I should have taken pictures, but it was over before I knew it. This weekend I cooked a 12.5 pound brisket and a rack of spare ribs.
I've been scared to cook a brisket, but it came out really well, but that being said, I was surprised at how fast it cooked.
After what I saw online and in videos I was prepared for a 15 hour cook at 235. I put the brisket on at 11PM on Friday night, set my thermometer to alarm at 165 (figured I'd wrap it about then and try to get some sleep). My WSM was running a bit hot, first time cooking without water in the pan, and got up to 275 for about an hour, but I was able to get it under control and was dialed in at 240 or so. I set up camp on the couch, and waited. My alarm went off at 0300, that I had hit 165. I went out and tested the meat and sure enough,it was right at 165. I wrapped it, and put it back on, thinking that I would wake up the next morning and still have a few hours to go. At 0700 my alarm went off that I was approaching 200 internal temp. I went out and tested it, and it wasn't quite probe tender, but close. I let it ride for another hour, and checked it again, and it was perfect.
I guess I was surprised that a 15 hour cook turned into a 9 hour cook, but the meat was tender and juicy and the point was perfect for burnt ends. It was a pretty fatty cut of meat as I found out when I began to slice it, but still not sure why it was done as soon as it was. Any thoughts here? Does the fat content cause the meat to cook faster? Obviously wrapping it speeds up the process, but that much? Could the hour that it was at 275 effect the cook that much?
-Tom
I've been scared to cook a brisket, but it came out really well, but that being said, I was surprised at how fast it cooked.
After what I saw online and in videos I was prepared for a 15 hour cook at 235. I put the brisket on at 11PM on Friday night, set my thermometer to alarm at 165 (figured I'd wrap it about then and try to get some sleep). My WSM was running a bit hot, first time cooking without water in the pan, and got up to 275 for about an hour, but I was able to get it under control and was dialed in at 240 or so. I set up camp on the couch, and waited. My alarm went off at 0300, that I had hit 165. I went out and tested the meat and sure enough,it was right at 165. I wrapped it, and put it back on, thinking that I would wake up the next morning and still have a few hours to go. At 0700 my alarm went off that I was approaching 200 internal temp. I went out and tested it, and it wasn't quite probe tender, but close. I let it ride for another hour, and checked it again, and it was perfect.
I guess I was surprised that a 15 hour cook turned into a 9 hour cook, but the meat was tender and juicy and the point was perfect for burnt ends. It was a pretty fatty cut of meat as I found out when I began to slice it, but still not sure why it was done as soon as it was. Any thoughts here? Does the fat content cause the meat to cook faster? Obviously wrapping it speeds up the process, but that much? Could the hour that it was at 275 effect the cook that much?
-Tom
