When should I start the overnight process?


 
M

Matt Savage

New member
I know, I know … it depends on a lot of factors. Outside temperature should be ~ 40 – 50 degrees.

We are having guests over Saturday beginning at 4:00p. I am in charge of smoking two beef briskets (9.1 lbs. and 11.1 lbs. untrimmed). My question is related to when to begin the process. The plan is that I not be smoking when guests arrive. Everything must be ready when they arrive. I was planning on the following time table, but I need your input.
I want to know two things:

1. Are my estimated times for each step in the process reasonable?
2. When should I put the brisket in the smoker?

Also, if it appears that they will not be done in time to adequately rest, at what point should I decide to foil and leave in the smoker to finish? I.e. If I am 15 degrees from desired temperature and I only have 3 hours left before guests arrive, do I foil now?

Starting backwards
Step Time Process
1. 4:00p – 3:30p Slice meat into slices and shred.

2. 3:30p – 3:00p Rest meat

3. 3:00p – Noon This is the window when I would like to have the meat done. If it is done anytime in this window before 3:00p, I will wrap-up like a burrito and put in a warm cooler.

4. ??? Put meat in smoker

5. 20 minutes before Start coals in chimney

6. 1 hour before Take meat out of refrigerator

7. 24 hours before Prep and rub meat

8. 1-2 days before Check supplies, buy meat.
 
Matt,
I am by no means an expert on this, but from my experience I would plan on putting the meat on the smoker (4) Somewhere between 9 and 10 PM.

My reasoning is thus
11.5 untrimmed probably trim to between 9.5 and 10 #.
10# times 1.5 hours = 15 hours. +/- cook time.
Starting at 10 this would finish the meat up around 1:00
PM. This would give you about a 2 hour window each way to still be ok.

Just last week I managed to hold Briskets for 4 1/2 hours in a warmed cooler. And they were still too hot and had to set them on the counter for about 1/2 hour before slicing.

Anyway that would be my plan, but again; by far I am not the most experienced here.


Bob
 
4 p.m. brisket meals are always a little awkward, I find. How much sleep do you mind losing? A few things, before I get into the specifics... first, two briskets, wrapped in foil and sitting snugly in a tight, pre-warmed cooler will stay over 140 for well over 4 hours. Probably 5 hours, frankly.

If this were me, I'd err on the side of losing sleep at night, while giving myself flexibility (I'd rather lose sleep at night than have to speed up the cook). (that's because I hate, HATE waking up early in the morning).

So, I'd either:

1) put the briskets on at around 1:30 a.m. or so and keep the sucker going at around 230-ish (not much higher). That will get you to around a 10-12 hour cook, I'm guessing, since your briskets are on the smallish side.

Or,

2) I'd put them on at 4 a.m. (which means starting to light the minion-method briquettes at 3:30 a.m.). So, trim and rub the briskets the night before, then put them in the fridge. Then at 4, put them on and keep it running around 240-ish. Don't let it dip for very long in the 220 or below range or your cook will quickly get too long for the time you want, (if you are starting in the morning).

If you find you need to speed the cook and you are three hours away, definitely foil sooner rather than later. I try and get the temps to the 165 range before I foil, so I know I've gotten a lot of smoke, but if you are pressed for time, remember finishing early in is better than late, since you MUST give that brisket a rest or it will be dry when you cut into it.

Anyhow, hope that helps. Good luck!
 
Matt-

Keep the temps around 235 and I would plan on 15 hours of cooktime. Also I have foiled at 160 before if you you want to finish the meat quicker but I think with the WSM you will sacarifice a nice bark if you foil to soon.
I would also suggest at least a 1 hour rest in a cooler I believe this helps.

Good luck
Rick
 
Thanks for all of the advice. I trimmed and gave the brisket a good rub with a combination of my own spices and some rub from Jack Stack's (Kansas City).
Depending on the weather forecast, that will help me determine a 9:30p start or a 1:30am start based on your advice.
 
I find that my brisket cooks are usually shorter than my pork shoulder cooks (per pound). I don't mind getting up early, so a 10:00-12:00 midnight start (meat in the cooker) would work for me.

Here are a couple of timing considerations to think about. Remember the 1 or 2 hours that you will need after the meat goes on the cooker to insure that you have a stable set-up before you go to bed.

Also, You will enjoy the meal much more if you shower, change clothes and go no where near the cooker for at least 2 hours after the meat comes off. You will have become desensitized to the smoke after playing in it for a bit. The break you get, along with getting the smoke off of you and your clothes will allow you to really appreciate what you have done.

