Brisket fit....what else?


 
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PerryRT

New member
OK, so I bought a cryopak-ed brisket (flat) down at Sam's Club today to try this weekend on my new 18" WSM (this will be the second smoke). As I suspected from reading here, it didn't - quite - fit on the upper rack, but I'll plan to "squoosh" it between the handles with foil.

However, this begs the question - what else do I need to be concerned about similar problems with?

Ribs? I seem to remember a picture of baby backs bent with a wooden skewer somewhere.

Big fish?

Turkey?

Just looking for general advice here about your experiences...
 
Hey there Richard,
Let me take a shot at some of your questions.
First, if you put something under the middle of your brisket to raise it up some (like an empty, clean soup or veggie can) it will fit better. I usually cook packers, and remove the point from the flat. I put the point down in the center of the grate and lay the flat over the top of the point. That usually makes the flat fit.
The ribs with skewers are "rolled" ribs. Once you have rubbed the ribs, roll them up and skewer them to hold that rolled shape. I use that method when cooking at home, but never in comps. At comps, I use a rib rack, and trim some of the ribs off the skinny side of the rack to get them to fit well.
Theres no reason you can't get two turkeys in an 18.5" WSM, except if they are really honkin' big turkeys.
 
Until I got my 22", I never noticed any issues. If you need cook more than 4 racks of ribs (2 per grate), use a rib rack. A rack of spares are close to the edges, but I usually trim a little bit of the edges so it's not an issue.

Usually people skewer racks to roll them and fit more on each grate than laying them flat. I have never rolled ribs, but many on here have so you can search for ideas if you are interested.

For the brisket, you can use an inverted roasting rack to get it to fit. Again, do a search and I am sure you will find some pictures.

I have cooked many Turkeys in my 18, never had any issues. If it's too big to fit in the 18, you probably don't want to smoke it as it's probably going to take forever to get done.

All that being said, I do love my new 22" for making things easily fit. It's not that it was that much of a pain, but easier is nicer.
 
I've never bothered putting anything under long briskets, and I dislike separating point from flat ahead of time. (A crumpled wad of foil would work if you wish.) Just wedge the brisket, fat side down, between the handles, using a small piece of foil under and around the end of the flat to protect it from the more intense heat coming up the cooker's side. (You can do the same with the point end but I don't bother.) Bow the brisket up in the middle. (If you wish, under the bow is where you'd put the foil or whatever.) The brisket will shrink as it cooks.
 
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