First Big Brisket - 12.75 lbs - Help ! ! !

Green_Giant · July 2006

While I'll usually excuse myself from the weekly grocery run, today I had an alterior motive: something to cook on the egg. And did I hit the mother load: a 12.75 lb "full packer" brisket. I am excited, as this is a longtime favorite and one I've been wanting to egg for myself. How 'bout keeping me out of trouble with some guidance?[p]Plan: I plan to rub it with some "Bone Suckin" rub that I got at Denver's "Outdoor Kitchen" (where eggfest will be next month) plus a little turbinado sugar. After reading a few recipes, I plan to cook indirectly using an inverted plate setter and a drip pan filled with water. [p]This is planned for our Wednesday night meal. Recipes have guided me to cook at 250 degrees dome, and at that temp cooking time will be about 2 hrs per pound...Correct? "Nature boy" warns of some needing as much as 3 hrs per..... [p]Unfortunately, I have a business meeting tomorrow evening, which means I won't be able to put this lil slab o' heaven on until about 9:00 pm or so....So, do you think 21 hrs of cooking with no rest (from 9 pm to 6 pm the next day) will be enough? Or do you think I need to raise my temp a bit to compensate? [p]This is also for my inlaws, with whom my family has lived post-Katrina, so I want to impress. [p]Thanks for any tips or guidance. Dickson

Unknown · July 2006

Green_Giant,[p]I certainly am no expert but I see some parts of your plan that may be questionable. The drip pan is good but no water, egg doesn't need water on slow cooks. It's just there to catch the drippings. [p]Dome temp is good but the 2 hrs/lb is just a rough estimate. More important is to wach the internal temperature of the meat. Around 165 internal foil it up, put it back on till about 180. From there I tend to do the fork test to see if it is tender. [p]With close to 13 lbs of meat you want to get this right. Shame you didn't have a smaller one to do first as a test. [p]Anyway, good luck....I'm sure when everyone gets back from the weekend competitions they'll give you more (and better) advice. I tend to stay away from brisket as it's a tough, dry piece of meat. I try to concentrate on other foods.[p]
Howard

Unknown · July 2006

Green_Giant,
I live north of Denver and I just finished a 11 lb. brisket. Indirect heat at 225. I took it off after 9 hrs. It was really tender. I put it in foil and then in my cooler, until I was ready to serve it. [p]Gary

Green_Giant · July 2006

Also, in looking at the brisket, it ranges from 2" thick to much thinner at one end...[p]In order to not overcook that thin end, should I fold it under?[p]THANKS.

JimW · July 2006

Green_Giant,
First of all, the most it should take to cook is 1 1/4 hours/lb, and it may be done sooner than that. I start checking it at about 180 degress internal. If it's tender and juicy, I pull it. If not I let it go longer, up to 190 degrees or so. The important thing is to prolong the time the meat spends between 160 and 180 degress internal. You may want to decrease the dome temp during the latter part of the cook.[p]Second, plan on 4 to 5 hours rest time in the cooler after you take it off. Just wrap it in foil and a towel and put it in a cooler to hold.[p]Hope this helps.
JimW

Green_Giant · July 2006

JimW, THANKS. That's a huge help. Actually, that means my timing may be just about right. If I put on tonight at about 9:00 pm, I can cook it all night and tomorrow morning. I'll drive home from work and check at lunch time. If it's done to 180-190 and tender then I can pull and put in a cooler until dinner...If not, then I can prolong the cook through the afternoon....[p]THANKS

First Big Brisket - 12.75 lbs - Help ! ! !

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