Hot and fast brisket help...

[smoke-n-my-i's]

2 hrs and 45 minutes later, sitting in my trusty $25 Cambro resting... I did bring it in and it is sitting on the kitchen counter.

[smoke-n-my-i's]

Man, if this thing turns out, I will be able to get some serious needed zzzzz's on Friday night comp nights....

After it rests for bit, if I can resist those great smells that I had while putting it in the Cambro, we will see how it slices up... We were planning on it for this evening, but I guess we will be having some brisky sammies before long....

[smoke-n-my-i's]

Originally Posted by bigabyte

380 is about average for high heat. I thought I read something well over 400 there, but that was just a temporary spike I guess! At that temp it was sounding more like the super-high-heat-over-direct-flame briskets. I've never done a flat, surprised to hear it might be ready in 3 hours, but again, I don't do flats.

yeah, I am calling it a spike, but it was more like close to 45 minutes... so, would that be a spike, or a medium burn time....

[bigabyte]

I had good luck with high heat briskies, I cooked mine at 375, about the same as you did. I cooked them this way for a couple years. Then I did a low and slow again and switched back. The convenience factor is worth it, but then you may find yourself after a couple years willing to work harder for that extra little bit of tenderness. I also like the bark better on low and slow, but that's just personal opinion. I do agree that good hot and fast briskies are indeed possible, I've made them.

I would call that a temp spike personally. I don't think you have to worry about burning really, you would have known if you had problem by the look and smell when you foiled. My father did hot and fast briskies for a number of years roasting them in the O-word at 500*, and they turned out really good for O-word briskies. He would trim the ever-loving crap out of them, season with only a little salt and pepper, and let them cook for a couple hours (they cooked fast). I don't know for sure if they were braised or not, I'll have to ask him if you want to know more about that. He would usually whip one up before everyone came over and serve, so i never watched him make one beginning to end, and at the time I was in to low and slow so never bothered to ask about it. At the time i thought my low and slow were better for the same reasons I stil prefer low and slow, it was more tender, and had better bark.

[sitnfat]

how does the bark look? mine was black?

[smoke-n-my-i's]

Originally Posted by sitnfat

both of mine were flats and i cooked them at 325. I put them on as soon as i added a chimney of coals to my basket it takes 2 hours for my uds to come up to that temp so they where on there a total of 7 hours but the first two it was getting up to speed.

So, you didn't get your drums up to temp first???? I am curious as I am all but ready to make me one to try. I usually get my offset up to temps before I put the meat on, most of the time abt 30-45 minutes to do so, depending on outside temps.

Today it was low 40's when I started and I did put the brisky on a little early, it was close to 225 or so when I did... then it shot on up to over 300 pretty fast, so I guess it didn't hurt too much. And I did have a water pan in there also which usually helps steady the temps....

[smoke-n-my-i's]

Originally Posted by sitnfat

how does the bark look? mine was black?

I will have to wait until I unwrap it.... it has only been resting for abt 20 minutes, I am going to make myself wait a little longer.... (maybe) kinda hard to wait to see what it is going to be like, and I know that a couple here are awaiting to see how it turns out....

[sitnfat]

these were the first long cooks i have usually done chicken on it for a couple of hours i really like it i hae to feed my offset to keep it where i want it about every hour the drum i fill my basket with wood and charcoal then dump a chiminey of coals in it it was hot for another 3 hours or so before it started dropping.. I have heard of guys putting them on before it gets up to temp so i decided to try it.

[smoke-n-my-i's]

Originally Posted by sitnfat

these were the first long cooks i have usually done chicken on it for a couple of hours i really like it i hae to feed my offset to keep it where i want it about every hour the drum i fill my basket with wood and charcoal then dump a chiminey of coals in it it was hot for another 3 hours or so before it started dropping.. I have heard of guys putting them on before it gets up to temp so i decided to try it.

I was curious as I have read on here, that some are getting like 9-12 hour burns with like 13 lbs of charcoal..... that may be more low and slow too.... I guess when I get mine built, and can experiment and see how it does.

[sitnfat]

yeah my BIL gets those kind out of his and ours are almost identical. I am gonna put a second rack in mine for a water pan

[smoke-n-my-i's]

OK, the unveiling is coming real soon... but for now, until I get the pics finished transferred, here is my opinion on my first HOT and FAST brisket....

overall: not overly pleased with it.
A) nice smoke ring though
B) not overly tender, and I let it cook until 203 degrees vs my normal 193
C) not real tender, not quite pull apart tender, and has a slight pull to it when trying to bite it.
D) should I have cooked it to even a higher temp?
E) should I have cooked it at maybe a little lower temp?
F) was I expecting more out of it? The last angus I did, was way more tender and more flavorful....

Will I do another one, maybe, just to see if it can be done on my offsets. If it is being done on others, I should be able to do it on mine right?

pics to come soon. after my sammie....

[smoke-n-my-i's]

The unveiling will now begin:

[bigabyte]

My thoughts, a hot and fast will never be as tender as a low and slow. Since tenderness is relative, that does not mean you can NOT make a tender hot and fast, yet that same brisket done low and slow would have been more tender, guaranteed. Higher finishing temp may have helped. It's a lot easier to cook until it is tender doing low and slow, because when doing hot and fast you can't just open it and probe it as easily...

[barbefunkoramaque]

LOL Once my firebox on the brazos is redone (firebox size is 4 feet by 4 feet by four feet) I will be hinging up a rather large sturdy steel basket made out of 1/2 inch mild steel bars that you can plop several briskets in and swing inside and close the door for pre-searing the briskets.

Firebox Internal temps - about 600! I can sear in 6 minutes! LOL

[Ford]

Might have been a little better if you had rested at least 2 hours and maybe longer.