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View Full Version : Hot 'n Fast Brisket timing with burnt ends


rdstoll
07-23-2014, 07:16 AM
So almost exactly a year ago I was preparing to cook for my daughter's birthday party and was thinking about what I could make aside from the usual burgers and dogs when the BBQ idea popped into my head. Not knowing anything about making BBQ I searched around and came upon this forum, where a whole new world of smoking meats was opened up. Stumbled upon this odd contraption known as an Ugly Drum Smoker, and as luck would have it there was a local welder that was selling them on Craigslist.

So it began with a UDS and some pork butts, which I was able to cook almost perfectly thanks to the advice on here.

One year and a Shirley Trailer pit later, I'm all-in on this BBQ hobby and am preparing for a brisket cook this coming weekend.

Will be doing two full packers, each around 14lbs, on the Shirley pit. I've done a few briskets but usually at lower temps (250* or even less) but given the 1pm food serving time for the birthday party this year I'm looking to do these briskets hot 'n fast.

What I've learned on here is that if I do these briskets at around 300-325 I could get them done in as little as 5 hours. But I also want to make burnt ends and know that those need to get put back on the pit for a bit so I'm just trying to get the game plan in place:

- Fire up the pit at 4:30am and get her to at least 300*
- Put the briskets on around 5:30am
- Will check temps and wrap in butcher paper at the appropriate time
- Plan is to have the flat done and ready to go at 11am in order to allow two hours for resting
- Assuming I hit the 11am target, will separate and cube the points and put them back on the pit (but for how long???)
- At 1pm serve food

Anyone have some thoughts about all of this? Where I really need help is with the burnt ends timing as I've only done those as a side though on past cooks. I don't want to be running late on this cook as has often happened when I've smoked for a party so I'm really trying to nail these times down as much as possible.

Thanks! Will have plenty of PRON when done!

Shagdog
07-23-2014, 07:28 AM
When the packer probes tender and you pull it, separate the point and make your burnt ends. While the flat rests you can cook the ends.. Time is really forgiving on those. I usually only go 30-60 minutes, but I have gone longer and they're always good. Basically just cook em till they look and taste right.

I would give yourself a little more cushion time wise on cooking the packers though. I've had HnF Packers take up to 8 hours before. You can always rest in cooler longer if needed, which beats the hell out of people standing around asking if the food is done yet.

pjtexas1
07-23-2014, 07:31 AM
Start earlier. Never assume the cook will go perfectly. Big hunks of meat like brisket will stay hot wrapped in foil, wrapped in towels in an ice chest for several hours. Better to be early than late. I don't do burnt ends but I would assume there would be plenty of time to finish them while the flat is resting in the cooler. With your plan you have left yourself 30 minutes for something unplanned to happen. I would allow at least an hour.

Funny how quickly we go from a our first cheap cooker to one that most people would die for.:-D Nothing against your UDS but Paul and Tyler make works of art.

ayb97
07-23-2014, 08:05 AM
By no means am I an expert but this past weekend I did my first full packer a 15#. I kept the smoker at 300 and pulled it 7 hours later and it was too early. I did my burnt ends for 1:30 and they were awesome. But the flat needed more time. As I've have learned on this forum nothing is absolute. Every piece of meat is different. Good Luck.

rdstoll
07-23-2014, 08:39 AM
Sounds like an overnight cook in store! Thanks for the input, will definitely give myself at least an hour more if not a bit more. Might also run the temp closer to 325*.

bacchus99
07-23-2014, 08:54 AM
Sounds like you pushing it on time. I would fire up the UDS and do it overnight at a lower temp. Then hold in a cooler. That's assuming you still have the UDS!

DownHomeQue
07-23-2014, 08:54 AM
Throw thermo away... Cook Briskets at 300 for about 4 hours or a little longer... then wrap.. until probe tender.. get you a skewer in place of your thermo.. much cheaper.. and less misleading.. when that skewer goes in very easily IN THE THICKEST PART OF THE FLAT that piece of meat is now done.. judging by the size of your packers and temp that will take around 7 hours.. Trim point closely if you want bark for your burnt ends..

Thank me later

DHQ :-P

Wampus
07-23-2014, 09:21 AM
You know you COULD separate the point and flat completely and cook them separate. If you do this, I'd recommend trimming down the point so that it's uniform in thickness. This will allow for even doneness and easier cubing later. Cook the flat until it gets the color you want, wrap it up and cook it until probe tender. Forget about temps. At 300, we wrap after 4 hours, which his when we get nice color, whether cooking the flat and point separate or together.

