First brisket

The last one I did was close to the same size (maybe 1lb lighter) and it was ready to come off after only 8.5 hours.  I had planned for a longer cook but I had to drape it over a rib rack in order for it to fit on the LBGE so it was higher up in the dome and cooked quicker.  

That's my latest cook so take it for what it's worth. 

I am not a brisket expert - I have made some really good ones and some really poor ones.  The last one I did started out at 18.7 pounds.  After trimming, it was probably closer to 16 pounds.  I cooked it at 260 at the grate.  After 10 hours it was at 175 internal so I foiled it to push it through the stall.  Took around an hour and a half to get to 202 and it probed nice so I pulled it off and FTC for several hours until we were ready to eat.

Every piece of meat is different so it is very hard in my opinion to try to time everything so the meat is getting done shortly before you are planning to eat.

I would plan your cook for the meat to be done well in advance of your planned time to eat.  I really think a long FTC on a big cut of meat helps the finished product.   Won't hurt it a bit to sit in a pre warmed cooler, wrapped in some towels for 6 hours or more.    That way you don't have to try to figure out exactly how long it is going to take to time everything perfectly.  Sit back with your beverage of choice and enjoy the process!  Just my thoughts.

There are two reasons to foil or wrap in paper during the cook - you want it to cook faster or you don't want the bark to get any darker.  That's it.  You can also just wrap when it comes off during the resting phase.

Aim for a grate temp of 250-275.  Hopefully you have a wireless thermometer?  You want to start probing it at about 190 and when the whole thing probes like butter you pull it and wrap it for resting.  Briskets can rest for 5 hours easily.  Just wrap it in an old towel and stick it in a cooler, it'll be fine.  It's much better for it to be done hours ahead of time than for it to be done hours after you want to eat, right?

FYI, foil will cause the brisket to steam.  So your bark will be soft when you cut it.  Not a terrible thing but some people will take the foil back off for the last 30-45 minutes to try to firm the bark back up.  The alternative is to use the non-waxed butchers paper which will not soften the bark so much.  Everyone is right, though.  Lots of ways to get there.  Best to experiment and see what works for you.

Give the Aaron Franklin brisket videos a look. They will steer you right.  The "Payoff" video takes all the mystery out of how to slice the flat and point.

If that's my brisket I probably cut out a little more of that fat that looks white in the bottom center of your brisket.  Also, trim down the whole left side of the brisket to get that brown stuff off there.  You should find a whiter fat underneath.  That brown stuff is no good for eating IMO.

Also make a note of the way the grain is running.  You'll want to know which way to slice when it comes off.  While it's cooking you should watch the AF video on how to slice it.

@feef706- I don't know how to interpret your post above to Tinyfish as surely there were many opportunities in prior posts to come up with a plan.  The BGE affords many ways to get there-the cook just needs to pick one and go.  FWIW-

@feef706 I sent you a pm with the link to my cook of a 16lb brisket prior to trimming. The post shares temps and I actually uploaded the excel file of the temperature over time exported from iGrill.

A couple of things:  As mentioned above, slice a small piece off the flat perpendicular to the grain before you create that meteorite and I run fat cap down for the addition heat protection.  I also run with the point to the back around the high noon position.  That's the hottest part of the BGE and the point has enough fat to never be worried about in the cook-i.e. it will ride along just fine til the flat releases.  Also, foil protect any part of the brisket that is outside the heat deflector, especially the thinner section of the trailing end of the flat.  
Gotta love the cook-too much fun.

I'm doing one tonight too. I'll roll with you if you need anything. 

lousubcap said:

@The Cen-Tex Smoker -  you know you really ought to read "all the other stuff" as it could mess you up   Enjoy your bonding catering adventure with @Cazzy this weekend if my mind has not totally failed me.

It's just tfj and I on this one. 

Enjoy the weekend.