Brisket Cook Time??!!

Unknown

I know I'm reverting to panic mode, but I'm going to be cooking for a friend who is a well-known chef and loves the Q. I have a double brisket (in addition the the picnics, etc.) I figure it weighs about 10+ lbs. (got it from my butcher and don't know the exact weight) What time do I put it on to be done about 3 pm on sunday. [p]thanks for the help. if my wife doesn't divorce me after this weekend, it won't be because i was easy to get along with :~)

HolySmokes

goldencoop,
your butcher doesn't have a scale????[p]noon Saturday for a low 'n slow[p]best,HS

Yazoo

goldencoop,[p]What kind of setup are you using? If you're cooking the brisket indirect with the butts over them, I'd put the brisket on somewhere between 12:00pm-6:00pm Sat, maybe even the same time as the butts. It's a gamble. Again, depends on your setup.[p]I'm just a hack, but I cooked a 14lb packer indirect, over a platersetter at 250 dome temp and it hit 195 after 18 hours. Maybe I got impatient and took it off too soon.[p]Here's the best I can explain cook time and what you should expect. Of course, I've only cooked 3 briskets, I'm a hack. If you put the brisket on at noon Saturday, it will finish in 15 hours and you'll be up a 3:00am taking it off and wrapping it in foil. If you put it on at 6:00pm Saturday it will still be cooking at 3:00pm Sunday. Take your pick.[p]Somebody has to have better advice than me.

Mike in MN

goldencoop,
I think I'd put the whole works on about 5:00-6:00 PM. Preheat the egg, and don't let it get out of hand. Add the smoking wood when the meat goes on. Place the butts on a raised grid over the brisket.[p]Using the dome thermometer, I'd run it 225°-250° and be cautious with it the entire cook. (again, don't let it get out of control... + or -). Make sure that dome thermometer has been calibrated, the firebox has been cleaned and packed plum full of fresh lump. [p]Indirect is the only way. You have to have something blocking that heat...a platesetter is the preferred piece of equipment... I would also use a drip pan with liquid in it... not required, but I like the results. With a platesetter, this is a simple addition. [p]The dome should remain closed as much as possible. Towards the end, I like to mop the butts with a combination of apple juice, Scott's BBQ sauce, seasoning, Rice wine vinegar... [p]195°- 200° internal is what I shoot for. The only time to bump the temp is towards the very end, if you need to hurry things. I normally don't, and it does drag my cooks out 20-24 hours. I'm usually not on a schedule when I do these cooks.... [p]If you are done early, wrapping the foiled meat in towels and placing in a preheated cooler will give you up to 5 hours of hold time....then pull or slice.[p]Good luck. [p]Oh ya, just another hack...[p]Mike in MN

Mike in MN

Mike in MN,
BTW, for my stacking of meats, I use a cheap, flimsy pastry cooling grid, placed on top of my regular grid. They have a set of fold down legs, and they stand about 3" tall. I coat with olive oil, and they work just fine. I think they are sold in lots of 3(??)[p]Measure, check, and recheck everything before the party begins....[p]Mike in MN

Unknown

Mike in MN,
I see your wish list is for a "medium" egg. Well I just got a smal for my birth day and I want a medium. I have also looked at the Primo, but to rich for my blood.
Any thoughts as to why you want the medium? Is the L too big for most applications?

The Virginian

goldencoop,
Congrats. First, I would calibrate the thermometer to make sure that the temps are accurate (put end in boiling water and adjust so it reads about 212. Or, if you do not know how to adjust it, just compensate with a little mental arithmatic to make sure you are running the egg at about 220-230). [I lost a butt last week because I forgot to calibrate and ended up running too cool overnight][p]I would put it on around 5 PM. Pull it off when the internal temp hits 190-195. The goal is to have it done 2-4 hours earlier than you need it, wrap in heavy foil and put into an empty ice chest (put old towels or blanket on top of the foiled meat before closing the lid). That will make it more tender. It will still be plenty hot after several hours. The internal temp should be at least 140 degrees when you go to slice it (a health/safety issue). [p]If you are getting short on time and it does not look like the brisket will be up to temp in time, you can wrap the brisket in foil and return to the Egg for the last couple of hours, which will accelate the cooking process. Keep a close eye on the internal temp though to make sure it does not get away from you. [p]You can store the brisket and the butts, each wrapped in foil, in a single ice chest if it is large enough, for several hours. Do not put them all in a small chest, though, as the collective heat may overcook the meat (they will need to go in separate chests in that case). [p]Best of luck.
Brett

Unknown

<p />Yazoo,[p]Cooking indirect with plate setter. Guru set to about 220 to 240. I'm going to put the 2 picnics on top of the brisket. After everything I've read, they're going on at 5 pm today. [p]Here is a pic of the brisket (that is if I figured out how to post a photo correctly)[p]Thanks to you and everyone else for the help.

Unknown

HolySmokes,[p]lol. he does. i threw out the package and can't remember the weight. think it's about 10+ #s. You really think I need to get everything on that early?[p]thanks

Unknown

The Virginian,[p]per your suggestion, i was thinking of 5pm. a bunch of others are saying much earlier. i'm doing 2 7.5# butts on top of the 10+# packer brisket. i'm figuring on roughly 2hrs/lbs on the butt and 1.5hrs/lbs on the brisket. or about 16 hrs for the butts and 12+ for the brisket. (all at 240 deg. on the guru and a done temp of 195-200) [p]this sound right to you?[p]thanks for being patient with another newbie