5 briskets in the WSM


 
D

Dimitri

New member
I'm having a BBQ for around 85 people, and I want to smoke 5 briskets at once. The most I've ever smoked in my bullet are four 16-lb briskets. I was debating whether to buy a 2nd smoker, but then I saw that Cajun Bandit sells something called the "Extended Rack Support Kit25" which adds a 3rd grate without an extension tube: 6" clearance between each grate. I bit the bullet (so to speak) and bought the kit.

I suspect I'm in uncharted waters here, but figured I'd ask anyway: does anyone here have experience smoking 5 or more briskets at once on the 22" WSM?

Here's what I'm thinking:
5 x 16 lb briskets: 80 lbs total.
2 briskets on the top grate, 1 in the middle, 2 on the bottom.
No water in the pan.
Minion method.

Smoking 5 briskets means 25% more meat, so my fuel will run out 25% faster. I figure I can get 8-10 hours of steady heat before I'd need to replenish.

I was also thinking of maybe wrapping them at that point, and finishing them in my kitchen oven, to free up the smoker to do 120 sausages.

Any thoughts or advice?

D
 
I smoked 4 butts once on a WSM 18". I had a really hard time maintaining temperature, and my theory was that all that meat/mass basically impeded the airflow needed to keep the cooker at temp. I'll defer to the BBQ physicists on here, but that was my experience. If I was going to do what you are doing, I would add five or six hours to what would be the normal time for 1 brisket. If it goes well and they are done on time, they keep well resting in the cooler anyway.
 
WOW!

Last briskets I did, I tried the foil boat method once it hit the stall. Was the best I had done, so that is my new method going forward. I did 3 at a time but that was on my pellet pooper.
 
I smoked 8 pork butts before, but I wouldn't recommend 5 brisket. I actually have 2 22's now. How many sides are you having, and how many need to be smoked?

Last big cook was for my sons wedding. I did pork butt I reheated the day of the wedding. Did the sides the day of.
 
Hi folks.
I appreciate all the responses.

Yes, airflow is the challenge here.

For the last 15 years, I've smoked four 16-18 lb briskets (64-72 lbs of meat), and even though they initially take up the entire surface area of both grates, they're done after 10-14 hours (depending on weather and size) and usually turned out tender, with a good smoke ring and nice bark.

Call me crazy, but what if add a 6th brisket? Hear me out:

Shouldn't six 13-lb briskets (spaced sufficiently apart on each grate) have better air flow than four 16-18 lb briskets (with no initial space between them)? My gut tells me yes, and I think I want to give it a shot.

Worst case, I fail spectacularly. I'll adapt. I'll salvage whatever brisket I can, and serve it with smoked sausages, pickles, onions, bread, bourbon slush, and some banana cream pudding: I've had worse meals.

I'm intending to wrap them and finish them in my oven anyway, so the only thing I have to manage is time. The party's at 2 PM. Assuming I'm wrapping them at 170 F, and finishing them in my gas oven:

10 PM: light charcoal and bring smoker to 235 F.
11 PM: load 6 briskets, adjust the dampers, and get some sleep.
6-8 AM: wrap briskets at 170 F, finish in gas oven until 195-200 F (9 AM - 12 PM), then keep in an insulated cooler for a few hours.
10 AM: light charcoal and bring smoker to 235 F.
11 AM: smoke 60 sausages (20 per grate).
12 PM: smoke 60 more sausages

It's happening May 10. I'll update this post, with pics, and final results, in case it helps someone in the future. It'll either be smashing success or a train wreck in slow motion. Either way, it'll be interesting.

D
 
Personally, I would look at some long holding times, like finishing the first batch of briskets about 24h before. But hey, you got a plan. There is only one thing left to say:

Godspeed Dimitri! Godspeed!
 
I did 6 -10# butts on my 18.5" WSM. Set three on each grate stacked like a tepee.
After a few hours they shrunk so I was able to lay them down normally. No water and ran 250-275.
The amount of meat you add doesent really change the time from one to six or eight. It just takes longer to come up to temp, once there its solid.
I did rotate top to bottom mid cook cause I get better color on the top rack.
I've been reading about an overnite rest for briskets in a oven, supposed to do wonders?
Might be worth trying on 0ne or two.
 