IF you do separate, then at the point you wrap the flat, you can either:

1. Let the point continue to cook until it gets tender, then cut it into individual cubes, sauce and put back on to achieve gooey, chewy love.

or

2. Cube the point when you wrap the flat and put the cubes in a pan to render further. You can do this dry, with more rub or put some premade au jus in the pan with the cubes. Cover the pan and put back on the pit until much more tender, then remove, sauce cubes and put back on to set the sauce.



Of course, there's many other variations of this that can and are used to make burnt ends. If you cook them together, then when you can separate when you wrap, or separate when the flat is done.

Separating the point and flat just make it easier to do while raw and not have to mess up the "bark" on the flat by handling it too much.




There's no one right or wrong way to make burnt ends. Most of the time in competition Q, they are technically "faked", meaning that the original burnt ends are just that.....the burnt, crispy ends of the brisket, whether they be point or flat in origin, at least that's how I understand it.

1buckie
07-23-2014, 09:29 AM
For the ends, I try to allow 30 minutes for noodling around cutting & setup.....an hour @ 300~325 seems enough for proper rendering & a little time for sauce if you go that way....

Here's a reference, but these were done starting with cold meat......I like cast iron for a good hard render....seems to work just a tad better than foil pan.....

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2937337

rdstoll
07-24-2014, 06:12 AM
By chance does anyone have a good idea for a side dish that I can make for this brisket? Or a good brisket BBQ sauce?

rdstoll
07-24-2014, 06:18 AM
For the ends, I try to allow 30 minutes for noodling around cutting & setup.....an hour @ 300~325 seems enough for proper rendering & a little time for sauce if you go that way....

Here's a reference, but these were done starting with cold meat......I like cast iron for a good hard render....seems to work just a tad better than foil pan.....

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2937337

Great thread and nice work on those kettles!

Wampus
07-24-2014, 08:02 AM
By chance does anyone have a good idea for a side dish that I can make for this brisket? Or a good brisket BBQ sauce?

My Peach Bourbon Baked Beans (http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109907) go with ANYTHING! :wink:

I also like cole slaw as a general side dish as well.
The recipe I like is Steve Raichlen's Memphis Mustard slaw. Very simple and tasty.

Here's that recipe:

1 small or 1/2 large head green cabbage (about 1-1/2 pounds)
1/2 red bell pepper

For the dressing:
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
Salt


Remove the core from the cabbage and discard it. Cut the cabbage into 8 chunks. Finely chop the cabbage in a food processor using the metal blade and pulsing the motor (this is a chopped, not sliced or slivered, slaw); work in several batches if needed.

Cut the bell pepper into fine dice.

Make the dressing: Place the mustard, mayonnaise, and sugar in a large nonreactive mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the vinegar, celery seed, and black pepper. Add the cabbage and bell pepp er and stir to mix. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as necessary. Refrigerate until serving time. The slaw can be made up to 1 day ahead.

rdstoll
07-24-2014, 08:49 AM
My Peach Bourbon Baked Beans (http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109907) go with ANYTHING! :wink:

.


Funny you posted this as I bookmarked this very recipe some time ago with a goal to try it at some point! Thanks for the reminder - I'm gonna give it a shot!
:thumb:

Wampus
07-24-2014, 09:25 AM
Funny you posted this as I bookmarked this very recipe some time ago with a goal to try it at some point! Thanks for the reminder - I'm gonna give it a shot!
:thumb:

The only thing I do a little differently than that recipe as posted is I use a third can of beans to make it stretch a little. Doesn't really matter as far as flavor either way, but I find that only using 2 cans they end up being "bean light" since there's so much more in there.

1buckie
07-24-2014, 10:08 AM
Yeah, the Wampus beans are famous.....I had a simple drip bean fixup i that link, but GO WAMPUS !!!!

Personal preference, but sauce on the side & maybe a little au jus actually on the beef....

tater salad of some kind goes pretty good with all the above ^^^^^

rdstoll
07-26-2014, 05:18 AM
Well we are on our way.

Smoked some fatties on the UDS last night in preparation of making Wampus' baked bean recipe. Couldn't find maple sausage logs so got some straight pork sausage logs and mixed in some maple syrup. Seemed to turn out just fine!

Got the briskets on the pit at around 4:00am. One brisket just a straight kosher salt and pepper run the other is kosher salt with Simply Marvelous Sweet & Spicy rub. Pit running at 300* flat with a combination of oak and apple. Decided to try a water pan this time as I've seen Aaron Franklin with one in some of his brisket videos. We shall see how it goes.

Have to say - obviously I love my reverse flow pit more than anything but every time I fire up the UDS since I got this RF pit I appreciate just how great the UDS is. Always puts out solid 'Q and easy to get going and maintain.