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Brisket Cook Times?

I have had quicker cook time than I expected on my last 3 brisket cooks, all 3 were in the 10-14 lbs range.  All 3 were prepared and cooked the same way: Rubbed, indirect, plate setter legs up, drip pan, placed straight on grill.  Grill temp 275 with DigiQ, dome temp approximately the same, no fluctuation in temps that I noticed, cooked to 180 internal, wrapped in foil for an hour then pulled off at 204 internal.  All came out excellent.  What makes me go hmmm is:  The 10-12 lbs took 6 hours, the 14 lb took 7 hours.  Anyone else having this happen or have a guess why the time is not 1 to 1 1/2 hrs per pound as I have been reading?  Not complaining because results were all great just wondering.
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XLBGE, LBGE, 2 Superior SS-2 gravity feed smokers;  Medford Lakes NJ

Comments

  • nealcr1
    nealcr1 Posts: 198
    Interesting.  I'm 6.5 into a 5lb. flat @ 150 degrees.  Internal only around 180.

    Mini Max, Medium BGE, Large BGE, Lodge Cast Iron Sportsman, Digi Q II, Woo 2, AR with Oval setup
  • nealcr1
    nealcr1 Posts: 198
    @250...not 150
    Mini Max, Medium BGE, Large BGE, Lodge Cast Iron Sportsman, Digi Q II, Woo 2, AR with Oval setup
  • Yes that is interesting and about what I would expect from what I have read.

    XLBGE, LBGE, 2 Superior SS-2 gravity feed smokers;  Medford Lakes NJ
  • nealcr1
    nealcr1 Posts: 198
    Pulled mine @ 9:30pm with a 195 internal temp.  HD foiled it and put in the fridge.  Saved all of the drippings and mixed with Fox Brothers BBQ sauce.  I will put in the crock pot on low tomorrow with the sauce dripping mixture and bring it back up to temp.  
    Mini Max, Medium BGE, Large BGE, Lodge Cast Iron Sportsman, Digi Q II, Woo 2, AR with Oval setup
  • Very nice, hope it is good for you.

    XLBGE, LBGE, 2 Superior SS-2 gravity feed smokers;  Medford Lakes NJ
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    Wow those are quick cooks. Of the few briskets i've done, the lo n slo ones took all night.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Your dome thermometer might be reading low - happened to me one time.  Everything started cooking real fast.  I checked the calibration on the dome and it was reading 40F low, so I was stabilizing the egg 40F high.  It all made sense.  All the food came out great - just goes to show you that temp and time are variables you can adjust significantly to meet your schedule without impacting the quality of your roast.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Your dome thermometer might be reading low - happened to me one time.  Everything started cooking real fast.  I checked the calibration on the dome and it was reading 40F low, so I was stabilizing the egg 40F high.  It all made sense.  All the food came out great - just goes to show you that temp and time are variables you can adjust significantly to meet your schedule without impacting the quality of your roast.
    Thanks nolaeegghead.  I have checked the calibration and it is spot on.

    XLBGE, LBGE, 2 Superior SS-2 gravity feed smokers;  Medford Lakes NJ
  • I believe it's because the brisket is flat. Ham or roast would be more rounded. Bringing the internal temp up on a ham or roast is going to longer because depth to the center. I cooked a brisket Wed. Night for the 4th. My problem was the meat barely fit in my large. The thinner area close the ends were a little more done than I wanted. I foiled the meat for 4 hrs in a cooler before we served it. Really brought it back to a good moisture level. It must have been ok. I may have gotten a 1/4 lb myself before it was gone.
  • SteveWPBFL
    SteveWPBFL Posts: 1,327
    edited July 2013
    I put a 16 lb. packer on last night at 7 pm to the tune of 260F grate/dome with an Auber controller holding it to within a few degrees up and down. When I woke up this morning to check it at 5 am it was DONE, butter and 210F everywhere. That's 10 hours for 16 lbs or .625 hr/lb. That puppy's in the oven 'resting' at 180F right now waiting for the party to start at 2pm. Lower to go slower next time, I guess.....
  • @SteveWPBFL, thats about what my times have been.  I guess as long as the out come is great I will just have to adjust my start time.

    XLBGE, LBGE, 2 Superior SS-2 gravity feed smokers;  Medford Lakes NJ
  • bigguy136
    bigguy136 Posts: 1,362
    I have on a 19 lb packer with the point seperated from the flat cooking at 350. When IT hits 140, I will wrap with foil till 205. All takes 6 hours.

    Big Lake, Minnesota

    2X Large BGE, 1 Mini Max, Stokers, Adjustable Rig

  • @bigguy136, I might need to try 350 degrees and see how a brisket comes out.

    XLBGE, LBGE, 2 Superior SS-2 gravity feed smokers;  Medford Lakes NJ
  • Those are really fast cooks! I did a 10lb packer last night at 248 grid and it was done in 11hrs on the nuts. Little over 1hr per which is normal for me.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    My last 2 have been quick as grits. Something is in the water. Both less than 1 hour per lb.
  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273
    My rule of thumb is 1.5 hours per pound for Boston Butt and 2 hours per pound for Brisket.
    Cookin in Texas
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,168
    Must be the knock-on impact of last year's drought :)>-   And if you buy that then I have a bridge-but the consistency of the quicker cooks is puzzling.  I will self-validate (or not) next weekend on the brisket flat side of the earth.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • Jai-Bo
    Jai-Bo Posts: 584
    I've done 1 in short as 12 hr. and then a long one at 18 hours....I like to pull mine at an internal of 195.  May depend on fat content, and whether you put it on straight from the fridge or let it get room temp....
    Hunting-Fishing-Cookin' on my EGG! Nothing else compares!
  • Hmm, I do let the brisket sit out for about an hour before I put them on.
    XLBGE, LBGE, 2 Superior SS-2 gravity feed smokers;  Medford Lakes NJ
  • bigguy136
    bigguy136 Posts: 1,362

    @bigguy136, I might need to try 350 degrees and see how a brisket comes out.

    I've posted several of my past brisket cooks at 250 and I always did the burnt ends from the point and the dried out thinner areas. Now at 350 and wrapping in foil when IT is 140, everything is tender.

    Big Lake, Minnesota

    2X Large BGE, 1 Mini Max, Stokers, Adjustable Rig

  • DavidL
    DavidL Posts: 41
    Cooked an almost 14.5 lb. brisket just yesterday. Sat out for at least an hr. before I put it on the fire. Cooked (indirect), the first several hours at 200* dome temp, then slowly raised it to 250* where it remained the rest of the cook. Removed it 14 hrs. later with an internal temp of 145*. So, about an hr. per lb. for me.
  • @DavidL, interesting pulling off at 145 degrees.  How is the texture and tenderness of the brisket ending at that temp?
    XLBGE, LBGE, 2 Superior SS-2 gravity feed smokers;  Medford Lakes NJ
  • DavidL
    DavidL Posts: 41
    @DavidL, interesting pulling off at 145 degrees.  How is the texture and tenderness of the brisket ending at that temp?

    Oops. That was a typo. Sorry about that. Must be sleep deprivation. I removed it at 194*. Not sure how I got 145*. Would not recommend removing it at 145*. Thanks for the catch!
  • RV10Flyer
    RV10Flyer Posts: 140
    I cooked a 16.5 pound Select (assuming, not marked) this weekend and I pulled it at 200 after 18 hours.  Dome temp was 250 most of the time.  It seemed to hit a second plateau at 195 so I bumped the temp up to 275 to push it to 200.


    North Texas

    XL and Small BGE