HDmstng · January 4

Just got back from the butchers and ended up with a 14 lb brisket. Hopefully a lower temp will keep it close to 1.5 hr/lb.

On a side note, opened up a green bag of royal oak, tiny pieces of lump. Ended up chucking most of it. So small they could easily clog the vent holes with just a small amount of burn time.

HDmstng · January 5

Got the fire going and waiting to get stable.

HDmstng · January 5

Got the brisket on at 1130 after letting the fire go for about an hour+ prior. Dome was up to about 320F with the bottom vent at 1.5" open and the petals fully open on the DW. I closed it down to about 3/4" on the bottom vent and 1/2 open on the petals. Showing a grid temp of 235 on the Maverick now and will see how it settles out in the next 30-45 minutes. Hopefully won't be a big chase.

HDmstng · January 5

Held steady at 250 till 1am, then at 2am temp was at 263. Alarm was set at 265 so I very slightly closed the petal on DW. For such a tiny adjustment, temp dropped to 210 by 5am. Opened petal slightly and am at 268 at 730. Closed the lower vent slightly and we'll see what happens.

Finally got to see how only a 1/4" on the lower vent and slight dw gives you 260F. Never had such a full firebox and it would always take more air flow.

IT is 169 after 8 hours+, hoping to be done no sooner than 12 noon.

travisstrick · January 5

Sounds like everything is going just fine. If you get in a pinch, you can always drape foil over the meat and crank the heat up. You could do 350 dome with no problem. The foil keeps the bark from burning.

HDmstng · January 5

Still moving along. About 13 hours and the flat is not quite up to temp yet and probing was difficult. Currently at 180 with a grid temp of 240 which was bumped up from 230. It is climbing slowly, shooting for 265 for the final push.

I think if I'd had stayed at 265 I'd have been done by now, but since not serving till 4, still got plenty of time.

HDmstng · January 5

About 16 hours later, all done! Fat cap down, temps ranged from 210 to 270F, finished off at 260. FTC'd and ready to head out in about 45 minutes!

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