Brethren lend me your keyboards- Storing and Traveling with Cooked Brisket?

[coastal]

Storing and Traveling with Cooked Brisket?

I am traveling about 12 hours for Labor day weekend.

My plan is to smoke Brisket here Thursday then store for bringing it with me this weekend.

1) Should I slice it first or leave it whole
2) Do I have to have a vacum seal bag or will ziplock freezer bags work for storing 2 to 3 days.
3) Plan to store in cooler with ice? any problems here?
4) I wont have a oven, steamer etc. will reheating in a foil pan on a grill with its juices be the best way to reheat?
5)anything else I should know?

[TheWolfePit]

I would slice, vacuum seal and freeze. Travel with it on ice, it will be thawed in 2 days, then lightly heat the bags in a foil pan of water on the grill.

That is just the way I would do it to keep the meat fresh and moist and ease of reheating.

[ButtBurner]

I wound not slice it

I have taken brisket and froze it whole in as large a piece that will fit in the vac bag.

[coastal]

Originally Posted by TheWolfePit

I would slice, vacuum seal and freeze. Travel with it on ice, it will be thawed in 2 days, then lightly heat the bags in a foil pan of water on the grill.

That is just the way I would do it to keep the meat fresh and moist and ease of reheating.

How long do you boil?

[jimstocks53]

After establishing bark and smoke ring I would finish the cook in a covered foil pan with some liquid (look ma! no clean up!). This will allow you to save the juices and will admittedly soften the bark but you are traveling and cooking ahead of time already. Once cooked I would slice it and immediately place it in freezer bags with its own juices. Use multiple bags - it will freeze faster. Work quickly since meat dries out rapidly once cut. You can let it thaw en route and hopefully have a way to reheat it upon arrival - using again a covered pan au juice.

[BBQ Bandit]

Reheating brisket is a challenge - even with access to resources to reheat.

The best option is to cook to 90% finished then crash chill intact in a cooler of ice.
However the reheat over a grill will not be a quick fashion - risking drying out.
Possibly re-inject with choice of fluids for next re-heat (or a pan of fluids as a braise).

Or a possible plan B - Do you have access (or bring) a turkey fryer?
Pre-slice and bag with plenty of au jus (or add low sodium beef broth)
Note - leave bag open standing up during chill to vent properly before vacu-sealing.
Boil in a bag is the best option for moisture retention.

[coastal]

Originally Posted by BBQ Bandit

Reheating brisket is a challenge - even with access to resources to reheat.

The best option is to cook to 90% finished then crash chill intact in a cooler of ice.
However the reheat over a grill will not be a quick fashion - risking drying out.
Possibly re-inject with choice of fluids for next re-heat (or a pan of fluids as a braise).

Or a possible plan B - Do you have access (or bring) a turkey fryer?
Pre-slice and bag with plenty of au jus (or add low sodium beef broth)
Note - leave bag open standing up during chill to vent properly before vacu-sealing.
Boil in a bag is the best option for moisture retention.

Yes I have a fryer I could bring. Assuming it fits in the car with everything else. Probably will try to boil with a pot and the JJ. May take a few rounds but I am bringing the Joe anyway for burgers and steaks

[John Bowen]

Last year, one Saturday, we did a brisket test and cooked 2 16 lb briskets. After we tasted, learned, split up the briskets and everyone left my wife and I looked at a pile of sliced brisket left over. I put some in zip lock bags and I vacuum sealed some – tossed it all in the fridge. I also strained - separated the drippings and put that in plastic containers. By Tuesday we still had a bunch left over so I took it to work with a crock pot – I tossed the slices and the drippings at 7:30 and let it warm up. There are 8 people in my section and by 10:00 the brisket was gone.
For 3 day old brisket it tasted great and still had the smoke flavor. Reheating it in a crock pot with its drippings worked out well and it was very moist.

[coastal]

Originally Posted by John Bowen

Last year, one Saturday, we did a brisket test and cooked 2 16 lb briskets. After we tasted, learned, split up the briskets and everyone left my wife and I looked at a pile of sliced brisket left over. I put some in zip lock bags and I vacuum sealed some – tossed it all in the fridge. I also strained - separated the drippings and put that in plastic containers. By Tuesday we still had a bunch left over so I took it to work with a crock pot – I tossed the slices and the drippings at 7:30 and let it warm up. There are 8 people in my section and by 10:00 the brisket was gone.
For 3 day old brisket it tasted great and still had the smoke flavor. Reheating it in a crock pot with its drippings worked out well and it was very moist.

That's a good idea. I do have a car attachment for my crock pot. So the smoke flavor did not suffer at all you say?

[legendaryhog]

Originally Posted by BBQ Bandit

Boil in a bag is the best option for moisture retention.

I like this idea. If you just have a kettle and an aluminum pan, vacuum seal the whole brisket once it has cooled a bit (or you will steam it), then when you reheat, put water in the pan on the grill (big enough to fit the brisket in comfortably, like a disposable aluminum turkey pan), put something in the pan so the brisket in the vacuum seal isn't touching the bottom of the pan but so water is still surrounding the brisket (for example, a cake rack), and gently boil it back up to temp (you may have to flip it a few times), remove when it just begins to steam in the bag. I think that would be your easiest way. I wouldn't slice until after reheat this way. Brisket (and any other meat) begins to dry out once it is sliced.

Good luck. Let us know what method you went with and how it worked out.

[coastal]

Originally Posted by legendaryhog

I like this idea. If you just have a kettle and an aluminum pan, vacuum seal the whole brisket once it has cooled a bit (or you will steam it), then when you reheat, put water in the pan on the grill (big enough to fit the brisket in comfortably, like a disposable aluminum turkey pan), put something in the pan so the brisket in the vacuum seal isn't touching the bottom of the pan but so water is still surrounding the brisket (for example, a cake rack), and gently boil it back up to temp (you may have to flip it a few times), remove when it just begins to steam in the bag. I think that would be your easiest way. I wouldn't slice until after reheat this way. Brisket (and any other meat) begins to dry out once it is sliced.

Good luck. Let us know what method you went with and how it worked out.

Only problem is if I don't slice it at all I won't get to eat any Thursday! I may need to buy a tritip also so I am not tempted

[GMDGeek]

For Camping Brisket - I cook brisket, pull, rest, save drippings. Then I slice, place in multiple vacuum seal bags with some of the drippings, seal it up and then freeze it. Then once at the camp site and we are ready to eat some I bust out the dutch over, bring some water to a boil, drop in the brisket for about 15 minutes. I pull it out, let it rest for about 5 minutes and then open and server.

[luke duke]

Here is my process:
Cook it (wrap in foil at the end to capture juices)
Let it cool and refrigerate it overnight
Slice it the next day (while cold)
Vacuum seal
I usually freeze it, but it sounds like you won't need to
Reheat in pot of simmering water.
Enjoy.

I refrigerate it before I slice it so that the fat and juices congeal. This way I can put a spoonful in each bag and it won't get sucked out when I vacuum seal the bag. Moisture retention is never an issue for me.

[Riz58]

Originally Posted by coastal

How long do you boil?

I have had excellent luck with cooking the brisket, letting it rest, then slicing it ( I use thicker slices), and placing about a 1/2 pound with a little au jus in a vacuum bag and sealing it. I make the bag long enough that it seals before the chilled juice makes it to the edge.

Upon arrival on site, I get large stock pots of boiling water going, and place my vacuum bags of thawed beef in the boiling water. I have found that 30 minutes brings them out about perfect.

Slice open the bag, and slide out the piping hot meat onto the serving dish.