High heat brisket in low temps


 
S

S. Fink

TVWBB Fan
Thanks to all the great info/encouragement here, I started doing high heat briskets (flats, can't find whole packers in CT) this Summer. The results are great, but now that the outside temps are 50 degress cooler, I'm wondering if I need to make any adjustments.

As long as I maintain temps, cooking times should be the same, right? Should I start w/ more lit on the minion?

Any advice would be most appreciated.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by S. Fink:
Thanks to all the great info/encouragement here, I started doing high heat briskets (flats, can't find whole packers in CT) this Summer. The results are great, but now that the outside temps are 50 degress cooler, I'm wondering if I need to make any adjustments.

As long as I maintain temps, cooking times should be the same, right? Should I start w/ more lit on the minion?

Any advice would be most appreciated. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
IMO, yes and yes. In the cold, I start with about 20-30 briquettes or a comparable amount of lump. You can't beat a high heat brisket cook when there's a foot of snow on the ground.
Wind will bother your fire, so you might consider some sort of wind break if you haven't yet
 
( can't find whole packers in CT)....I would move to the Midwest. $1.50/lb for CAB packers. I could not imagine!
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Make sure you give yourself enough fuel as well...you might want to drop a few more unlit in the pile...more energy is needed to keep the fire at your target temp...you don't have the nice summer sun beating down on it to really stretch out the burn times!
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Really not much different as long as the wind is calm. Start with a few more lit than you normally would use, and your vents will be open a little more than in summer. But really no major changes for cold weather. Now if the wind is blowing and it's 30º out, you'll need a wind break, or a WSM blanket/wrap of some sorts, making sure not to block any charcoal bowl vents or the top lid vent.
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Bryan,

You mention a "WSM blanket/wrap of some sorts". What do you or others like to use for this?

Bob
 
Thanks for the advice. Briskett came out great. Just used a little more lit on the minion. Came in tender right at 4 hours.

One question. When I unfoil my flats, I never have any liquid in the foil. Briset is moist, but all the posts seem to indicate I should have plenty of drippings.

Any thoughts why?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by S. Fink:
Thanks for the advice. Briskett came out great. Just used a little more lit on the minion. Came in tender right at 4 hours.

One question. When I unfoil my flats, I never have any liquid in the foil. Briset is moist, but all the posts seem to indicate I should have plenty of drippings.

Any thoughts why? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
S, glad to hear your brisket was a success.
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As far as the liquid in the foil goes one of two things come to mind. 1)You are getting a hole in the foil and it's running out. Sometimes when I foil and place it back on the grate, it sticks to some of the debri left on the grate and tears a small hole and/or some of the bark that's on the grate pokes a hole in the foil. 2) You're foiling late and this will produce little to no liquid. What little bit there was gets re-absorbed during the rest. HTH
 
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