Below-zero Brisket Cook

We had a storm blow through the area where I live on Christmas Eve into Christmas Day.  We got several inches of snow, winds up to 40 mph, and temperatures that dropped to about 15 with wind chills below zero.  Christmas with my parents, siblings, and their families was the day after Christmas and about a month ago I said I’d do a brisket for everyone.  Dinner was at 2, so I went out to light the Egg about 10 Christmas night (I’d shoveled the snow out earlier in the day).  I had trouble getting the lump going thanks to the Arctic wind blasts (I was using a paper towel soaked in veggie oil and a lighter).  I nearly gave up, but I finally managed to get it going.  I opened both vents and closed the dome immediately to protect from the wind and went to trim and season the brisket (16 pound prime packer from Sam’s seasoned with Hard Core Carnivore Black).  I went back out into the cold about a half-hour later and the lump was glowing a glorious orange, but the thermo needle wasn’t even moving yet.  It was so cold that I figured to heck with it, I’m just getting everything on now and I’ll regulate the temperature as needed.  I threw three big hickory chunks from Fruita on, put the plate-setter on, then the drip pan and grate.  Went and got the brisket and put it on, and by this time the dome temp had slowly reached 50.  I closed the dome but left both vents wide open as the needle dropped again.  I went inside and talked to SWMBO, then came out about twenty minutes later.  I saw the temperature climbing over 400 and looking down the top I could see a wood chunk had ignited.  I put on the daisy wheel and set it, then closed the bottom to just a sliver, and right away the temperature dropped to just under 300.  It was now about 11:30 pm and I’d been up since about 5:30 am when my son came running in.  I went to sleep until 3:30 am when I woke up by chance, so I went out to check the temperature and it was holding at a perfect 250.  Went back to bed until 7, checked again and still a perfect 250.  The meat was probing at about 190 by this time, so I left it on until 8:30.  Temps were just over 200 and it was probing like “buttah”, so I FTC’d.  We got to my parents, and I took it out and unwrapped it.  It was still nice and hot, so I sliced it up and everyone dug in.  It was honestly the tastiest brisket I’ve cooked yet.  I did the “bend test” and it had the perfect bend.  It was melt in your mouth delicious!  It was the most difficult conditions I’ve ever Egged in, but I’m glad I went through with it because the family loved it and devoured the whole thing...no leftovers at all!  It was truly a Merry Christmas!