Game planning for my next brisket cook. Expecting it to take 10-12hrs, plus with all the buzz about longer rest times being key to the best results, I’m trying to decide what time to start my cook and how long to rest. Do you guys usually cook your brisket overnight or during the day? How long do you let it rest? 2hrs, 4hrs, overnight?
blackdogbbq21
Take a breath!
I don't remember the last time i cooked a brisket where i didn't cook it the day ahead and hold it overnight. I won't say it's the only way but since i cook on an offset it works great for me. I feel like i enjoy it better the next day vs trying to get it done in time to serve it. Especially if we are having guests over.
JAKs Q & brew
is one Smokin' Farker
I think the game plan will depend on how you plan to hold the brisket after it us done.
If you have an oven that goes down to 150 or countertop turkey roaster, or some other method to reliably hold the cooked brisket above 140 you can have it done 12+ hours before eating without any problems.
If you are planning to hold it in a cooler/cambro or something like that I wouldn't go much more than 4 hours unless you really monitor the temps in the cooler and have a plan to add more heat to keep it above 140.
If you have an oven that goes down to 150 or countertop turkey roaster, or some other method to reliably hold the cooked brisket above 140 you can have it done 12+ hours before eating without any problems.
If you are planning to hold it in a cooler/cambro or something like that I wouldn't go much more than 4 hours unless you really monitor the temps in the cooler and have a plan to add more heat to keep it above 140.
When I started doing long holds (10+ hours between 140°F and 150°F) I had to learn to take the brisket out of the cooker at around 185°F instead of around 200°F. Cooking it all the way to 200°F, then holding it for a long time, left it overcooked. Pulling it out slightly undercooked and then holding it for a long time produces really good results for me.
Also, when I started doing long holds, I stopped wrapping the brisket until taking out of the cooker and resting it.
One more thing. If you’re going to do a long hold, be sure to wrap your brisket really tight. Maybe even put saran wrap around the foil or butcher paper you use.
Also, when I started doing long holds, I stopped wrapping the brisket until taking out of the cooker and resting it.
One more thing. If you’re going to do a long hold, be sure to wrap your brisket really tight. Maybe even put saran wrap around the foil or butcher paper you use.
I was planning to do the foil boat, then hold in the oven unwrapped at 170 for around 8 hrs. Pulling it at 180 or so sounds like a good idea tho especially with such a long hold. That will also trim some time off the cook too.
I would love to cook during the day and rest overnight, but does that mean u plan to eat it for breakfast? ����..Otherwise I’m holding it for 16hrs waiting for dinner.
I would love to cook during the day and rest overnight, but does that mean u plan to eat it for breakfast? ����..Otherwise I’m holding it for 16hrs waiting for dinner.
I cook mine overnight, and finish the cook (hopefully) by mid day. I like to wrap and hold at least 4 hours before I slice.
Brisket will test your planning and timing skills. :-D
Brisket will test your planning and timing skills. :-D
Forgot to mention that I’m using a reverse flow smoker and oak wood.
Also why wrap it extra tight for the hold including Saran Wrap on top of paper or foil?
With the long holds do you let the brisket cool down to 160 before putting it in the oven overnight or just put it in the oven immediately ?
Also why wrap it extra tight for the hold including Saran Wrap on top of paper or foil?
With the long holds do you let the brisket cool down to 160 before putting it in the oven overnight or just put it in the oven immediately ?
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The tight wrap is to slow down moisture loss, which can become a problem during a long hold.
I haven’t quite figured out how long to rest a brisket before putting it in the warmer. I think there’s an intricate equation between finish temperature, cool down time, and hold temperature and hold time. I’ll have more to say about this later after experimenting a bit this summer.
I would imagine that if you pull it at 180 or so you shouldn’t let it cool down before putting it in the warmer. But if it’s cooked too 195-200 range, then letting it cook to 160 before resting it in the oven may prevent overcooking.
Agree. I cook to around 200 and let the brisket rest open (on warm days outside, oven if it's cold out) until it's about 160. Then I wrap tightly and hold.
This helps to set the bark a bit before I wrap to hold.
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Back9Q
is one Smokin' Farker
- Joined
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I usually throw it on at 8am or 11am and cook at 275-300 or 375-400. Rest then dinner around 6pm
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If you have physical limitations preventing you from pulling an "all nighter", disregard the following.
Probably going to catch crap for saying this, but "Man up!" and cook overnight or get up early. Seems to me the brisket is the best within a couple of hours after coming off the smoker. Airline pilots and physicians work overnight at times, surely you could nurse a brisket along. If/as long as you need a "safety net", cook other stuff that you can serve if the brisket doesn't get done in time.
Probably going to catch crap for saying this, but "Man up!" and cook overnight or get up early. Seems to me the brisket is the best within a couple of hours after coming off the smoker. Airline pilots and physicians work overnight at times, surely you could nurse a brisket along. If/as long as you need a "safety net", cook other stuff that you can serve if the brisket doesn't get done in time.
larry4406
Full Fledged Farker
I am far far from an expert but I cooked mine overnight on my pellet grill and was blown away on how good it was.
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=303478
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=303478
�� no crap from me bro. I’m not sensitive or in touch with my feelings, when it comes to fire, smoke, and meat ! I have worked my share of midnight shifts so I’m definitely game for doing one in the name of Bar-b-que. Brisket is expensive and 10-12 hrs is a long time to invest so if a long rest give me the best chance at a great Brisket, might as well go for it, because I ain’t cooking another one for a while. So when I started planning I realized I would have to cook overnight to serve it for dinner the next day. I’m game to try but is it really worth it? Otherwise I’ll start at 4am, done by 4pm, rest for 3hrs and serve at 7p.
I am not convinced of this anymore. Brisket cooking is evolving, led by craft restaurants in Central Texas, which now utilize the long hold, pretty much universally, I believe. I’ve tasted a lot of brisket served after a two hour rest, and it can be very good, but not as good as brisket after a properly temped 10 hour hold. Others may have different experiences with this but that’s mine.
morningwoodbbq
Full Fledged Farker
I'm fresh off a splendid brisket cook. 12lb Prime quality. On at 8:40pm. Cooked at 225°. Wrapped it at 7:20am at an internal temp I can't remember. Done at 8:40am. Put in Cambro and sliced at 12:30pm. Was perfect. I've found the slower the cook and the longer the rest, the better the bark.
That baby does look tender and moist. Great smoke ring too ! And u let it rest in the Cambro for about 4hrs huh. What did you wrap with? Did u leave it wrapped in the Cambro? Did u let it cool down before before resting in Cambro or just put it straight in?
The best barbecue restaurants on the planet hold their briskets for 12+ hours, tightly wrapped, in warming ovens, at low temperatures around 140°F to 150°F.
Those same restaurants serve brisket with unbelievable bark. If your brisket doesn’t have a good bark, it isn’t because of a long hold.
In my experience, a brisket will dry out very quickly during a hold if it isn’t wrapped tightly.
