High Heat Brisket and Braise question


 
K

Ken Serwatowski

TVWBB Fan
I'm going to attempt my first high heat brisket for a pot luck Tuesday. I have a 18lb Packer. I've read everything posted but could not find anyone who has tried this method on such a large brisket. I also was considering a variation and wanted some input and thoughts. After the brisket reaches 170 internal instead of foiling I was thinking of moving it to an electric roaster with some braising liquid to finish the brisket. I figured that way I could just serve the brisket in the roaster and use it like a crock pot after adding BBQ sauce. Any thoughts, input, or ideas? Thanks in advance, Ken
 
when doing it high heat, make sure you foil it. That will be the key in tenderizing it. In my experience with doing high heat you half to let the internal heat go a little higher before she gives it up. I've yanked them between 208-215. Let it rest and KEEP all of your aju in the foil. While resting, Bring 1 1/2cups of water,2 cans of beef broth and go buy a packet of McCormicks beef hearty stew mix. Bring the water and broth to a simmer then add the stew mix and a good dashing of the rub you used on the brisket. Let simmer for about 20min. Add to the crock pot on high. Once it gets up to temp in the crock. Open brisket and strain your aju sauce and add to the crockpot. Slice the flat up and place into crock pot. You will be a hero.
 
My biggest problem is finding foil large enough to hold a brisket that size without the juices leaking out. I also was looking for more of a BBQ sauce than a gravy but that does sound really good. The roaster holds a lot of moisture is why I was thinking of trying that with a braising liquid instead of the foil. I usually do them L&S with an injection and always foil at about 160 to 165 until tender. I just don't have the time to do a 18lb'r L&S.
 
At high heat, The brais or mop wont really have time to setup. Every store has foil large enough to wrap a brisket. once you wrap, you can add a marinade let it setup inside the brisket. If you slap bbq sauce on high heat, its going to burn up with in 20min.
 
Todd, I wasn't going to add anything at high heat. I was thinking of leaving it in the smoker at high heat until the flat gets around 170 internal. Then taking it out of the smoker and finishing it in a electric roaster (skipping the foiling HH step in the smoker ) and a braising liquid until tender. Slicing and then putting BBQ sauce on top at low heat to serve at pot luck.
 
I had a terrific smoked and braised brisket at a great country French restaurant a while back. I asked the chef how he did it and he told me 6 hours at 300, then braised for 2 hours with vegetables. It wasn't exactly barbecue, but it tasted great.
 
I'm not shooting for BBQ perfection here as far as traditional BBQ. It's for a pot luck at City Hall and I'm guessing 99% of the employees don't even own a smoker. Looking at the list of things people signed up for I think as long as it doesn't dry out it will go over well. That's my favorite part of doing BBQ for people who don't BBQ. Even if we feel it just turned out ok, they usually think it's the best they ever had. LOL..............anyway thanks for the replies, this is the fewest I've ever gotten on here so I'm guessing it was a bad idea. I'm just going to do it HH as outlined with foil and back on the smoker. I think I'm going to give Todd's suggestion a try on another day.
 
A little late to the party here, but I think your idea sounds good. I believe the secret to the wrap is the braise. You'll already have the smoke flavor and color already. If I had a roaster I'd do it.
 
Not too late. Sipping coffee and formulating my attack plan. lol.....I was thinking the roaster holds enough moisture to forgo the foil all together.
 
I would think the roaster would be about the same as foiling. Both will give you a high moisture environment. I have done 16lb briskest HH but never an 18lber, it took about 5 hours at 350. I don't temp the meat on a HH cook I just do 2 hrs then wrap for 2 hours then unwrap till it's done and the bark sets. My briskets are all 14-16 lbs so if doing a smaller one I would foil for less time and check for done about 11/4 hrs after foiling.

If you can't get foil big enough just lay 2 sheets one on top of the other and start folding it in a thin strip on the long side. Do numerous folds and you should be able to get it liquid tight.
 
So I had trouble getting my Weber up to that high of a temperature for the first few hours. I had to leave to do some grocery shopping so I foiled it early at 155 internal. After two hours in the foil I checked it for tenderness and the probe went in like butter and the internal was well over 200. FTC right now unfortunately I didn't realize I poked through the foil and lost a lot of the juices into the cooler. I was at 7.5 hours for the full cook and had an internal of 155 at the 5 hour mark unfold due to the lower starting temperatures I suspect. Its been a while since Ive been on this site and I can't remember how to post pictures.
 
5 hours is about right for that size packer. You need to use a photo sharing site such as Photobucket to share pics.
 
Out of curiousity, how necessary is a braise to cooking a high heat brisket? Anyone get good results without wrapping?
 
The whole idea of doing a HH brisket is to get it done fast( 4-5 hours). Doing it HH without foiling gives you a longer cook time. I think a HH cook without foil will give you a brisket that isn't consistently done throughout. The outside may crumble and the inside still be underdone. The only thing I ever foil is a HH brisket, I do HH pork shoulders and butts without foil but they are much more forgiving than a brisket.
Think of a prime rib roast. If you cook it at 275 you can get a nice medium rare throughout but if you cook it at 350-375 then your going to have well done outside and medium rare inside.
 
I did this on a 9lb brisket and my results were the same as a larger and slower cook. I cooked at 325 for about 4 hours. Last 1.5 hours was in foil. Not my best brisket but it was my first attempt at HH
 
I've only done one HH brisket and i removed the water pan for the cook. The brisket was around 15lbs. I foiled it at around 160°it and then let it go to around 200°it. Never had a problem getting the wsm to 325-350° with the pan removed. Next time i would do as someone mentioned earlier and remove it from the foil just before its done and let it Finnish that way so the bark can set.
 
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