Confirming high heat brisket process


 
M

Matt A 3

TVWBB Member
After making a few low/slow briskets with okay results, I've decided to try one using a "high heat" method.

The 8-page post "High temp brisket question" seems to be the reference topic although it appears different folks use different methods so it is not exactly paint by numbers it seems.

One thing I wonder is why people use the MM for starting. Generally if I want high heat and it's a short cook, I'll just use 2 lit chimneys.

Another question I have is the pros/cons of using a disposable foil tray vs. just wrapping with heavy duty foil.

Right now I am thinking about the following approach:

(1) Start using 2 lit chimneys

(2) Put the packer on fat side down

(3) Cook at a WSM temp of 325-350, achieving this temp by using a foiled but empty water pan and perhaps propping the access door open

(4) Foil the packer at ~160 internal (I know many people use elapsed time as the sole measure but for the first time I do this I will need to be a bit more precise). Leave 1/2 inch of space around the packer due to the juices that will accumulate.

(5) Kick the WSM temp up to 350-375 and cook fat side up in the foil until tender, should be about 4:00 total time elapsed.

If this works I'll be a happy man and eating a ton of brisket in the future due to this low hassle and time-saving method.

If I have misinterpreted the method and am about to screw up a 12lb packer, pleae let me know!!!!

Thanks,
Matt
 
I think you have got it down...I also usually use a foil pan wrapped tightly (I think tightly is the key here). I usually use MM start (with more lit than usually used if trying for low temp) just because it is easy...you can put the meat on right away.

Let us know how it goes and good luck!
 
One thing I wonder is why people use the MM for starting. Generally if I want high heat and it's a short cook, I'll just use 2 lit chimneys.
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It's easier to control your temps (on the way up) with the MM. Also, in the thread you referenced, Kevin notes that he doubles the amount of burning coals over the normal MM. This gives a hotter burn, but not nearly as hot as 2 chimneys. I would think 2 fully lit chimney would be too hot and you may not get the normal 4 hour burn time since all your fuel is lit.

Paul
 
Matt, I have a tough time fitting a foil pan in my WSM(18"). I usually cook the brisket fat side down the whole time .Whether it's in the foil or not. The only time I put it fat up is when it's in the cooler. Your process looks good. I don't use that many lit coals to get mine up to temp on the high heat. Usually 3/4 to a full chimney of lit. I foil the brisket when it gets to 170-175 then probe for doneness about an hour later and every half hour after that . Don't want it to get too done. You should have a great brisket when you're done. Tweek you're next cook from what you learn on this one. Have fun!!!!
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Ditto. I use 20-odd lit which is twice my usual. In cool temps I might use a bit more. I find it much easier to target a cooktemp --even a high heat one-- with a Minion start. I may need to prop the door a bit (I usually do) but I would rather that than start with a lot of lit.
 
I use a MM start simply to give the brisket more time in the smoke!
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I consider my method a medium-high-heat brisket. I prefer an nice long ramp up to deepen the smoke ring, and I peak only at 300* so my bark has time to form before I foil. I usually clock in around 6 hrs which works for me, it seems like a better pace.

your plan seems sound. don't change it based on anything I've offered.
 
Folks' logic for the MM seems sound so I will modify my plan accordingly.

I like the idea of the "medium-high" brisket too, but that seems to me to be somewhat of a different concept rather than a twist on the high-heat. I do like the idea that it gives more time for the bark to form, although in my prior long (12 hour+) brisket smokes I was never that impressed with the bark. Maybe I carve the brisket incorrectly, but when I cut all the unrendered fat off of the fatty side of the flat, there too goes the bark. So bark is only on half the brisket anyway.

I will try a couple with the high-heat method then try the medium-high and see how it goes. Now that I have found an inexpensive source for USDA Choice packers, I'm going to experiment a whole bunch.

Cheers,
Matt
 
I like the idea of the "medium-high" brisket too, but that seems to me to be somewhat of a different concept rather than a twist on the high-heat.
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6 hours is a lot closer to 4 than 12, if you get my drift.
 
Originally posted by j biesinger:
6 hours is a lot closer to 4 than 12, if you get my drift.
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Yes, yes, you are right. I like the theory and will certainly give it a try.

As I said, I'm going to be focusing almost exclusively on brisket for the next few months, so I will try all sorts of methods. I feel like I have the pork butt and ribs down pat, but brisket has not come as easily for me.

Cheers,
Matt
 
One other thing I do, as opposed to propping the access door is to prop the lid slightly. With the lid propped, the heat still all goes to the top instead of out the door. LOTS of good brisket has been cooked with the door propped, I just prefer to use the lid to ramp up the heat.
 
