High Heat Brisket Advise


 
B

Bill Schultz

TVWBB Hall of Fame
Due to some scheduling issues my Angus 13.5 Lbs. brisket I am making for company Saturday is probably going to have to be done at higher temps, 275-300. So since this will be my first non-all nighter at 225 could you fellows who have done this cook render some advise on times and any thing else you do to get a nice brisket at higher temps. I will be injecting with beef broth and Worcestershire and rubbing with some Texas Barbecue Grand Champion.
Thanks ahead of time
 
I read the long thread on here about it and added this to my notes:

Summary

* Buy a whole, untrimmed 10-12 pound USDA Select or ungraded packer brisket.
* Trim fat at the seam between the point and flat sections. Trim the fat side to about 1/4" thick.
* Apply your favorite rub and refrigerate overnight.
* Cook the brisket fat-side down at 325-375°F for 2 to 2-1/2 hours to an internal temperature of 170°F.
* Wrap in foil fat-side up and cook another 2 to 2-1/2 hours until fork tender.
* Rest in foil for 30 minutes before slicing.

My notes from my best results cook:

14.75 lbs brisket; trimmed about 2.5 off.

Rubbed night before with black pepper, salt, onion powder, cumin, paprika, Cavender’s Greek Seasoning, etc. (went light on black pepper; omitted usual cayenne; heavy on garlic and onion powders).

Morning: Injected with beef broth.

Weather: Temp in 60s; wind 10 to 15; had to use some blocking

Filled charcoal ring with Stubb’s; removed a can full and lit it. Added back on with chunks of hickory, apple, and cherry. Let all get lit well. Assembled with broken pizza stone and a cover of foil in the water pan.

10:00 Meat on; vents 100%

10:30 WSM at 275; flipped door and propped on chimney starter to let more air in

11:30 WSM up to 350; down to 325 in next hour

12:30 Tossed a few extra briquettes on with tongs; insurance because wind is whipping.

1:30 Meat at 168 in point 3.5 hours in; foiled with couple layers of HD foil. (Have reached this stage in only 2.5 before; large brisket and wind delayed it today)

2:00 Put door back on since we are home for a while, no rush. WSM went to 250 or so after.

3:15 Thermopen went in like into butter. Read 210 in thick; put in ice chest wrapped in towel.

6:30 Sliced with electric knife. Can drape slice over finger, and it will hang without breaking. Meat is still very hot.

Best brisket results yet. Tip: slice into middle of point and eat the good moist point meat when it is hot; eat thin and less moist flat later, though even the end of the flat was moist on this one.
 
You really need to forget internal temps when going HH. Foil after 2 hours and check for tender 2 hours after that. Also make sure to leave a little extra space in the foil because you'll get lots of juice. I also go real heavy on the smoke for the first 2 hrs.
 
At 275 grate temp, foil with about 1/2 cup liquid of choice after 4 hrs in the smoke. It will probably be 160-170 internal temp. Start probing for doneness in another 2 hrs. Once done, vent the foil for 10 minutes, close the foil and let the meat rest for at least 30 min.
 
So Bob I take it you are talking real high heat like 350, right?

And what Rob said would be more for 275 grate temp which is where my WSM with Stubbs likes to be. I can get it higher with lump so got to make a call which way to go.
 
I don't really consider 275 high heat. Yes I'm talking 350 or so. You can prop your door open to get a higher temperature.
 
Bill I do not want to be in conflict with everyone else but I am going to attach this thread for you to read and take from it what you want.
http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?718...ation&highlight=brisket+compilation+High+heat

Here is my experience from several done this way. I like Meatheads Big Bold Beef Rub for my brisket not the pastes. I add Cumin. Fat side down. I do not trim very much fat off the brisket. I do HH at grill temps of 325-330 preferably, 350 tops. I foil loosely like Bob suggests at 168-170 and at the same time separate the Point from the Flat. I cut the Point into small pieces and follow a Burnt Ends recipe, let the pieces render out with more rub & BBQ sauce of your choice. As Bob suggests be prepared for lots of liquid. It's done when probe tender. The brisket will throw a cup to a cup and a half of liquid. Probe tender can be above or below 200F. Use lots of wood in the early stages and keep the smoke going as my biggest complaint with HH brisket is that it does not have the deep smokey flavor of LNS. Remember we all have our ways to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion. My time works out to about 6 hours for 12-13 lb brisket beginning on the grate to coming off the grate.
2 lbs. an hour or thereabouts.
Good Luck
 
Last edited:
There doesn't need to be a stall. It's irrelevant at high heat.

Foiling (or butcher paper or the like) is pretty essential at high heat. Too easy to overcook the outer portions while undercooking the inner. Foiling makes the cooking much more efficient and much more even.

I'm with Bob Sample. I don't find 275 high heat at all. At that temp one can cook as for LNS. It'll just be a shorter cook. I do briskets 350-375 as a matter of course. No trimming of the fatcap at all; I might remove a bit of the knob between flat and point. Fat side down the entire time. I add nothing to the foil as the brisket will throw a lot of juice. I never temp them as it's pointless.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top