Brisket....

Royal Coachmen

It has been a very long time since I last prepared a brisket so I have a few questions for everyone:

1. Does it freeze well? I've read other posts on here that suggest it does not freeze as well as pulled pork.

2. I cook to an internal temp of 195 degrees right? I plan on cooking at 225 degrees until I hit the right internal temp.

Thanks.

lousubcap

Don't know how it freezes vs pork but that's not a deal breaker in my book.

Finish on a brisket-packer or flat-go til you can insert a probe in and out of the thickest part of the flat w/o much resistance.  Start checking around 190*F but they can go to the low 200's.  225*F on a calibrated dome is low for your cook.  Most BGE's have a sweet spot somewhere around 250 on the dome.  BTW-your dome will generally run around 20-40*F hotter than the coooking grid on an indirect cook when you start out.  Gap closes up the longer the dome is shut.  Expect around 2hrs/# at 250 on the dome.  Plan long and FTC (foil, towel and cooler) if finished early.

Here are some great links-

http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/texas_brisket.html
http://www.bubbatim.com/
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/recipes.htm
http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/03/brisket.html

Enjoy the journey!

Royal Coachmen

Very Helpful Lou! Thanks!

Let me ask this, is it necessary to cook the  brisket in a foil cake pan? I plan on cooking on a raised grid using the AR and ensuring it is cooking indirect.

Royal Coachmen

One more thing I thought of, if I decide to cook this in the morning (it's a 7lb brisket) I guessitmate I could be ready to pull it by 5-6 pm if I put in on around 7 a.m. Of course I cook to temperature...so in the event it is not on the time frame I need, will wrapping in foil speed up the cook that much?

Chubbs

No need to put in foil pan and yes wrapping in foil (Texas Crutch) will speed it up. If need to speed up you can bump up temp too

lousubcap

Couple of things to consider-you need to make sure the BGE is stabilized before you load up the brisket and that can easily take upwards of an hour or more-so you will start earlier or eat later.  Don't chase dome temp-if it's 240-290 it's good.  Google Texas Crutch as mentioned by Chubbs (Augusta/Masters scoreboard eggspert) to see the method to cut down the cook time but I would plan long and not rush it.  Sounds like you have a flat and if you want to go with a modified braise method, search for the BGE World famous Travis method-"how I do it" for another approach.  Search function here is very weak but use google and add big green egg to your query and you will find it.

BakerMan

I usually smoke my brisket about 5 hours on the egg starting it at 6:00 am. At the five hour mark I wrap in foil and finish it in my oven. I need my Egg to make wings/ABTs for apps and BBQ Baked beans to serve with the brisket. We usually eat around 5 or 6.