As I said, I'm going to be focusing almost exclusively on brisket for the next few months, so I will try all sorts of methods. I feel like I have the pork butt and ribs down pat, but brisket has not come as easily for me.
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hmm, that method I mentioned was from my first attempt, that came out surprisingly good. I thought brisket was going to be tough to cook but the HH method makes it easy to get the meat to tender without the risk of drying, you just got to be careful not to overshoot. but since I tend to be impatient, HH works for me. good luck. and once you got a HH under your belt, I'll give you another tip to make your HH brisket more like a low and slow one.
 
Well, I finally tried the HH brisket and it went pretty well.

I did two 12lb packers, MM start as discussed in the thread above.

The problem I had was that the WSM took forever to get up to temp (I used 25 lit with the MM).

And when it got to temp, it topped out at about 300 degrees. All vents open, empty foiled water pan.

I cracked the door but then it went right up to 375. So I had trouble maintaining the low-to-mid 300s.

Given the time it took getting up to temp, the cook took 6 hours in total.

Overall I will use this method again given how quickly you can get the brisket cooked.

Next time I will try using two fully lit chimneys at the beginning to get up to temp quickly...I realize it will have a negative impact on the smoke ring and it means less time in the smoke, but I'll see how different it ends up.

To be completely honest I think the end product quality was about the same as a regular low-and-slow brisket...not vastly superior as some have suggested.

Cheers,
Matt
 
Varying the door opening slightly is all I do to hit a temp range. 1/8-inch can be all the adjustment I need. I'm not sure what 'took forever' means but it can take a while for me to get up to temp. I always Minion (I dislike standard start-ups for nearly anything) and use ~25 lit but am in a warmer area than you. Though it takes some time to get up there, I still have all briskets cooked in ~4 hours.

Experimant and see what works for you.
 
Matt, Bryan S sometimes lifts his lid up a smidge to allow extra air in during his cooks. Next time try a full starter of lit charcoal. That should be plenty to get you up to temps. Try some of the different rubs or pastes on your next brisket cook. Don't forget to save them thar juices from the foil. Great stuff!!! If it tastes the same as the long and slow cook with less than half the time spent cooking is there a beef(pun)
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Saturday was my family's bi-annual reunion, and I had volunteered to cook the meat. I cooked pulled pork and ribs a week in advance. The morning of the reunion I grilled eight chickens, spatchcocked and halved, on the three Weber kettles. The last piece of the puzzle was brisket. Up to now I'd only cooked a small (3 pound) flat, and it came out tasty, but a little tough. For this event I had picked up a 10 pound flat from BJs, and reading this thread, as well as the other high heat brisket threads, convinced me that if I followed directions, it would be close enough to foolproof that I should go for it.

Rinsed, dried, and rubbed the brisket with kosher salt, freshly cracked pepper, and granulated garlic then loaded the fire ring in the WSM with lump. Foiled the water pan, then lit about a half chimney of lump and when it was going good poured it on the unlit, put the middle section on with the pan, grate, and meat and ler 'er rip!

When the dome neared 300 I closed the bottom vents slightly and soon she was chugging along at 325 which let me tend to all of the other meats.

Around two hours and fifteen minutes into the cook I took her off and foiled, put her back on and opened the vents all the way. Went to 350 in no time, and stayed there until the four hour mark when I took the brisket off and let it remain resting in the foil for twenty minutes or so while I was cutting up the last of the cooked chicken.

What a treat awaited me when I opened up that foil! Tender, juicy, and it smelled and looked so good! Sliced her and put her in the serving dish then it was off to the park for the reunion.

Everyone raved about the usual suspects - the chicken, ribs, and pulled pork, but for me, I was all about that brisket - I couldn't get over how good it was!

Thanks to all of you for contributing to these discussions - I may have a new favorite!
 
did another high heater on tues. one of my favorite things to cook on the WSM.

Even though I had a full ring of lump, it was struggling to stay above 350 towards the end of the cook. never had that issue before. First time in a year I had to add lump to the end of a cook. but who cares, it was awesome
 
Matt A 3 and others, this past winter I added a 2nd. top vent to my WSM. This really helps for HH cooks. I like the control you get with a second vent. I tried the "open door" policy, and the "lid a-jar", and as simple as they are, I decided to add the vent. I personally am very happy with the mod, and if I still need a little boost, I can still use one of the other methods...just my way of dealing with it. Oh, and my WSM does run a bit cooler that what a lot of them seam to run.
 
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