Current Conditions Christmas Brisket On


 
LMichaels

LMichaels

TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Well Just started the Christmas brisket this AM. Taking advantage of sunshine, no wind but cccccooooold (currently 18F. High expected low 20s. I figure even if it has to stay on overnight I am safe until early AM tomorrow with temps expected in low 40s.
Big Z currently filled with SmokeHouse oak/hickory 50/50 pellets (first time for those), and holding a nice 220F. No precip expected until Thursday. I might take advantage of the grill being on and whack off a couple of those chops from that crown of pork I bought for tonight's supper as well :D
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TimA said:
I think you’re a solid week early…🤣
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Weather is not going to be on my side later in the week and time will not be on my side as I get to Thursday, Friday and Saturday. So yeah. It's being started today. It will then after temping out be wrapped in pink paper, maybe foiled over that then finally a large towel and placed in a cooler for a "long winter's nap" :D It will then be partially sliced up, and vacuum sealed for quick meals for wife and I, and maybe about half of it total be cut in quarters, and vacuum packaged to freeze as well. Then on Christmas day AM when it's predicted weather will be quite bad here (windy, rainy, chilly, etc) the chucks I want to use for Christmas dinner will be placed in a large fish fry pot in simmering water to gently warm through then be sliced as needed for serving. This way the only "cooking" I will have to do may be some pasta for first course, maybe some shrooms, and a veg side.
So yeah I am early I am just trying to cut down on the last minute "madness".
 
OK current situation. I'm thinking I am not going to wrap this beast. It's nearly 17lbs and I'm by myself. So no one to give me a hand anyway. And honestly last time I did brisket I did that point I bought here in town. I did not wrap and honestly it was the best I've ever tasted. Big Z is holding my temps like a rock, the oak/hickory mix pellets smell amazing. I have good clean smoke. So I don't think I will change the temps at all. Maybe just let this bad boy rock and roll, get a really good bark, then get it wrapped when I pull it for it's rest. Just seeing and smelling it is making me crave a slice right now :D Sorry about my finger in the pic. My phone is somewhat awkward. Especially in a hurry. Cause if you lookin you ain't cookin

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OK current conditions, Note probe 1 is the point. I think this is the first time I have had the point get ahead of the flat on temps. So, I went in a bit ago and reversed the ends. The bark is becoming gorjus :D it's making me REALLY hungry for it. Anyway current conditions and I also bumped the cook temp from 220 to 240.

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OK, finished product. It was so soft it was hard to pull it :D Beautiful bark, wrapped in butcher paper then foil then a large towel and it's in the cooler now. After it rests I will place the cooler in the garage so it can chill then I will apportion it out tomorrow when it's cooled. Actually may just place the cooler on the deck. Since the temp is going to stay steady around 30 and maybe even rise a little. I burned more pellets today in a single cook than I ever have before BTW. That hopper was filled when I started. I think it takes a lot of fuel to keep temps up when you are at 18 deg for a while and then it not only was cold but then the wind kicked up pretty hard.

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As log as there are no critters that would get to it if left on the deck it's probably cold enough to chill it off really well.
 
Looking great.....I am sure you can make it taste like it was cooked on the day you eat it.
We do it with pork, its vac packed and we use a sous vide and set it at a warm temp and let it go as long as we need.........
Comes out delicious.
 
Darryl - swazies said:
Looking great.....I am sure you can make it taste like it was cooked on the day you eat it.
We do it with pork, its vac packed and we use a sous vide and set it at a warm temp and let it go as long as we need.........
Comes out delicious.
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Yeah one thing I discovered with this method is, it is VERY tolerant. On both my pulled pork and my brisket slices I have done this with. On a couple times I've been side tracked with the packs in the simmering water and totally forgot. They still come out perfect. Only getting so hot and no more. So, I am thinking good things here :D Gonna start slicing and dicing this AM. Have a nice prime beef rib I did last night on the Member's Mark (started it on the Big Z) while it was smoking the brisket, then got the MM running at 325 to roast them off after they got some nice smoke. Although the MM (I think due to cold temps and high wind factor) was putting out decent smoke even at the 325 roasting temps. So I will bet it too used quite a few pellets. As the wind was blowing against the rear and right side (where the air intake is for the blower). So I am sure between extra cold air blowing in the blower fan and the rear vents staying at temps needed more fuel. Only goes to reason
 
OK, just took it out of the cooler. All night and part of AM today in the cold on the deck. Unwrapped a still warm and VERY well rested and incredibly tasty brisket! I may have taken it just a touch too far on the flat last night as it was about 205 in the flat and 197 on the point. Still passes the bend test, I tasted some for lunch form the flat and a couple of the burnt ends. Even if I took it a little far it was still DEEEEEEELISH! I did not try the point yet. But I know what we're having for dinner tonight. Brisket Tacos!!!!!! Yessireee Bob! Sorry for poor quality photos. Also advice. What's the thoughts on holding the 3rds until Christmas Day? I will definitely vacuum seal, however I am wondering if freezing it will be necessary? Or just hold it in the coldest part of the downstairs fridge which is hardly ever used? Juices were still running out of it BTW20231220_124305.jpg20231220_124313.jpg
 
That above post was put together late this AM. Been crazy busy here today, got totally distracted and forgot to actually "post it" :D So I honestly did not "just" pull it out LOL. IIRC it was about 1100 perhaps. That is how long it's been. Anyway what I said about it is all true
 
So, looking for another opinion here. Sealing up the hunks for Christmas dinner. But thoughts. Should I freeze them or simply keep them in my basement fridge lower shelf which is rarely entered until I do warm up on Christmas Day?
And oh BTW, the brisket tacos tonight? Outstanding!
 
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