Brisket Partners?


 
T

TBalazs

New member
I'm planning to do my first cook of a whole brisket, 11.5 lbs, so figuring about 18 hours.

Here's my question: I should have room to cook something else along with the brisket. Would it make sense to put some ribs in their with it or chicken or turkey (no pork, please)? Maybe during the second half of the cook? Could I put the brisket on the lower grate and add something on top in say the 12th hour? Or is it a bad idea to mix meats that way?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
 
I normally do a pork butt with my brisket but since you don't want that, you could do ribs but I don't do ribs with brisket so not sure the best options for that. The main thing I would say is to not do poultry with other meats on the same grate. Others may have better idea's.
 
adding something at the last minute is OK but like Bob said you don't want poultry juice all over your brisket if you're about to pull it from the heat. If the brisket still has hours left to cook I wouldn't sweat it, except for cross-seasoning.

Beef ribs can be seasoned with the same rub and who cares if you get beef drippings on your beef?

If you plan to foil your brisket there's not really any concern about drippings.

You could cook a whole mess of ABTs. Smoked mushrooms for a cream dip. Sausages.
 
No pork at all or just not pork butt? I think anything will work. Beef short ribs might be good but they can be a 10 hr cook in their own right. Chicken seems to like higher heat cook, but its an option. Pork ribs probably are the best thing. Some like a fattie might work, a meat loaf, etc.
 
TBalazs said:
I'm planning to do my first cook of a whole brisket, 11.5 lbs, so figuring about 18 hours.
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Depending on your cooker temp, don't be surprised if it's done well before 18 hours -- especially if you wrap it in foil at some point. I cooked a 12lb. USDA Prime packer a few weeks ago at 225-240, water in the pan and unwrapped in about 13 hours (tender at 190 degrees). You will find that briskets have a mind of their own as to when they'll get done. Since this is your first, don't over-complicate it. Your best aids will be a couple of temp probes to monitor progress -- one in the thick part of the flat and one in the cooker, close to the meat.

Regarding other meat in the cooker, The biggest issue I'd see is that you'd be opening the cooker a lot.

Again, since this is your first packer, my advice would be to keep the cook as simple as possible, take some notes on the progress of the cook and have a couple/three cold ones. Have fun.

Jeff
 
I have done bird with brisket in the past very successfully. As stated above, the main consideration would be ensuring the meat stays on long enough to eliminate the chance of any contamination from the poultry. You could also do a meatloaf, moinks, ABTs, or just plain peppers...

Regards,

John
 
You're going to need a side dish. Doctored up smoked beans is always a winner. Remember when you add to the smoker, you're temp will drop some for a bit.
 
TBalazs said:
I wasn't thinking to foil. Is that a bad idea?
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It's not necessary. I don't if I have time but there or reasons like a time crunch that I sometimes will. I've had one go 18 hrs before. Sometimes they cook a lot faster. I'm wrapping with butcher paper lately but that's beside the point
 
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