Brisket for dinner - cook day before or early in the morning?


 
J

Joe Milczewski

TVWBB Fan
The family requested brisket for dinner this weekend. I've never settled the internal argument in my head over whether to cook it the day before and re-warm in the smoker for an hour or two before serving, or try to start it at 4 or 5 in the morning the day of the dinner.

What do you folks with more experience do? I've got a 13 pound packer in the fridge waiting for me. What gets you a better result on the plate?
 
I'd try to do it day of, but I'd definitely wrap or cook at higher temps. 12 hrs for a brisket that size is pushing it.
 
Give yourself 18 hrs at least. Thats time on the smoker. It took me 14 hrs last weekend for a 9 lb Flat trying to hold around 250. You can rest it for 4 hrs or more so starting your smoker 22 hr before dinner will save you some oh **** will it get done time. This is if going low and slow and so far that s how I do it.
 
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Look up the high heat method for brisket. It is munch faster and often preferred to a low and slow when it comes to brisket
 
Charles H. said:
I think BBQ is best when it is freshly cooked.
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Is it considered "freshly cooked" if it comes off the smoker, is vented to allow stop carry over cooking and then sits in a 150 degree warming/holding oven for 4 or more hours ?



Joe, I get great results both ways. Cook, fridge, then bring back up to 150'ish in an oven or smoker. Or, go with the high heat method Davidd mentioned. Lots of guys cook their brisket at 300+
 
I've only done high heat the day of dinner. Usually start around 8:00ish AM and done 5 1/2 - 6:00 hours later to rest, wrapped in a cooler until around 4:00 - 5:00 PM. Delish and tender!
 
Joe Milczewski said:
What do you folks with more experience do? I've got a 13 pound packer in the fridge waiting for me. What gets you a better result on the plate?
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I don't have nearly the experience that others here have, but I, too have a 13 pounder in the fridge that I'll be putting on tonight for dinner tomorrow. Planning to get it in by about 11:00 PM and serve around 6:00 PM tomorrow. To me, it's easier to keep it warm for a few hours than to tell your family or guests that dinner will be late.
 
Thanks all for the feedback. I haven't had a ton of luck with the high heat method for brisket. After reading these posts and thinking deeply about this last night over a few beers I think my plan is to get the brisket on at about 10pm the night before. I haven't done an overnight smoke before so it's a good excuse to try.
 
Joe Milczewski said:
Thanks all for the feedback. I haven't had a ton of luck with the high heat method for brisket. After reading these posts and thinking deeply about this last night over a few beers I think my plan is to get the brisket on at about 10pm the night before. I haven't done an overnight smoke before so it's a good excuse to try.
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I think you have made the safe choice. This is just me, but I cook with water in the pan and don't wrap. I would put a 13-punder on at around 10:00p as well. Brisket really depends on the individual piece of meat as far as time is concerned. Just cook it until the flat probes with little or no resistance. The point will be fine. The real key to a tasty and juicy brisket is the rest. When it's done cooking (by whatever method you choose) let it sit uncovered on the counter for about 30 minutes or so (internal in the 170s) and wrap it tightly in heavy foil and put it in a cooler with some blankets or towels. You can rest it for 3-4 hours and it will still be hot and all the juices will be reabsorbed and distributed. This is a key step.

If you put it on at 10:00p, it should be cooked and rested by dinner. Enjoy.

Jeff
 
High heat is easy and almost fool proof. I do mine between 325-350. Put it on for 2 hours with lots of smoke, mesquite is great. Loosely foil, you'll get lots of juice, and depending on the size of your brisket start probing for tender 1/12-2 hrs later. I only do packers and they are usually around 14 lbs and they take anywhere from 4-5 hours. As soon as it probes tender remove it and unwrap it, you want to stop the cooking process as soon as possible. When it gets to 160-170 wrap it back up and hold warm in a cooler.
 
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