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Holding a brisket

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TexAg87
TexAg87 Posts: 22
in EggHead Forum
Happy holidays, folks!

I have a brisket ready that I was planning to serve tonight. It's finished smoking in the BGE, and is currently double-wrapped in foil and sitting in a 200º oven. We've now had to postpone the dinner for which I'd smoked it from this evening to tomorrow evening. What's the best way to serve the best possible brisket tomorrow? Should I try to keep it warm, and just add some broth or stock in the foil a few times, or put it in the refrigerator and warm it up tomorrow? If the latter, what's the best way to warm it back up before serving?

Thanks for your advice.
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Comments

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    Brisket doesn't reheat very well.  That's too long to keep it warm.  This is what I'd do, borrowed from the NYC Pastrami techniques they use in delis.  Wrap it up tight in foil and cool it down fast in the freezer (don't let it freeze) or refrigerator.  Then refrigerate. 

    The next day, rig up a steaming operation and reheat using steam.  You can do this with a turkey roaster or a crock pot - problem might be finding one big enough.   Keep the brisket out of the water on a rack - rig up a warming rack above the water.  Heat the water, create steam, and let the steam warm up the brisket until it's around 170 or so.  With brisket, you want to cut and serve immediately no matter how you cook it.

    If you can't manage that kind of set up, you'll have to wrap in foil with some broth and heat in the egg or oven. 

    Let us know how it goes - I've only done this with pastrami or small chunks of brisket.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,337
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    Given that nola has a great plan I will offer a different avenue-eat the one you cooked today and do another one for tomorrow-your testing cook today may yield some tweaks for the one you cook tomorrow.  That way you get to play with the BGE and get a doubleshot of brisket. :)>-
    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.
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  • TexAg87
    TexAg87 Posts: 22
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    Thanks for the reply nolaegghead. We'll try chilling the brisket overnight and reheat tomorrow afternoon. I'll let you know how it turned out.

    Lousubcap, I like your idea. Unfortunately, the same weather that caused the postponement is going to keep me from going to buy another brisket, so I can't make that idea happen. If I had another on hand, well...  
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  • rsmith193
    rsmith193 Posts: 219
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    If you have a vacuum sealer, you can seal it. put it in the frig and when you need it put the bag in boiling water for a few min. and it will be hot and just as moist as it was when you cooked it.
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    rsmith193 said:
    If you have a vacuum sealer, you can seal it. put it in the frig and when you need it put the bag in boiling water for a few min. and it will be hot and just as moist as it was when you cooked it.
    That would work too.  You'll need a special bag if that's a packer, or cut it into sections.  I have a roll that fan-folds out that would work - it's not a stock size, I special ordered it.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • rsmith193
    rsmith193 Posts: 219
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    nolaegghead said:
    rsmith193 said:
    If you have a vacuum sealer, you can seal it. put it in the frig and when you need it put the bag in boiling water for a few min. and it will be hot and just as moist as it was when you cooked it.
    That would work too.  You'll need a special bag if that's a packer, or cut it into sections.  I have a roll that fan-folds out that would work - it's not a stock size, I special ordered it.
    Where did you order the bags from. They would be great for some of the catering gigs.
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    Foodsaver.  You can easily fit a packer in one.  http://www.foodsaver.com/product.aspx?pid=12843
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • rsmith193
    rsmith193 Posts: 219
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    Thats great! Thanks I just ordered some.
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  • TexAg87
    TexAg87 Posts: 22
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    Here's what we wound up doing. Saturday evening we removed the point from the brisket, chopped that up, and ate some of it that evening. We then wrapped the flat in foil and put it in the refrigerator.

    Yesterday, I heated the oven back to 220º, opened the foil to add about 1/2 cup of beef stock, then closed the foil back up and placed it on a cookie sheet in the oven for about 2 1/2 hours before slicing and serving. It really turned out well!

    Thanks for the tips, all. I didn't see the vacuum seal comments until yesterday. We do have a FoodSaver, so if we're in this position again, we might try that.

    Have safe and wonderful New Year's Eve, everyone!
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  • Dave in Florida
    Dave in Florida Posts: 1,157
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    With only two of us here, I cook a packer, slice what we are going to eat, then vacuum seal the rest in slices in serving sizes and freeze it for later meals.  Then I take the frozen sealed bag and punch a small hole in it.  I microwave the bag from 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.  The brisket  turns out moist and delicious. Yes, you can dry it out by over microwaving it.  I have found the 2 1/2 to 3 minutes usually work for the size packs I make. Had some yesterday and the step-son who is visiting from the Army had it for the first time said "this is very good." Then I saw him digging in the freezer for another bag asking me how to heat it.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Welcome to the Swamp.....GO GATORS!!!!
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