How long can you hold a Brisket?


 
T

TonyM

New member
Hey all,

It's been awhile, but I decided to do another Brisket last night. It is a 13 pound packer cooked @ 235, put on at about 11:30pm last night and hit 190 at 8am. Seems it got done a little early this morning and I was wondering how long I can hold it at temp and what the best method is?

I need to hold it about 5 hours, right now I have it foiled up and in the oven @ 170 degrees, thought I would ask someone that has faced this issue before, usually we do them on a weekend and if they finish early we just finish up preparing the sides while it rests and eat.

Thanks for any advice, I appreciate it.
 
5 hours is a little long. I've held them wrapped in foil in a cooler for 3 hours before. They turned out a little mushy after holding so long. Had to slice them pretty thick to keep it from falling apart. Since you are holding them in the oven right now you could probably just turn it off and be ok.
 
Frankly I would be more concerned that the 190 @ 8am reading was accurate. At 235 it is not likely that a 13lb brisket hit 190 in 8.5 hours. I see speeds not quite that fast when I cook closer to 300.

Are you certain of the 190 reading? Did that come from a probe that was in the meat all night? Did you check it with a different probe? With the same probe in a different spot? Did you feel it (with the probe or a fork) for tenderness?

Size, thickness, internal marbling, temp of meat when it was placed on the grate, foiling during cooking and cooker temp all are factors in speed of cooking so cook time can certainly vary but if you did not confirm doneness by temping another spot (preferably with a different therm) or by feel I would check it again.

If you confirm the doneness then do not apply heat to the brisket--in other words don't have the oven set higher than finish temp or it will keep cooking. 170 is good. Turn the oven off no sooner than 2.5-3 hours before you plan to slice and serve.
 
Hi Kevin,

I ran the Guru at 235 measured at the grate with the Guru probe. I had a probe in the vent of the WSM that read a steady 245-250 each time I checked it last night and this morning.

The Guru Probe in the brisket said 190, I verified it by removing the guru probe and placing it in another spot of the point, and with yet another probe in another point of the point. Readings were 190 - 195 depending on placement.

I agree, it does seem fast, and not quite as much bark as my previous Briskets. I'm thinking that three different thermometers should be accurate.

Thanks for all your advice.
 
I'm thinking that three different thermometers should be accurate.
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One would hope!

It is hard to know what people know or don't just from limited written interaction on the board. It may seem fundamental but not everyone would recognize 8.5 hours as being particularly fast and might not confirm. My intention was not to offend.

Briskets that are very well marbled--especially if the marbling is very fine--often require significantly lower cook temps in order to slow their rise to finish. Here's hoping that yours will be perfect.
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Tony,

What Kevin said about the time and temp is the first thing I thought about when I read your post. Just completed a 12 lb brisket last Sunday. Started at 9:00pm and pulled it at Noon the next day. Grill temp was consistent at 230ish with slight variation a 210 when I got up at 6am to check. I don't have a guru and rely on my ET-73. I place the probe in the thickest part of the flat - not the point as I read somewhere that the point gives a false reading due to the fat content.

Anyway, it's all good!
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My experience has taught me that the grade of the meat, and the marbeling have a great deal to do with how quickly a brisket will cook.

If you have a USDA Select cut, it will take longer to cook than a USDA Choice or CAB.

I cooked a 11.5 pound brisket this past weekend at a IBCA comp - put it on at 9:30pm and took it off at 7am. My calibrated pen thermo was dead on at 195 after only 9.5 hours.

BTW, I wrapped it in double foil, and placed it in a cooler filled with newspaper until 1:30pm (6.5 hours after coming off the cooker). I had two remote probes sticking in the brisket to ensure that the temperature of the meat never fell below 140. When I pulled it to slice at 1:30pm, it had only fallen to 153* from the 195*.

For what it's worth...
 
Details:

It was CAB.

It was Good.

Turned out very moist, very tender. I would have to call this one my best Brisket yet (number 6 or 7).

Thanks again to everyone for the info.

-Tony
 
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