Smoking in Advance Advice

I always leave the fat cap on. I like the extra insulation, and moisture it provides when reheating. On occassion I've been known to trim some off on toss it in a skillet until I have some tasty fat rendered down and then sauteeing some mushrooms for a morning after omelette etc. If I have to buy a packer that has too much fat I'll trim it some before the marinade or rub.

I'd probably wrap the brisket twice in heavy duty foil and toss it in the fridge, or Foodsaver it if you have a vacuum sealer. On the other hand freezing for a couple of days wouldn't hurt much if any, as long as it is packaged well, and would help keep other stuff cold in the cooler for the trip if you drive.

Reheating. Tried all of the options and the easiest for me is the oven. fewer variables, provided you don't have other family members wanting to jack up the temp for something else. With the brisket completely thawed wrap in foil and place in oven at about 325. Depending on size it should take 45 minutes plus to come up to temp, probe thermometer is really handy for this so you don't have to worry about it getting too done. If the bark seems a little damp or soggy when removing it from the foil just toss it on the grill for a few minutes and that should help crisp things up, just make sure it isn't too hot and don't forget about it.

Those methods have worked for me. What I've tried that didn't work in the past was pulling a brisket a couple of hours early with the intent of freezing it and then finishing it the day of the event. Completely thawed brisket went into the smoker and NEVER came close to getting tender. I've talked to others that have had it work, but there isn't anything worse than pulling a beautiful brisket and expecting heaven, only to get leather.

Hope you catch a break with the weather for your smoke tomorrow and have a safe trip.

No expert on this but this is what I would do. Smoke brisket Wed 12-18 hrs, then double foil and towel wrap into cooler(no ice) until Thur morning. Thur am, sample a couple of slices for breakfast, just to be sure it's perfect, of course! Reseal foil and into frig 'til sat am. Back into cooler with ice for road trip. Slice as needed and just warm slices in Microwave. Darn, now I'm hungry and wishing I was going with u. 8)

Oyea, and leave the fat layer on, you can trim when served. That microwave warmed fat will smell smokey great.

Jorge said:

On the other hand freezing for a couple of days wouldn't hurt much if any, as long as it is packaged well, and would help keep other stuff cold in the cooler for the trip if you drive.

Click to expand...

If you froze the brisket, how long would it take to thaw? It seems like you would have to start thawing it on Saturday to eat on Sunday.

Frog

Be sure to tell us what you did and how it worked.


Ringo

Along this line, I am planning to smoke a coupla pork butts for about 6 hours on Friday to save time for a party on Saturday. I want to finish the butts on Saturday.

1. Should I refrigerate them or just foil them and put them in a cooler?

2. Should they go back in the smoker and then the oven or just straight to the oven?

I need to know because I will be cooking ribs, chicken sausage and fatties on Saturday and I need the extra space.

Mista

Can a brother get a litlle feed back?

I have never heard of partially smoking/cooking meat to finish cooking the next day. That would worry me. Why not just finish them on Friday and reheat them on Saturday? That should give you even more time on Saturday.

I'm thinkin', I'm thinkin'

If you cook them 6 hours and then throw them in the cooler, hmmm - they just might finish off even though they probably won't get up to 190 -- I'll say foil it and put it in the cooler and when the meat gets to 140 check it and then put it in the fridge -- below 140 you're just asking for it to spoil.

If it's not tender enough then I'd say put it in the oven on 250 and just let it go until it's fall apart tender. Keep it foiled with all the grease and juice.

Just my $.02 worth - your mileage may vary!

mista, if you're smoking fairly late on friday and your feed isn't too late saturday, you might consider wrapping when you finish smoking friday, put them in the oven @ 200 overnight then cooler until its time to serve. Bigger butts would work better for this as they would tend not to over cook if you serving later sat. This is one of those things to let us know what you tried and how it worked.

Reheating. Tried all of the options and the easiest for me is the oven. fewer variables, provided you don't have other family members wanting to jack up the temp for something else. With the brisket completely thawed wrap in foil and place in oven at about 325. Depending on size it should take 45 minutes plus to come up to temp, probe thermometer is really handy for this so you don't have to worry about it getting too done.

Click to expand...

Jorge, anyone -- when using oven and temp probe to reheat previously cooked brisket or butt, is the target temp the same as when you cooked it originally? 200? Or something a bit lower so as not to overcook?

john said:

Why not just finish them on Friday and reheat them on Saturday? That should give you even more time on Saturday.

Click to expand...

Because I won't get home from work on Friday till about 5pm. 45min-1hour to get a good fire going. Then Butts on by 6. Make some BBQ sauce. Smoke till Midnight. Foil and cooler until morning

Up at 8. Ribs and fatties on by 9. Fatties off by 11:30 slice one for a late breakfast. Marinate some chicken for a lady coming who doesn't eat red meat. Make a bowl of Tunafish salad. Make a bowl of Coleslaw at 1 pm. Start some BBQ Beans and put foiled butts in oven at 225° at 2pm. Chicken goes on, Ribs come off and get foiled at 3 pm Heat. Sausages go on, Start Green beans, and start making Tuna-Cream Cheese Quesadillas for guests at 4pm. Also served sliced fatties. Pull Pork at 5pm. Serve dinner around 6pm.

This is my plan. I'm open to suggestions on this.


Mista

I won't get home from work on Friday till about 5pm

Click to expand...

Leave Early. :roll:

I like Kcquer's idea.. that way you know it is safe and still slowly cooking in the oven while you sleep.

spoon said:

Reheating. Tried all of the options and the easiest for me is the oven. fewer variables, provided you don't have other family members wanting to jack up the temp for something else. With the brisket completely thawed wrap in foil and place in oven at about 325. Depending on size it should take 45 minutes plus to come up to temp, probe thermometer is really handy for this so you don't have to worry about it getting too done.

Click to expand...

Jorge, anyone -- when using oven and temp probe to reheat previously cooked brisket or butt, is the target temp the same as when you cooked it originally? 200? Or something a bit lower so as not to overcook?

Click to expand...

I go a bit lower, usually around 140-150 for a brisket and then pull it out to check on it. If I have a while before it's time to eat I just turn the oven off and leave the door cracked a bit to bleed off the heat. Whatever gets me to dinner time with the least hassle.

IM gonn aput my .02 in on all of these..

I'd cook everything completely. If its gonna get reaheated in 3-4 days.. then do it in the oven at 275 completely wrapped. Soince it was completely cooked allready, u just need to bring it to slicing temperature. To low and its still hard.. I would say a cooked brisket brought back to 140-145 would slice just fine.. Same for pulling a butt(but bring it 20 160 to pull oon the reheat.) Cook it COMPLETELY the first time out... cooking it part way and then starting over just aint gonna do it, and probbly wont save much time, especially if its been chilled.

Phil,

I smoked for 6 hours, wrapped in foil and into the oven at 200° overnight. Turned the oven off at 6:30am. Got up and pulled about 8:30am.

Butta meat.

Mista