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M

M D Baldwin

TVWBB Super Fan
OK,
Next week I am smoking about 4-5 Briskets. My butcher can only get me 6-8 lbs trimmed Briskets. So that comes to about 30 lbs of meat uncooked. I am planning on about an 18 hour smoke with hickory and apple at about 220-240. I have done a lot of smoking, but not this much meat. Is this a good estimate of time and temp? Also what can I do to avoid dryings? I plan to foil for a few hours before serving.
Thanks
 
I doubt they'd take 18 hours cooked at 225-240 grate (I assume you mean grate temp). It may take a little longer than usual to get to target temps because of the meat mass, but once you do get there, the cooking process returns to normal.

I'd figure closer to 1.25 - 1.5 hours per pound at most by the individual cut. I'd put the smaller guys on the bottom rack.

I'd foil when temps break plateau (around 170 ish) and take off to rest when fork tender. Some add a little liquid at this point some don't.
 
MD
Alot of us are switching to high heat cooks for brisket. You may want to consider 350 for 4-5 hours and letting the brisket rest in a cooler. I would finish them early and let them sit in a cooler with blanket then slice when your ready to serve your guests. I cant imagine a 18 hour cook for those flats. They are flats at 6 lbs right?
 
Craig, was reading your other thread about briskets and I have a couple of questions. You mentioned wrapping in a towel and leaving out to slow down the cookin then putting in a cooler. Why? And what did you mean about microwave finishing?<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by craig castille:
I doubt they'd take 18 hours cooked at 225-240 grate (I assume you mean grate temp). It may take a little longer than usual to get to target temps because of the meat mass, but once you do get there, the cooking process returns to normal.

I'd figure closer to 1.25 - 1.5 hours per pound at most by the individual cut. I'd put the smaller guys on the bottom rack.

I'd foil when temps break plateau (around 170 ish) and take off to rest when fork tender. Some add a little liquid at this point some don't. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
Paul,

That was in reference to high heat cooks. Wrapping in towels and using the microwave to hold, in theory, slows the cooking process.

Overdone brisket can be heard to slice, being "pot roasty". Myron Mixon told me that he wraps on foil and then covers with a blanket.

My response above in this thread was for a low and slow.......but I still will be doing high heat in the future.

I've only done one high heat brisket so far, but will do another very soon.
 
Gentlemen,
Thanks you all for your input(s). Before I got my WSM I did a lot of smoking on my Weber Kettle w/ really great results. Of course it was at a higher heat and shorter time. I used the top vent to regulate the heat. I have noticed that there was a bit of a better smoke flavor especially if it is served the next day. Am I crazy or what.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I have noticed that there was a bit of a better smoke flavor especially if it is served the next day. Am I crazy or what. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not at all. I have the same thing and have read of others with the same experience. I like a lot of smoke on my ribs and they are great. When I heat them up a day or so later they are almost too smoky. I did say almost.
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First of all, it can't get too smokey for me.
I just picked the meat from my blessed butcher-34 lbs. of trimmed birsket-6 ones in all. I plan to seperate the flats and points. I will put Worchestershire on it for a day or so, then apply the rub for a day or so, then put the flat on the bottom rack and the point on the top. I will use Hickory chunks w/ Apple chips for about 6 hours.
I have never cooked this much meat-suggestion?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by M D Baldwin:
First of all, it can't get too smokey for me.
I just picked the meat from my blessed butcher-34 lbs. of trimmed birsket-6 ones in all. I plan to seperate the flats and points. I will put Worchestershire on it for a day or so, then apply the rub for a day or so, then put the flat on the bottom rack and the point on the top. I will use Hickory chunks w/ Apple chips for about 6 hours.
I have never cooked this much meat-suggestion? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

M D,

Not really sure what you are trying to cook here. You seem to have 6 briskets at just under 6 pounds apiece, average. Are you wanting to cook all six at once? When you describe your planned cooking technique, you use the singular "it", "the flat", "the point", etc. And why would you separate the point from the flat?

I've cooked some flats of about the same weight you are talking about, and one per grate is all I would do without some serious "mods."

Can you clarify?

JimT
 
Jim,
Thanks for your help. A couple of the briskets are bigger and my fear is that by the time the point is done the flat will be near carbonized. So in the bigger pieces I plan to seperate them. I will put the thinner pices on the bottom and the bigger ones on the top. I just hope I have enought room. If I don't I always have my 2 kettles as stand by.
 
OK,
All 34 lbs. of Brisket are on. The 2 biggest are on the WSM, 2 smaller ones are on a rack on a kettle and the other one is on another kettle. I am doing a high heat w/ Hickory and Apple. Pics to come later!
 
M D I cook briskets quite a bit. What I do is put them on whole and take it to where you want the flat. Since I quit going by temp my results have been much better. Fork tender or as Keri C says waba waba. I then take it off and onto a cooking sheet. I then cut the point off and foil both. It is easy to seperate when hot. I bet a butter knife would cut through the fat. The flat goes into a cooler and the point goes back on for an hour or two, usually 2. I don't check the temp I just take it off.
 
I don't know how to post the pics, but believe me it was fantastic! I had the WSM and 2 kettles going for about6-7 hours. I foiled them for a couple of hors and gently reheated it at 250 for about 1/2 hour. There was about a 1/3 inch smoke ring and I had a problem with keeping up w/ demand. The part was a real hit.
Thanks to all!
 
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