I’m think you can do it. I’d add a water pan and target 250-275° on the temp. The water pan will help regulate temps so you can get some sleep without fear.

I like the idea of wrapping at 170° and finishing in the oven. That’s a sane way to get to the finish line comfortably.

Once wrapped, temps zoom along at a predictable.

A trimmed 16#, is an easy cook. Getting 5 of them into a 22” will be a challenge at first but then they’ll shrink for better airflow.

I think you’ll need more time than you’re setting aside. I think you might need more time for error.

I’d load that coal basket and light up 5 briqs. And get your temp to 250-275 and then throw on your beef.

Control your vents to maintain temp for that first hour or two so the meat doesn’t tank your temps when placed on the 22.

Then regulate your 22 for stability.

You’ll have a lot of fat rendering off. My concern is a dry cook might ignite a grease fire. This a good trim and a water pan in the cooker are cheap insurance.

And run probes in the brisket closest to the fire source. That’s the one that’ll burn first so at left you’ll know how that one is cooking. The rest will follow along and fall in line.
 
Well it might be possible I would really worry about all the meat not coming out as equal due to temperature differences. The fastest cooking are the ones on the bottom and they're the hardest to get to. WSM simply are really not high volume cookers.... Because the only useful rack is the top one...imo

Heck the difficulty in cooking multiple racks of ribs evenly has even led me away from the WSM. I don't want to struggle with things I shouldn't have to struggle with and I don't want to serve people food that ..... That I'm not satisfied with. The solution is simply a bigger heavier more temperature stable and uniform smoker.

Ate a bbq brunch somebody hosted for a family member that got married a few years ago......all their bbq was ...subpar..... For about 50 people. I would not have had the guts to serve what they served. I certainly probably would not depend on doing something for the first time...... Hoping it will come out well enough for a large group.
 
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I also like the idea of an oven finish.

The great Harry Soo always says BTU’s are BTU’s at that point.

165 wrap and into the oven.
 
Thank you all for the added advice. I agree that getting a 2nd smoker would be the easiest solution, but I don't have the extra room to store 2 smokers.

I like your suggestions to add more time to my estimates, and just hold them for longer. I'll definitely do that.

I agree that serving sub-par brisket is not ideal. That's why I think wrapping and finishing in my oven will be my get-out-of-jail-free card. That way, the WSM's only job will be to get them to 160-170. The rest is, yeah, just BTUs.
 
I have some sort of moral qualm with oven finishing, I just see whatever I'm doing through outdoors, it takes as long as it takes. I'm not recommending my own rigidity in that area though as it is just emotion talking.

Speaking of emotion, if I put 78 pounds of brisket in our oven for three hours on a day when 85 people were expected, my wife might have an emotion or two to share with me. I take it either you are single or this BBQ is not at your own house? You sound brave either way. Good luck!
 
Joe D - BBQ Joe said:
I have some sort of moral qualm with oven finishing, I just see whatever I'm doing through outdoors, it takes as long as it takes. I'm not recommending my own rigidity in that area though as it is just emotion talking.

Speaking of emotion, if I put 78 pounds of brisket in our oven for three hours on a day when 85 people were expected, my wife might have an emotion or two to share with me. I take it either you are single or this BBQ is not at your own house? You sound brave either way. Good luck!
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Hi Joe:
I loved your comment. Really put a smile on my face.

Believe it or not, I am happily married (at least, I think) and this is indeed taking place at our house.

But you're right: my wife isn't thrilled with our hosting 85 people :) Though we've hosted 120 people before, where on top of doing briskets and sausages, I grilled up 250 pork souvlakis on an arrosticini grill.

I know it sounds like I'm courting disaster, but I've left out a minor detail:

From the age of 8, I worked at my parent's rotisserie restaurant. When my friends were out having fun, I was pulling double-shifts. Did that for 15 years, until my folks retired in the early 2000s. I've probably quarted 100,000 chickens and sliced up 10,000 slabs of ribs. We also catered weddings. So, 6 briskets in a weber, and finishing off in an oven, doesn't seem intimidating. Maybe it should be though... we'll see. If I fail, I'll try to fail better the next time :)

Have a great evening!
D
 
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