High heat vs low and slow brisket


 
D

Daum

TVWBB Super Fan
For the 4th this weekend I may be doing a brisket. In the past I've done the high heat brisket with pretty good success. I've been thinking about trying to a low and slow brisket, but was curious on your thoughts on taste/quality of the high heat vs the overnight brisket? Do either lend themselves to be more likely dried out? Any recommendations? For the rub I was thinking I may just do a simple salt and pepper rub, I was watching the Franklin PBS show where he did his and the guy seemed to love it.

Assuming we get down there in time for either method, what would your recommend? I should also try to pick up some butcher paper for the wrap over foil right?

Thanks!
Daum
 
I am on the other side of the coin.
I learned low-n-slow and want to try hot-n-fast.

The last brisket I cooked I had intended to try the hot-n-fast, since we like to eat our BBQ for lunch I got the WSM ready in the evening so I could get it going quick the following morning.
I decided to prep the brisket too......all with the intention of being ready to start cooking first thing in the morning.

Well, once the cooker was loaded and ready to go and the brisket was trimmed and rubbed with SPOG it was around 7pm.
Next thing I know I am lighting the chimney and doing it overnight low-n-slow again.

I cook with a dry foiled water pan and I do not wrap the brisket.

I want to try a hot-n-fast cook to see what that is all about but the time line for overnight low-n-slow really works well for me.
I monitor the temperature with a Maverick and go to bed, very seldom does the alarm go off.

My briskets look like a meteorite on the outside with moist and tender goodness on the inside.
The outside fat varies from crispy to jelly depending on the thickness and the fat between the point and flat easily scraps off when the point is separated.

I try to cook around 210-220 and I don't get excited if it varies between 200 - 240, I try to keep it under 250.
If it gets stuck on the high end I might tweak the intake just a tiny bit and give it time to respond.
Sorta depends if I think it needs to speed up or if I still have plenty of time.

I usually do my first probe test when the meat is around 180, when it's tender I pull it off the cooker.
Depending on the time it may be wrapped and put in a cooler or it may just sit on the counter waiting to be sliced.
I cook for my family and myself, everyone tears up the meat so it must be at least ok tasting.
 
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Seems like most folks don't like medium heat, either L&S or HH.
I like to start low, 225/250 for maybe 3 hours while the meat is still taking on smoke, then open up to 280/310, and let her go until done.
I do this for butts and briskets.
 
I would like everyone's personal opinion on what they consider "low and slow" and "hot and fast".

I consider low and slow 225-250 and hot and fast 300+....

Thoughts?
 
Well speaking of Franklin, he talks about cooking at 275. However one of the reasons for doing that is its hard to run a clean fire lower than that, at least for me, on an offset. I'm really used to doing low and slow cooks. I know the timing of it, and I know how to set it up well. Once you get the WSM running its really no problem to cook as long as you want as far as I'm concerned. I can't speak to the quality of a high heat brisket but obviously some damn good cooks get very good results. I'm very happy with my low heat results and enjoy the pace more. I wasn't happy with my last brisket and I cooked at 275. There are a lot of variables that may have messed that up more than the higher heat. I'll probably do my next at 275. I think its a good compromise between the 2 styles.

I'm a big fan of salt and pepper. You can add other stuff but just get your salt and pepper right.
 
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I would definitely call 225-250 low and slow and 300 hot and fast. I'm no expert by any means but that's how I translate it. I'm sure others with far more expertice than I will offer their insight. I myself put a lot of stock in Bob's opinion. I have utilized many of his tips with much success. The man knows his stuff.
 
Definitely a slow man. Less than 300 deg. So easy to control what is going on at this temp. Agree with Bob, starting low and letting the temp slowly rise is a good method. I really like to do this with flats...........
 
I've done many low N slow brisket and started doing high heat after reading about it here. I'll never go back. It saves time and produces fantastic predictable results time after time. 325-350*F.

I consider high heat 300+*F but in most cookbooks that's considered med heat.
 
Tommy B said:
I would like everyone's personal opinion on what they consider "low and slow" and "hot and fast".

I consider low and slow 225-250 and hot and fast 300+....

Thoughts?
Click to expand...


I think it's personal and that it changes. At one point not that long ago, 275 was probably considered to be hot and fast. At some point, 325 will probably be considered medium heat.
 
I consider 275F+ high heat in my smoker... that's using the dome thermometer, I haven't cooked a brisket since I built my heatermeter.

The only thing I have to add is if you go high heat on a big piece of meat, go a lot heavier on the smoke than you would on a low/slow cook.
 
I've done hh and l&s. I think that you get a better smokey flavor with L&S, and hh is of course fast, but I don't think that the bark really sets very well , ya just don't get that great smokey flavor. That said, I've only done one HH brisket. it was juicy though, and super easy to do. I saw the same episode of bbq with Franklin and now i too am thinking of doing a brisket for the 4th.
 
DaveW said:
I think it's personal and that it changes. At one point not that long ago, 275 was probably considered to be hot and fast. At some point, 325 will probably be considered medium heat.
Click to expand...

I agree everyone has a different opinion on what they consider low and high which is why I asked the question.
I think it is pretty interesting to see everyone's answers.
My favorite part about this site is learning how everyone cooks differently. Everyone has their own processes and what works for them. I basically took bits and pieces from everyone on this site to learn to BBQ!
 
Thanks for all the feedback here. This is what I ended up with: http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?60611-First-Attempt-Packer-Brisket-in-Butcher-Paper-and-overnight&p=671784#post671784
 
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