Cooking Multiple Briskets on the WSM.


 

Y Rawat

New member
I'm smoking three Dry Aged Aberdeen Angus Briskets for my first supper club for friends and family next weekend.

I wanted some advice regarding timings and fuel consumption on my 57cm (22.5") WSM

I'm going putting an extra (smaller) rack in by using a few tin cans between the first and second rack. So I can house three 6kg (13lb) Briskets.
I'm looking to start at 3am!! with dinner served at around 7pm. So I have around 13-14 hours on the smoker! After which i will rest the briskets in a cooler! And start on some smoked chicken wings!

Will the timing be affected by using three briskets/grates??
Do you think I will need to top up charcoal briquettes??
Any good recipes for Smoked Chicken Wings on the WSM?? Im thinking about smoking then searing, but maybe tempted to take the water pan out an cook on at a higher temp??

Any support is much appreciated!
 
That's a pretty ambitious cook! I think you'll be fine. Definitely fill up on charcoal. Depending on cook time and size of briskets you might give yourself a little more time, maybe more like 16 hours.

For chicken wings I'd definitely take out the water pan and cook at 350.
 
That's a pretty ambitious cook! I think you'll be fine. Definitely fill up on charcoal. Depending on cook time and size of briskets you might give yourself a little more time, maybe more like 16 hours.

For chicken wings I'd definitely take out the water pan and cook at 350.

Thanks for the advice, Dusty.. Im starting at 2.30am!! So will have some leeway and can take it up to 16hours if required!!
 
A couple of things, as long as you have appropriate space between the meats, which it sounds like you have, your cook time will not be any longer than say if you were cooking just one brisket. The key is the space for proper air flow between the meats. Secondly, I would make sure to place to know what the difference in temp is between the rack levels. Perhaps in the grand scheme of things 10-15 degrees difference might not greatly affect the cooking time, but it is a good thing to know and understand that one meat will be cooking faster than another meat. This will mean a lot especially if you were going to wrap, you may end up wrapping at different times.

As far as the charcoal is concern, yes top it off. Here in the states I use the 18.6 lb of Kingsford. I put the entire sucker in at the beginning. It is a big pain in the arse to have to refuel in the middle of the cook. If you don't remove the middle section, make sure you at least remove the lid so when the ashes and dust fly they blow away and not settle on the meat. And that's about all the advice I can offer right about now.
 
Are you planning on wrapping with foil or butcher paper at the stall? If you are not, you could have a time problem. You won't have a problem holding a brisket in a faux cambro if they are done early. Just a thought.
 
A couple of things, as long as you have appropriate space between the meats, which it sounds like you have, your cook time will not be any longer than say if you were cooking just one brisket. The key is the space for proper air flow between the meats. Secondly, I would make sure to place to know what the difference in temp is between the rack levels. Perhaps in the grand scheme of things 10-15 degrees difference might not greatly affect the cooking time, but it is a good thing to know and understand that one meat will be cooking faster than another meat. This will mean a lot especially if you were going to wrap, you may end up wrapping at different times.

As far as the charcoal is concern, yes top it off. Here in the states I use the 18.6 lb of Kingsford. I put the entire sucker in at the beginning. It is a big pain in the arse to have to refuel in the middle of the cook. If you don't remove the middle section, make sure you at least remove the lid so when the ashes and dust fly they blow away and not settle on the meat. And that's about all the advice I can offer right about now.

Thanks Andre!!
The tin cans are approx twice the height of the briskets. Which should be enough.
I have a new Fireboard Cloud connected thermometer with an ambient probe which will place in the middle grate.
I will be wrapping in Parchment Paper, as we dont have butcher paper rolls like the US!! I may use foil, depending on how well the cook is going!

Thanks again for the much needed advice!!
 
Are you planning on wrapping with foil or butcher paper at the stall? If you are not, you could have a time problem. You won't have a problem holding a brisket in a faux cambro if they are done early. Just a thought.

Thanks again Bob, I will be wrapping in Parchment Paper and maybe foil depending on how well at cook is going?
Do you usually wrap before or after the stall??

Many thanks again for your replies, really appreciate it!
 
Y. Welcome.
I agree, cram as much fuel in there as you can. For long cooks I prefer briqs as opposed to lump. I find they burn longer and are more consistent.
I've seen people crutch, (wrap), briskets at 165f IT regardless of whether it has stalled or not. By this time the bark has hopefully set & the meat won't take on any more smoke. My 0.02p. Good luck.
ps. If you search for threads by Enrico Brandizzi you'll get some grate info on cooking briskets. This guy can cook brisket. Below is a few threads from him.

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?67944-20161017-Brisket

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?66940-20160808-Brisket

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?64561-Brisket-Success-(what-a-bark!!)
 
Y. Welcome.
I agree, cram as much fuel in there as you can. For long cooks I prefer briqs as opposed to lump. I find they burn longer and are more consistent.
I've seen people crutch, (wrap), briskets at 165f IT regardless of whether it has stalled or not. By this time the bark has hopefully set & the meat won't take on any more smoke. My 0.02p. Good luck.
ps. If you search for threads by Enrico Brandizzi you'll get some grate info on cooking briskets. This guy can cook brisket. Below is a few threads from him.

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?67944-20161017-Brisket

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?66940-20160808-Brisket

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?64561-Brisket-Success-(what-a-bark!!)

Thanks Tony, a fellow Brit!!
I will be using briquettes for the whole cook. I stocked up last summer!! Only UK folk will understand the issues getting charcoal from Sep to April!!
I've checked your links!! Wow.. Enrico Brandizzi cooks some amazing stuff!!

Thanks again!
 
Any good recipes for Smoked Chicken Wings on the WSM?? Im thinking about smoking then searing, but maybe tempted to take the water pan out an cook on at a higher temp??

I dust mine in rub, cook 2hrs at 225, then remove the middle section of the smoker, place a grill grate directly on the charcoal ring, and use the high heat to crisp the skin of the wings. Which happens VERY quickly, so move them through in batches so you don't burn 'em. The coals will get very hot and you'll get lots of flare ups - just keep 'em moving and you'll be done before you know it. (I do this every year at our super bowl party)

As for your start time. I'm not an early riser. I'd prefer to start the smoker earlier and have the meat on around midnight, then get a decent night's sleep. If they're ready early, wrap in foil and hold in a cooler, and move to the warming draw later if you need to keep the temp up.
 
I dust mine in rub, cook 2hrs at 225, then remove the middle section of the smoker, place a grill grate directly on the charcoal ring, and use the high heat to crisp the skin of the wings. Which happens VERY quickly, so move them through in batches so you don't burn 'em. The coals will get very hot and you'll get lots of flare ups - just keep 'em moving and you'll be done before you know it. (I do this every year at our super bowl party)

As for your start time. I'm not an early riser. I'd prefer to start the smoker earlier and have the meat on around midnight, then get a decent night's sleep. If they're ready early, wrap in foil and hold in a cooler, and move to the warming draw later if you need to keep the temp up.

Thanks for the advice Jeff!!
 

 

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