Anyone do a Hybrid Cook?

[sandiegobbq]

Instead of low and slow or hot and fast anyone try to do a hybrid cook?

The advantages of hot and fast are obviously you cook in less time and to some you retain moisture in the meat.

The disadvantages are that sometimes the fat is not rendered enough and you can a fatty product especially with ribs.

Anyone start with low and slow for awhile and then finish the cook hot and fast?

The low and slow would render more fat and then a hot cook would retain the moisture in the meat.

Hybrid anyone?

[JMSetzler]

I just keep mine simple. One temp for the entire cook. I have cooked pork everywhere between 225 and 300 degrees so far. I haven't had any issues at those temps of fat not rendering out properly. When it comes to hot and fast, I guess that my problem is that I'm just not in enough of a hurry to get the meat done :)

[MilitantSquatter]

Thirdeye was one of the first to talk of this approach on the forum and it's gained a lot of traction after Donnie picked up on it and adapted..

I've tried it and I think it has merit if you like cooking hotter.

http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/03/brisket.html

Here's two excerpts from Thirdeye's blog posting

I start all briskets off with a low temperature fire, 200° if I can hold it. Pecan is my wood of choice, and this early part of the cook is when you will get some smokey flavor. After a couple of hours I ramp up the pit temp to 225°-240° and usually finish around 250° or 275°. (also check out the high temp brisket cooking below.)


High Temp Fast Cook Brisket

METHOD 3 - Slow Start High Temp Method: My last source for guideance has been Donny Pitmaster "T", a briskateer with a long history in cooking brisket at high temps, and someone who cooks a lot of brisket. I was happy with both the tenderness and moistness of high temp briskets, but they were not smoky enough for me. To improve the flavor I put a cold brisket on a cooler pit (around 200°) for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. I use mesquite charcoal and a little more flavor wood than normal. At the end of the first stage of cooking, I ramp the cooker up to 325°. In my Egg I don't turn the brisket, in my BDS I turn it every 1-1/2 to 2 hours. When the internal temperature reaches 165°, I inject the brisket with 4 ounces of brisket juice (see above), triple wrap in foil and finish cooking (fat side down) in a 300° cooker or in an oven. I'm not sure if it's the 5400' elevation of my house, the foil pouch, or the high temperature.... but I get a nice product when I cook the brisket to an internal of 205°, followed by a 2 or 3 hour rest. Pitmaster "T" also likes the slow start method. This method is my current favorite, and in addition I've done a quick chill and froze these whole in the foil pouch. They reheat just great in a 275° oven in 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

[landarc]

I tend to do a lower temperature initially and allow the cooker to ramp up after a couple of hours, or more, if I have the time. So I will start with a stable temperature around 235F or so, then cook for at least one hour, and it time permits, 3 hours or so, then open the vents and let the temperature ride up to 275F up to 300F.

[CarolinaQue]

Today, my wife had to work. So, me being home with 2 kids had to get a brisket smoked/cooked for chili tomorrow night as we're having guests over. On top of that, we were leaving to go to a friends house tonight for dinner at around 3:45 this afternoon. I also had to smoke off some apples and jalapenos for devilled eggs tomorrow. All of this, on my Weber OTG.

So, I put the brisket on at about 9 am and ran the cook temp at around 300* and dropped the temp to about 275* a couple hours later, and then to 250* a couple of hours after that and then let it ride until it hit 160* (about 5 hours later on a 9 lb brisket). I then flipped it, foiled it with a cup or so of beef broth and put it in a 225* oven. I then proceeded to smoke my apples and jalapenos for the eggs. At 3:40, it was sitting at 189*. I turned the oven off and left it in until we got back. This allowed the oven to cool very slowly and in turn raised the brisket slowly to the end target temp.

I tried a piece off of the end when we got back home, and it was absolutely perfect! So, I guess you could say I did a 3 in 1 cook today!!!

[Guamaque]

I tend to do as the CarolinaQue said. Not necessarily on purpose, but I always start out hot. Around 300* and it takes about 4 hours to get to 225*. If I need 6-8 hours, I just keep letting it drop to 180-190*, it is always tender this way. Its not scientifically correct, but it seams to be the only way I can do it.