Brisket Question

SeeRockCity

So...[p]What do you do if your brisket finishes way before you're ready to eat it? I mean, I've seen cook times frange from the 6-7 hours Elder Ward quotes for an 11 pounder, to 3 days. Sounds like it really depends on the meat. OK, no problem, I've got a 13 lbs packer cut brisket which I'm going to put on at 250 with plate setter and drip pan at 8:00 pm the night before we eat so that 20 hours later (4:00 pm) the brisket should hit the low end of the average estimate of 1.5 hrs/lb. What if it finishes at 10:00am? I've seen some posts where a brisket was done a lot earlier than expected. I know I can stick it in a cooler with some towels and tin foil for 2-3 hours but what If I need to hold it for 6-8 hours? What do I do?[p]I'd probably start it earlier so that I can accomodate for the higher end of the usual temperature estimates (2 hrs./lb) but I have no idea what to do with the brisket if it somehow manages to finish several hours before my guests expect to eat it.[p]Any ideas are apprecieated.

Celtic Wolf

SeeRockCity,[p] Wrap it up tight with Foil. Line a cooler with towels and place the foil wrapped meat in the cooler. Cover the meat with more towels.[p] You can extend the time it will stay in the cooler buy pre-heating the cooler with hot water. Dump it out, dry it, and then line it with towels.[p] Depending on the ammount of fat on the brisket and whether it a flat or a packer I'd probably put it on at 10PM

mojopin

SeeRockCity,[p]I've seen Alton Brown use an electric heating pad to keep things warm for awhile, might work out for you on low temp in the cooler.[p]-Jill

The Naked Whiz

Celtic Wolf,
You can also keep things going in the cooler longer if you take a couple of fire bricks, cover in foil, heat in a 500 degree oven for 30 minutes, place in cooker, cover with slightly damp towel, then put brisket and rest of towels on top of that....[p]TNW

Grillicious

The Naked Whiz, I've used your brick idea a couple of times with great success. I heated them in my gas grill and then put them in the cooler that was already heated by the Austin sunshine. I put some newpaper on top of the bricks before adding the tightly wrapped brisket and towels. 6hrs later it was around 180*! I left my Maverick meat probe in it so I could monitor it, and I did add a little beef broth to the foil to keep it from drying out. Except for two slightly melted spots in the bottom of the cooler it works great.

SeeRockCity

Celtic Wolf,[p]
It's a packer with flat and point. Loods like about 1/2" fat cap...[p]Still 10:00?

SeeRockCity

The Naked Whiz,[p]Great Idea, thanks![p]-r

Celtic Wolf

SeeRockCity,

I'd trim the fat down to about a 1/4" Save the fat. Then about half way or 3/4's into the cook put the cut off fat over the brisket to self baste it. Works best with a two tier grate.[p]