How to fit whole packer on 18.5"


 
M

Marty M.

TVWBB Member
So I smoked my first whole packer last night. It was 16.84 pounds. It was waaaaay longer than the flats I've smoked before. I'm competing next weekend in my first competition and I wanted to practice with a whole packer instead of a flat before the competition since that's what I want to smoke. I'm planning on using a 22.5" for the pork butts and baby back ribs and the 18.5" for the whole packer brisket and chicken thighs. However . . . when I went to buy the whole packer (which was the first time I had even seen a whole packer) I realized that there is no way this thing was going to fit on an 18.5" WSM without some creativity.

I ended up making sure the flat was, well, flat, and I I bowed the point up in the middle since I'm mainly concerned about the presentation of the flat. The brisket turned out exactly how I wanted it to, but I'm just wondering how I could have done it better.

How do you guys fit a whole packer on an 18.5"?

Thank you very much for your help.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by craig castille:
I lay it over the handles and use a foil heat shield below the exposed areas. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

So, do you tuck the smaller, tapered in over and down beside one of the handles of the grate it's on?
 
Well that's a bigger packer than I get in my neck of the country but I usually fold the thinner flat side under tight and foil it. It will then generally fit between the grate handles. I've tried using skewers to help hold it but they don't really do much. After a few hours it will shrink to fit anyway.

I'm not a comp guy but I would think you would be taking your presentation pieces from the middle to wider end of the flat anyway. The point remains unaffected with the above if you're presenting burnt ends with your submission.

As a quick aside, a slow cooker does wonders for a less than stellar brisket with a goulash or beef stew style base. I've done many a great chili /goulash with an overdone brisket.

James
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by James Harvey:
Well that's a bigger packer than I get in my neck of the country but I usually fold the thinner flat side under tight and foil it. It will then generally fit between the grate handles. I've tried using skewers to help hold it but they don't really do much. After a few hours it will shrink to fit anyway.

I'm not a comp guy but I would think you would be taking your presentation pieces from the middle to wider end of the flat anyway. The point remains unaffected with the above if you're presenting burnt ends with your submission.

As a quick aside, a slow cooker does wonders for a less than stellar brisket with a goulash or beef stew style base. I've done many a great chili /goulash with an overdone brisket.

James </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for your help!
 
Last brisket I did was a little over 17lb. I took a fire brick split (the 1/2 thickness ones) wrapped it in foil and put it on edge in the middle of the grate. Placed the brisket over it. Worked great.
 
i havn't done one that big. also i've seen some long and some a little shorter so maybe try to find the short ones. but if i do get one that won't fir then i will just cut the flat part off to fit. lets face it, the flat ends are usually overcooked anyway by the time the rest is ready. so cook that piece on the side until its done and it won't be overcooked.
 
Separate the point from the flat and cook each section separately. There is a vein of fat that separates the two pieces. It takes some practice to get good at it, but it runs diagonally between the two parts. Slice through it and you have two pieces that will cook better than if you leave it intact.
 
How many racks & butts are you cooking?

I would suggest the brisket on the top rack of the 22, butts on the bottom.

Ribs on the top of the 18, chicken on the bottom.

I did learn in my first comp that when you have chicken & ribs on the same cooker, you open the lid more than your normally would and increase your cooking times by doing so.
 
Marty, an interesting thought came to me while I was reading your thread. I've had briskets that were to big for my 18" Always seemed to be a hassle. Why not take one of your rib racks out . Put the brisket on its side and kind of curl the ends around. When it shrinks you take it out of the rib rack and cook like normal. Just may have to give this a try.
 
I use the "v" shaped Weber roast rack, upside down then drape the brisket over and tuck the ends on the grate handles. Did a 17 pounder on Saturday night that way, works great.
 
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