How long can a brisket rest?

ccarter · Sep 19, 2012

I picked up a 15lb brisket yesterday to smoke (yesterday was my Saturday), and realized that it could take a long time to smoke at 245*. I put it into the smoker at 9:15 last night, allowing it to have 18 hours in the smoker before I the time I want to pull it (this afternoon at 3:30pm). It's 9am, the brisket has been in for 12 hours, and it at 195* internal (according to a stoker probe). Only 1 out of 4 spots on the flat probed tender, but the whole point was tender. I took the brisket out, seperated the point and flat, cubed the point for burnt ends, and put everything back in the smoker. I'm going to start probing every 45 mins or so, but I'm not expecting the flat to take more than about 2 more hours.

This brisket is for dinner tonight. I wanted to pull at 3:30pm, and give it 3 hours to rest before slicing. If it makes it another 2 hours it'll only be 11am, so I'll need to make the brisket keep for about 7 hours before time to slice. I've got one of the newer "stacker" coolers that's a perfect size for resting meats, and a bunch of towels. That's how I plan to rest it.

Will it rest for 7 hours?

Are there any alternatives?

I closed up the intake vents to drop the smoker temp. I'm shooting for 225*, and may take it a little lower to keep the flat warm.

Is warming it in the smoker a bad idea?

CarolinaQue · Sep 19, 2012

Well, you can wrap it in foil, then newspaper and then a towel and place in the cooler with the rest of the air space in the cooler filled with towels over the brisket and you would likely be fine. I would preheat the cooler by pouring some very hot water into it and closing it up for 30 minutes or so, dump the water and then put the brisket in it.

If you get really concerned, hold it this way for 4 hours or so and then put it into a 200* oven (after you take the towel and newspaper off of it), for the remaining time, taking it out 30 minutes or so before needing to slice.

mr dirts bbq · Sep 19, 2012

ive never rested that long, maybe 4 hours max.... i would kinda agree with CQ, i would hold in cooler for 5 hours put in oven at 200 till 1 hour before serving rest 45 then slice,
it wont be the best brisket situation IMO but it should work. as long as the internal temp stays up

Panthers65 · Sep 19, 2012

put a thermometer in it and put it in the cooler. As long as it's above 145* you're good. If it gets too low too soon, put it in the oven.

grantw · Sep 19, 2012

To gain some time you could also Take it off the smoker, kill the air to the fire, return it to the smoker, let it start to rest while the temp slowly drops, pre warm a cooler and put in in there. That should give it lots of rest time

Ron_L · Sep 19, 2012

I've gone 6 hours with a preheated cooler and a lot of towels. If you have a remote thermometer you can stick a probe in it and watch the temp. If it starts to get close to 140 then pop it in a warm oven.

ccarter · Sep 19, 2012

I just took it off the smoker at 12:30 (3 hours earlier than I really wanted to). That means it will need to sit for about 6 hours. I've got it nicely wrapped up in the cooler at the moment, and I'm going to check it at 4pm. If it needs some love, I'll throw it in the oven at about 200* in the foil with a little bit of beef broth to help with moisture.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions! We'll see how this goes.

sdbbq1234 · Sep 19, 2012

If it is probe tender, I would put in oven at 170 (I think that is the lowest ovens will go). Any higher, and you are going to cook it too much and dry it out.

My 2 cents worth.

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