Holding a brisket for 4.5 hours in a cooler?


 
Tony C.

Tony C.

TVWBB Wizard
is it do-able? i put a 15.5 pound packer on last night at 9. after only 14.5 hours it's done at an internal temp of 185(skewer slides right in). i was hoping to foil it around noon for an hour or so until it got tender and then cooler it. i just triple wrapped it tight in hd foil and wrapped it with a beach towel and then put it in a cooler surrounded by a bunch of sheets. dinner is at 4-4:30ish. 15.5 pounds with ro lump and the temps were between 240-250 lid temp all night and still done in under an hour per pound. nature of the beef i guess
icon_rolleyes.gif
i was planning to do it HH, but the heat index is supposed to top 100 today and i just didn't want to be outside that much.

ps.
i wrapped it whole and plan to food save the point for burnt ends and or chili labor day weekend.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Clark Deutscher:
Not a problem in the least, it will still be nice and warm when you take it out! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

thanks, i have done 4 butts at 6 hours as well as a chuck roll for 5 hours before and they were still burning my fingers, i've just never held a brisket for more than 2 hours before.
 
The few comps we've done we try to have our brisket ready at 8am (sometimes it's done earlier) for a 12 turn in and it is still real warm coming out of the cooler (with the same set up you have), so it's definately all good. Wish I had some brisket!

Clark
 
The only thing with holding a brisket that long is if you take it off the smoker when it's already tender........my point is, if it is 'like butter' and you hold it 'hot' for 4.5 hours it will more than likely be unsliceable. When I know I will be holding a brisket for over an hour or so, I will pull it off before it get's to the 'like butter' tender stage, that whay after the long rest it will be like butter, but still slicable.
 
Larry, could you explain If it's tender(like butter)why would'nt it slice good? Do you mean it would be mushy?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chuck Dugas:
Larry, could you explain If it's tender(like butter)why would'nt it slice good? Do you mean it would be mushy? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

If it's tender and a meat probe or fork goes into the meat 'like butter' before it's foiled and placed in a cooler, then during an extended rest the meat will continue to briefly cook and tender, the meat will more than likely be falling apart tender and unslicable. It can also become a bit mushy as you stated, good point!

My point is, yes you can hold a brisket for a long time in a cooler. But, you need to pull it before it's completely tender for an extended rest/holding period.
 
yea larry that is my only concern. it really wasn't like butter but it was definitly tender. i went out at 11:30 to go ahead and foil it until it got tender, but to my surprise it was already tender.
 
My point is, yes you can hold a brisket for a long time in a cooler. But, you need to pull it before it's completely tender for an extended rest/holding period.[/QUOTE]

Know wonder they call it the hardest piece of meat to BBQ!!
One of these days I will attempt to do a brisket.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chuck Dugas:
My point is, yes you can hold a brisket for a long time in a cooler. But, you need to pull it before it's completely tender for an extended rest/holding period. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Know wonder they call it the hardest piece of meat to BBQ!!
One of these days I will attempt to do a brisket.[/QUOTE]

Don't let it intimidate you!!! Go for it, it will turn out fine!!!
 
i called my dad and grandmother and told them to come over at 3:30 instead of 4:30 since my hog-apple beans are ready too. just took the towel wrapped brisket out of the cooler and the foil still burned my hand when i touched it after 3.5 hours.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Larry Wolfe:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chuck Dugas:
Larry, could you explain If it's tender(like butter)why would'nt it slice good? Do you mean it would be mushy? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

If it's tender and a meat probe or fork goes into the meat 'like butter' before it's foiled and placed in a cooler, then during an extended rest the meat will continue to briefly cook and tender, the meat will more than likely be falling apart tender and unslicable. It can also become a bit mushy as you stated, good point!

My point is, yes you can hold a brisket for a long time in a cooler. But, you need to pull it before it's completely tender for an extended rest/holding period. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Larry I did a brisket a few weeks ago and I took it off the cooker when it was tender/like butter. I foiled it and put it in a cooler for a few hours and like you said it was unslicable, it was more like pot roast not like a brisket.

So I think that the next time I will pull it early or not foil/rest in the cooler for so long. Thanks for the great info.

Jeff
 
i must have foiled it just in time because it was perfect. 1/4" slices were nice and moist and could be cut with a fork. on another note, this 15.5# packer had virtually no point. it was all flat except for a smal small point that was mostly fat.
 
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