My quest for hot, fast, and *SIMPLE* brisket.

So I've been wanting to try a hot and fast packer so I can cook and eat on the same day without getting up at *crazy people* hours or cooking overnight.

I've read lots of Hot and Fast threads, and honestly they just seem to run together. So, using many of the tips I gleaned from those threads (and videos), I decided to dive in and try to come up w/ my own hot and fast process. My criteria for success: Start working no earlier than 9:00 a.m. on the day of the cook (prep the night before is OK), eat by 7:00 p.m., extremely simple method (no mandatory temp changes mid-cook, etc.), tastes great, very tender.

I picked up a 12# select packer at Sams the other night. I was pleasantly surprised as it was "floppier" than most I've gotten there and it seemed to have good marbling.

Last night, I rinsed the hunk in cool water and trimmed as normal. Then I put a light coat of Morton Tender Quick on (Thanks, Thirdeye) and let it sit in the fridge for an hour. Washed that off, injected with Butcher BBQ Injection, covered with a thick coat of Plowboys' Bovine Bold, wrapped in plastic, and shoved it back in the fridge for a good night's rest.



This morning, I fired the LBGE up around 9:00 a.m. and let it settle in at an even 375°. Dropped some hickory chunks on and let that go until I had sweet blue. By then, it was about 10:40 a.m., so I waited until 11:00 a.m. (easier for me to remember the times that way) and I put the brisket on. In about 10 min, the temp dropped down to 350° and it stayed that way until around 2pm.

At the two hour mark, I opened the egg up and inserted a probe. Internal was 161°. Decided to take Pitmaster T's advice and skip the foil since it's a high temp cook (first time I've skipped the foil for a brisket.)

About an hour ago, my pit temp started dropping and I've having a hard time getting it back up to 350°, so I've decided to be happy w/ 300° the rest of the way. Right now (2:55 p.m. - 3 hours and 55 minutes in) the internal is 194°. I'll pull it right at 200° internal and rest for a couple of hours. I'll take a picture when it comes off and one of the finished product and we'll see how it goes. The wife has the camera w/ her this weekend, so my EVO's camera will have to do.

More to come...

I hear you. I rely partially on the probe test for my slow and low cooks. I believe that a combination of probe test and internal temp is the best way to go, though. I don't think that either one, by itself, is the be all, end all of testing "doneness".

This is my first hot and fast, so I'm sticking to some pretty easy to duplicate benchmarks and I'll go from there.

Thanks!

smokeyokie said:

Looking forward to the finished pix!!!!! I have been contemplating going hot and fast, just havent pulled the trigger yet, I get a really good product with my low and slow:thumb:

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Me too. I just can't resist the idea of the same day packer. That's worth some experimentation to me.

Simple would be no Tenderquick, no injection and only salt and pepper rub.

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True enough. I don't mind the night before prep, though. I want the "day of" activities to be simple. I'm a total convert to Butcher's and Bovine Bold. The Tender Quick was just for the fun of it.

Yes, it gives you a great smoke ring. "Fake" is a subjective term here, though. It's basically doing the same thing as a natural smoke does - nitrites, nitrates, etc. I just do it once in a while. Not needed for flavor, tenderness, etc. It's just fun to do sometimes.

On a hot n fast, definitely do not go by internal temp alone. I've gone 215 before the probe said it was ready!

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See, here's the thing. I've read this, but I've also read that you should pull them at 195° internal or so since they'll cook more during the rest since the outside is hotter. It's just got me all confused, so I decided to benchmark it at 200° internal and go from there.

I'm a slow learner anyway, so I figure this way, if I dial it in myself for a few briskets, it'll sink in better.

By the way, it probed really, really easy at 200°, so I'm pumped to see the results after the rest. I'm going to rest it right at 2 hrs., then slice and pig out.

Is it rested yet? :grin:

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Yep. It's been resting for 90 minutes or so. I'm getting ready to slice it (and do some burnt ends from the point.)

Here it was when I pulled it off the egg (internal was around 201°.) I hate using my phone's camera.