I like a 10:00 PM start so that I can be asleep by midnight!

Cheers and good luck.
Lou
 
Matt,

IMHO, Start them early enough to get the temp stabilized before you want to go to bed, what ever time that might be. Then get a good night sleep, don’t want to be tired and cranky for your guests the next day. When there done wrap each in a double layer of foil and place in a cooler packed with towels or a blanket. I’ve had that much meat stay above 140 for 6 to 8 hours. (I’ve got a cooler that is 4 inch thick styrofoam) I keep a thermometer in the meat as it rests to monitor the temp. You’ll be amazed how long it stays hot.

Good luck,

Kirk
 
Lou, that shower/stay away from the smoke idea is really a good point. For me, if I shower after taking food off of the smoker, my experience of the flavors are closer to the folks im feeding. If that makes any sense. But still, your point is a good one that I use.
 
This is probably heresy, but it has worked for me. I start at 6am the previous day and then cook all day until I get the magic 190. I then wrap them in HD foil and put in the frig.

The next day, I do not unwrap them. I put them in a 350 oven for 30 minutes. Works every time and I have control of time....tom
 
First I just want to say it doesn't have to be 40-50 outside. I smoke all winter long even when it is in the teens. Wind can cause you to use more fuel though.

You already have lots of input for the briskets. If it was me I would start around 10. By the time 12 rolls around I have my vents set and go to bed. If you are using charcoal you will want to be up around 7 and checking on ash build up and maybe putting more charcoal in the smoker. I can't remember a brisket taking more than 13 hours but each is different. I would venture to say it will be done around noonish.

The big thing is adding charcoal during the cook. If you start at 10 check the amount of coals at 7. If it doesn't look like it will last another 5 hours add 6 or 8 pieces of charcoal. I read somewhere if you add too many pieces of unlit at once it will reduce your temps. Check again an hour or so after you add and add again if necessecary.
 
In regard to the cooler..I duct tape all around the seal of the cover and I have had 5-7 hrs of HEAT. Double wrap Heavy duty.

Mostly for butts doing brisket next weekend.
 
Ok , Matt,
So tell, how did the cook go? What time did you start? What time did the Briskets finish up? Since I didn't get the pleasure of smokin this weekend (had to do many other honey-do's) I am lining vicariously through your feedback.
icon_biggrin.gif


Inquiring minds want ot know.

Bob
 
I made many errors, but I put the meat on @ 10:30p and it when I first checked the temp. of the meat, at 8:30a, it was already 195-200 degrees.
When I went to bed ~ midnight the temp. of the WSM was 230 degrees. When I checked at 6:30a, it was still 230. (Light rain, light breeze, and an outside temp. ~ 47.) I think the mistake came next.

I did not check the temp. of the brisket assuming I had awhile to go. So I "knocked the ashes off” and added more unlit charcoal and water. I think from 6:30a - 8:30a, the temp. of the WSM got above 165. Anyhow, I took them both off, wrapped them in foil and a towel and kept them warm until 3:30p when I began to slice.
The smaller brisket was drier, however everyone still raved about it. (I think they were being too kind.)
I would have changed the following: put the temperature probe in at the onset, monitored the grill temp. once between midnight and 6:30a, and much more closely between 6:30 and 8:30a.
 
Matt -

Glad they turned out ok, despite being a bit dry.

briskets are funny things. Butts for me take forever. Briskets cook fast. Not sure why. Others have the opposite experience.

before I figured out how long my briskets usually took me, I started a cook for a 3 p.m. dinner at 8 p.m. the night before. It was an 11 pounder after trimming. The sucker was done at 7 a.m. the next morning. I was planning on a 15 hour cook or so, but it instead only took 11 hours. So... I ended up having to cool it down then reheat, since it was going to be 7 hours until we were to eat. (my experience was why I suggested the times above).

For some reason, cooks all vary in their length. And for whatever reason, it has to do with more than just the individual cut. I swear some folks just do things without even knowing that either speed up or slow down their cooks. And that means that the same person will likely have a similar result next time. So... what it all means is that, I bet next time, you'd have a similar experience to this one when you do brisket - a faster cook. And that means you can start to predict better based on your own experience and techniques, which will be more accurate than anyone else can predict for you.

does any of that make sense? Anyhow, good luck and keep it going!
 
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