Brisket - Is it the Butcher Paper wrap, water pan or both?

[big_weight]

In last 3 weeks, I have smoked two briskets in Kamado that turned out great, and much improved over previous attempts. Both were prime from Costco at 3.19/#

Brisket one, cooked at 225, with water pan, and wrapped in butcher paper at 165. 15# (untrimmed) took 15 hours till pulled and put in cooler.

Brisket two, cooked at 275, with water pan, and wrapped in butcher paper at 4 hours. 11# (untrimmed) took 7.5 hours till pulled and put in cooler. I fell asleep on the couch - probably could have pulled it at 6 or 6.5 hours.

Questions
1. Which do you reckon contributed more to success, wrap or water pan?

2. If you smoke at 300, per Bludawg instructions, do you use a water pan?

Next up, I am going try at 300 per BD's KISS approach.

Thanks.

 

[mrbodnar]

Subscribed to hear answers to improve my brisket.

 

[Bludawg]

I use water to steam clean my pit after the cook. It's the paper. You will get a better product if you let it rest on the kitchen table until the IT is in the 150's. Coolers are for holding not resting.

 

[PekingPorker]

If I'm cooking on my stick burner I always use a water pan. In my gravity fed, I never use one. It just depends on the type of cooker. With a Kamado, if you have the "plate setter" (what it's called for BGE) or fire blocker thing in, I think your cooking environment will be moist enough.

The better results are coming from butcher paper wrap, and resting!

 

[pjtexas1]

i credit the bp. i never use water in any cooker, not even my cookers that come with built in water pans. i cook briskets at 300 or a little above.

keep experimenting. what is most important is that you figure out what works for you and your cooker.

 

[KevinJ]

I'm getting ready to throw a Brisket on the WSM as soon as the fire cleans up, cooking at 300 no water, will wrap at 4hrs and start checking for probe tenderness at 5hrs, last cook it took 6hrs.