What to do if my brisket is done too early?

[misterrachel]

Friends, I put a 17 lb monster brisket on the Campfire Chef last night around 7:00. Figured it'd take a long time at 225. Here we are at 8 am and the internal temps are nearing 180. Our guests aren't coming to dinner until 6 pm. I know that you aren't supposed to hold in a cooler beyond 4 hours. I'm concerned that this beautiful brisket will be done in the next couple hours, which leaves too much hold time.

What should I do? Thanks! (PS, I did not do a crutch).

[Big George's BBQ]

I have never done it but you could wrap in foil and put it in the oven at 140-145
If you have a Vac Sealer and sous vide you could vac seal and sous vide to warm it up

[TXArmy]

Bet you have a couple more hours until probe tender. I’ve held them wrapped in butcher paper and towels in cooler for 6-8 hours. Still too hot to touch after all that time.

[ebijack]

You could wrap it. Place on a wire rack in a aluminum pan so the brisket does not come in direct contact with the pan.
Set your oven at 175*. Then when you are happy with the brisket. Turn the oven off and do the cooler/towels. Depending on time.
Or monitor your brisket temp. Turn oven on/off as required to stay/keep in the safe food zone of 140-160*

[misterrachel]

Thanks all! I'm guess that I do indeed have at least a couple more hours in reality. Hopefully closer to noon.

[CKYnick]

Yea you are good for a while using a good cooler and some towels trust me. I usually pre heat my cooler with a pot of boiling water. If its done wayyyy to early put it in the fridge and re heat in the oven @ 325 for an hour prob in a lightly covered pan with some beef broth.

[TXArmy]

Yeah, if done around noon just hold in cooler till 5ish and then rest on counter till slicing time. I’ve had similar concerns on many a brisket, especially on pellet pooper (GMG), which just tends to cook quicker.

[keeperofsecrets]

At an ambient temp of 225-250, I generally budget for around 1.25 hours per pound of brisket, and I add another 15 minutes for each time the lid is lifted. Discounting any lid penalties, you would be at 21 hours estimated start to finish for the overall cook plus another 1 hour minimum for rest. If my math is right, that puts you at somewhere near 4 pm. By my admittedly unscientific and necessarily general rule of thumb, I can't see any problem with you delivering an quality product at the time you want it, even if you rest it longer than the minimum.

[TXArmy]

That monster come off yet?