Newbie Question: How long can I,,,,

[Tom Jordan]

,,,, let a fully cooked brisket "rest" wrapped in foil, towel and in a cooler?
Let's assume I started a full packer at 9:00 pm at 225 (I'm too old to stay up late and play stoker) and 12 to 15 hours later (9:00 am - Noon) the brisket is gelatin ready. I don't want to eat until 5:00 PM. Will the brisket still be good after 4+ hours in the cooler?
Thanks in advance

 

[Andy Erickson]

Probably not idea, but it will still be piping hot if you wrap in foil and then towels and put in a cooler. I had a brisket finish way too early at like 6 a.m. and we didn't carve it until 2:30 and it was still very hot and tasted delicious but the pieces were a tad crumbly. Nobody seemed to care though as there wasn't a scrap left.

 

[Bob Bass]

Let it cool first to a temp below cooking temperature. Some recommend 170 degrees. Once at that temperature, the brisket can be wrapped and kept for hours on end in an oven IF the oven's temperature is also 170 degrees.

 

[Dominick A]

I go 4.5 hours easy with this setup. I've got a rolling cooler, I throw a towel in the bottom, I wrap my meat in foil, then in a towel, then place in a huge ziploc bag. I'm talking a bag big enough to hold a 14LB packer brisket. Place that on top of the towel, then fill the rest of the cooler with an old comforter.

 

[Mac LA]

When you guys say rest in blanket, are you really wrapping the entire thing in an actual blanket? Wouldn't this suck up all the juices?

Can't you just put it in a cooler when it's below 165-170, or do you WANT to re-wrap in something?

 

[Chris Allingham]

When you guys say rest in blanket, are you really wrapping the entire thing in an actual blanket? Wouldn't this suck up all the juices?

Can't you just put it in a cooler when it's below 165-170, or do you WANT to re-wrap in something?

You're wrapping the finished brisket in aluminum foil, which helps retain heat and juices, then placing it in an empty ice chest. A folded bath towel or two in the bottom of the ice chest acts as insulation to prevent the hot brisket from melting the plastic bottom of the ice chest. (You don't want to learn that the hard way!)

Dominick is adding an extra step of placing the foil-wrapped brisket in a big Ziploc bag (I guess to contain any juices that might escape the foil wrap) then stuffing a comforter on top of the brisket for added insulation.

You are NOT wrapping a brisket directly in a towel or blanket.

 

[Chris Allingham]

Let it cool first to a temp below cooking temperature. Some recommend 170 degrees. Once at that temperature, the brisket can be wrapped and kept for hours on end in an oven IF the oven's temperature is also 170 degrees.

Whatever you do, you've got to make sure you keep the temp of that finished brisket above food safe temp of 140*F. You can monitor internal temp with a probe thermometer run under the lid of the ice chest and if it drops to 140, time to move that brisket to the oven as Bob suggests. Or just keep it in the oven to begin with.

In a restaurant setting, they have a dedicated heated cabinet called an Alto-Shamm that will hold finished meat at temp indefinitely...basically a big, slow oven.

 

[Mac LA]

You're wrapping the finished brisket in aluminum foil, which helps retain heat and juices, then placing it in an empty ice chest. A folded bath towel or two in the bottom of the ice chest acts as insulation to prevent the hot brisket from melting the plastic bottom of the ice chest. (You don't want to learn that the hard way!)

Dominick is adding an extra step of placing the foil-wrapped brisket in a big Ziploc bag (I guess to contain any juices that might escape the foil wrap) then stuffing a comforter on top of the brisket for added insulation.

You are NOT wrapping a brisket directly in a towel.

Gotcha, thanks Chris. That's exactly what I've been doing with my pork butts so far. I guess I'm overthinking this brisket thing. lol

 

[Dominick A]

You're wrapping the finished brisket in aluminum foil, which helps retain heat and juices, then placing it in an empty ice chest. A folded bath towel or two in the bottom of the ice chest acts as insulation to prevent the hot brisket from melting the plastic bottom of the ice chest. (You don't want to learn that the hard way!)

Dominick is adding an extra step of placing the foil-wrapped brisket in a big Ziploc bag (I guess to contain any juices that might escape the foil wrap) then stuffing a comforter on top of the brisket for added insulation.

You are NOT wrapping a brisket directly in a towel or blanket.

Exactly right Chris, I have these huge bags I originally got to hold my meat in pre-cook with all of the rub or marinade, and I have been using them in the rest process to keep my cooler and blanket clean.

I second keeping the temps above the danger zone. I have tested my setup with some temperature probes to make sure that the meat is above the danger zone even after 4 hours.

 

[J Hasselberger]

I rest briskets uncovered until they drop into the 170s then do the foil wrap and set it on top of a thick towel as per Chris' photo, then add another thick towel on top. The keep nicely for close to 5 hours. Resting for at least 3 hours in the cooler seems to result in a juicy and tender brisket.