Brisket....never easy for me

1WVU

Having some friends over this evening and my wife wanted me to cook a brisket.  I’m still not comfortable enough with brisket to be confident enough to serve it to guests, but she talked me into it.  Prepped last night, got up at 4:30AM to fire up egg and put brisket on.  As I’m getting egg to temp I notice that my Flameboss is reading “low” for the pit temp. I open the egg and for some reason there are flames that have scorched the pit probe.  So now I need a new probe.  I left the egg open too long as I’m trying to figure out the probe issue and overshoot my target temp.  So now I’m going by dome temp, which is currently sitting at 295.  Is it too early to start drinking?  I’ll post pictures if it’s not a total failure. 

Foghorn

You’ve got this. 295 is a good cooking temp for brisket. It’s not too early to start drinking but it is too early to be drunk - if you care about the brisket results. 

lousubcap

Local house rules-light the fire = time for an adult beverage; food on = time for an adult beverage and then as needed for the supervisory adult beverage monitor role.  Time of day independent.

At 295 *F it should cook faster than you are used to (assuming you normally cook in the 240-270*F range on the calibrated dome); could end up at around 0.7-0.8 hrs/lb at that temp.  Don't know the size of the protein or plan to serve time but give yourself a couple of hour FTC if possible and then enjoy.  The key is to nail the feel in the thick part of the flat and then declare victory; temperature be da-ned.  The feel will likely happen in the low 200's*F although I have seen 'em go to around 208*F before releasing (getting loose).   FWIW-

Spaightlabs

Just make sure that if you decide to try to bring the temp down you don't overdo it and choke the fire out.  If you leave it where it is now you'll be fine, if you start chasing a lower temp you'll be wrestling with it for the next couple hours and you will need to start drinking.

1WVU

Definitely not chasing.  I’ve been down that road before and learned my lesson many years ago.  If I’m within 20 degrees of my target temp I leave it alone. Brisket is a 15 lb packer (untrimmed).  Serving at 6 so will hopefully get some cooler time before serving.  One of the things I’m going to look for is a class/tutorial on trimming a brisket.  Im not comfortable at all with it right now and am just winging as I watch Aaron Franklin on YouTube.

Spaightlabs

Square off the end of the flat dead perpendicular to the grain and you'll have your slicing guide built in. 

ewyllins

You got this, if anything the point will be awesome!!! If the flat doesn't taste good, chop it up and make some chili. Drink on, hang with the egg, and have a good time.

lousubcap

1WVU - PM sent with some brisket cook info.  May be of use (or not) for the next one.  Above all, enjoy the cook-the most fun cook you can have with the BGE. 

XC242

If your wife wanted you to do this for friends I’m thinking you’ve done pretty well with the Brisket cooks you’ve done in the past. Try to draw confidence from her confidence. No matter what, unless you totally turn it into a meteorite (which isn’t gonna happen), everyone there is going to appreciate your effort. I agree with @ewyllins you got this. 

1WVU

Just pulled.  Gonna let it rest then into the cooler

Foghorn

Bam!  Looks great.  No wonder your wife asked for it. Get us some sliced pics. 

bgebrent

Nice recovery.  Time for a beverage.

thetrim

GrateEggspectations

This is why I opt for low-tech cooking. 

ryantt

I cook briskets at 275, which bbq terms is 250-300. Your picture looks like you nailed it.  Make sure you let us know how amazing it is.