Foiled brisket saves the day


 
PeterD

PeterD

TVWBB Super Fan
I bought a gorgeous 14.65 pound CAB packer at Restaurant Depot for our weekend party. Severe weather forced me to get it on the smoker 2 hours after I planned and when it came time to leave, the thickest part of the flat was only about 185 or so. The point was magnificently jiggly but the bulk was still not probe tender. I triple-wrapped it in foil, placed between 4 thick towels in a small cooler and held it for just under 3 hours as we drove to the party. Unlike most briskets I've done, this one required almost no significant trimming pre-cook and I left the fat cap completely alone, which probably added to the extra cook time.

When supper time came, I was greeted by one of the best briskets I'd ever done. 15 hours at 250°F, then resting for a few more. Perfect smoke ring and everything except the end of the flat was juicy, flavourful and 1/4" slices easily passed the knife test and pull test. The point was sublime and the entire brisket was inhaled within 15 minutes of unfoiling and slicing. Salt, pepper, ancho, a dash of cayenne and espresso-grind coffee for the rub, Texas post oak for wood and Comp-K overnight with a Stoker on an old 18" WSM with an empty water pan.
 
Way to go Peter. You can't say enough about a well done rest. It matter as much as the cook it's self
 
ChuckO said:
Way to go Peter. You can't say enough about a well done rest. It matter as much as the cook it's self
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Right on, ChuckO. I struggled with briskets until I started resting them -- first, 1 hour, then 2, then 3, then 4 -- and they seemed to get better as the rest got longer. I plan for a 4 hour rest these days. The rest is at least as important as the cook.

The other huge factor is the quality of the meat. CAB is great. Prime is the top of the heap.

Jeff
 
I normally rest it about 3 or 4 hours, and unfortunately the result too often is much of the flat is pretty badly overcooked and crumbly but the meatiest part of the flat and all of the point are magnificent. Today was just serendipity. I didn't rest the brisket in the open at all after taking it out of butcher paper (I forgot to mention that step; about 90 minutes in pink paper). It sat for no more than 5 minutes in the sun while I got the foil in place and fiddled around with the smoker a bit, so there was definitely enough residual heat to keep it going to perfect tender inside that foil. The bark stayed perfect, which I also hadn't expected.

I'm wondering whether I should do this all the time now--take it off around 185, no rest and straight into foil for 2 hours. Once might just have been coincidence!
 
Oh, and when I took it off the grate to go into butcher paper the first time a bit of the seasoned fat cap had stuck to the grate. A fork and a plate were brought out and a *fantastic* after breakfast snack was had that I was still tasting 2 hours later.
 
PeterD said:
I normally rest it about 3 or 4 hours, and unfortunately the result too often is much of the flat is pretty badly overcooked and crumbly but the meatiest part of the flat and all of the point are magnificent. Today was just serendipity. I didn't rest the brisket in the open at all after taking it out of butcher paper (I forgot to mention that step; about 90 minutes in pink paper). It sat for no more than 5 minutes in the sun while I got the foil in place and fiddled around with the smoker a bit, so there was definitely enough residual heat to keep it going to perfect tender inside that foil. The bark stayed perfect, which I also hadn't expected.

I'm wondering whether I should do this all the time now--take it off around 185, no rest and straight into foil for 2 hours. Once might just have been coincidence!
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I have had that same issue when I went straight from the cooker to the cooler. You may want to try this: Cook it until it is completely done and tender in the flat. Take it out of the cooker and let it sit on the counter, unwrapped, for about a half-hour until the internal drops to the 170s. It will stop cooking at that point. THEN wrap it and rest it.

Jeff
 
J Hasselberger said:
I have had that same issue when I went straight from the cooker to the cooler. You may want to try this: Cook it until it is completely done and tender in the flat. Take it out of the cooker and let it sit on the counter, unwrapped, for about a half-hour until the internal drops to the 170s. It will stop cooking at that point. THEN wrap it and rest it.

Jeff
Click to expand...

Yep, this ^^^..

Peter, you stumbled across it, but now you know you have two options. I just did two overnight briskets for a party today at my parents house. One was probe tender when I pulled it at 11:30, while the other wasn't quite probe tender when I pulled it at 12:30 (needed to leave before 1:00). One got a rest before going into the cooler, while the other went straight in.
 
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