Maximum Brisket Cook Time?

[zachg18]

This may be a dumb question....

but I have a 21 lb brisket (smaller once I trim a bit) and I am trying to prep time-wise when I should throw this brisket on the smoker.

I plan on smoking around 225-250F.

I know every piece of meat is different and I will pull based on probe tenderness.

But I've also read rough estimations of maybe an hour to hour and a half per pound...if that holds up I'm in for a reallyyyy long cook.

I've done 3 briskets so far, but nothing above like 16 lbs.

Basically, should I prepare for this to potentially take upwards of 16 hours?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[cclinard1]

That’s a big brisket. It’s going to take a while. I’d run at 275 to speed it up a little. I’d say 16hrs is on the low side.

 

[elcapitan]

Yeah man, its goining to take some time. Especially at that temp.

Thats why I usually buy 8-10lb packers. I do not care for the big packers, especailly for just back yard. Actually I rather cook four 8-10lb packers at once than one 20lb+ packer. Just my preference.

 

[boogiechillen]

That’s a big brisket. It’s going to take a while. I’d run at 275 to speed it up a little. I’d say 16hrs is on the low side.

Agreed

 

[zachg18]

Yeah man, its goining to take some time. Especially at that temp.

Thats why I usually buy 8-10lb packers. I do not care for the big packers, especailly for just back yard. Actually I rather cook four 8-10lb packers at once than one 20lb+ packer. Just my preference.

Yeah in hindsight I probably should have done that. Only problem was the place I was at only had flats for their smaller packers, no point.

 

[Hawklaw]

Start early. It is a lot easier to deal with a brisket that finishes four hours early than it is to deal with a brisket that finishes four hours late.

 

[drunkenmeatfist]

Go ahead and throw it on now.

 

[elcapitan]

Yeah in hindsight I probably should have done that. Only problem was the place I was at only had flats for their smaller packers, no point.

Ahhh, gotcha

good luck

 

[zachg18]

So maybe I'm crazy, but I just pulled this thing after like 11 hours and I'm 99% sure it's done...

WAY faster than I had planned...now I need to figure out if I can keep it warm until dinner. Have it wrapped in foil and in my kitchen "warming drawer" at around 190F (or will that keep cooking it too much?)

I have no idea how it cooked so fast. My temp was around 250F maybe a bit higher.

But I even woke up around 7am and found my temp had dropped to like 175 (no idea for how long).

My only theory is that this brisket had an abnormal amount of fat (see attached pic).

Which if that was the case, that would cook much faster than a 20 lb brisket of primarily meat.

I also trimmed a few pounds off it, but still....11 hours?!!?

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Any cooked pics

 

[zachg18]

Any cooked pics

No not yet I kind of panicked because it finished 8 hours before I plan on eating with my family so I quickly wrapped it and put it in the warming drawer haha..

I can take it out and try and snap a quick picture though...or post later before I slice