Will this Brisket be done in time for dinner tonight?

kewilliam · February 17, 2010, 12:02:35 PM

OK so I took a 6.5 lb flat brisket (I know, that is all I could find! it did have a decent fat ribbon on it though) and smothered it with a mix of paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and cayenne. Then I smoked it in my OBS using a mix of mesquite (just a few), jim beam (just a few) and pecan (mostly). I ran it for 4.5 hours at 200 degrees with the vents mostly open. Now it is in the house oven at 220 degrees covered in foil with an apple juice bath underneath. It has been in the house oven for 1.5 hours now.

My question is how long should I cook at 220 degrees in the house oven and how long to FTC? And just to clarify, after the oven time just wrap the brisket in foil, wrap the foil package in a bath towel and then place the entire package in an ice free cooler?

It is 1pm here in CO...am I eating this brisket for dinner tonight?

Thanks! I am looking forward to some responses.

Kevin

FLBentRider · February 17, 2010, 12:10:24 PM

The answer to your question is "when it is done"

What time did you start ?

What is the internal temperature of the brisket now ?

Ideally you want the internal temp around 190F or higher.

FTC is optional if you are up against a time deadline - but you have the process right. I would make sure the cooler is at least room temp.

kewilliam · February 17, 2010, 12:23:35 PM

OK I started smoking at 7am this am...smoked for 4.5 hours until 1130am...then put the brisket into the oven at 1130am..it is now 1pm.

I don't have a meat thermometer....but it's on my shopping list for Target next time I go.

OU812 · February 17, 2010, 12:27:29 PM

For me it takes around 2 hr per lb but thats just a ball park time frame to start checkin the IT and gettin the other stuff ready.

You should always go by the Internal Temp when cookin and like FLB stated your IT should be 185 to 190 for slicing. Also as FLB stated you dont really need to FTC but you should let the brisket rest, tented, on the cuttin board for at least 20 min before slicing, that way the juices can soak back into the meat.

With out a thermometer you can do the fork test, stick a fork in it and twist. If you can twist and pull off some meat with out a battle its done.

kewilliam · February 17, 2010, 12:50:00 PM

OK so if it takes 2 hours per lb in the oven looks like this will be tomorrow's dinner! No problem (I guess)...

Should I take it out of the oven now and put it in around midnight tonight instead? Cook at 220 degrees overnight then FTC until tomorrow afternoon? Is this an option?

OU812 · February 17, 2010, 01:12:34 PM

I would keep cookin it.

If you started at 7 am and the brisket is 6.5 lb it should be done around 8 pm but I would stick a fork in it (now you see where the saying came from?) around 7 pm to see how tender it is. Dont try to rush it or it will be dry and tuff but you could turn the temp up to 250 now that you have it in a boat in the oven.

If you turn up the heat I would check it around 6 pm and stick a fork in it.

Ka Honu · February 17, 2010, 01:14:07 PM

Quote from: kewilliam on February 17, 2010, 12:50:00 PMShould I take it out of the oven now and put it in around midnight tonight instead? Cook at 220 degrees overnight then FTC until tomorrow afternoon? Is this an option?

Agree with OU. In general, most people don't like to interrupt a cook once started. Better to finish what you've started and reheat later. Restarting an interrupted cook makes the temp harder to track properly plus, without knowing your IT (or knowing the meat is done by other means), you run a risk of bad juju (little germy things that are smarter than we are). Not necessarily a big risk with brisket but still there.

I'd either go get a meat thermometer now (borrow from a neighbor?) or try the fork test. Then you'll know without too much "should I/could I."

kewilliam · February 17, 2010, 01:45:28 PM

Neighbors are out of town and I'm 30 miles from a store that sells a meat thermometer so I guess I'll just stick a fork in it at 6pm..I just cranked it up to 250 dgrees...sure smells good!

Pachanga · February 17, 2010, 01:51:52 PM

You've gotten a lot of thought out, enlightened wisdom on this subject from some bright folks. I would not be surprised if there is a small explosion in the Islands visible from outer space due to the brain strain. :D

Good luck and slow smoking,

Pachanga

FLBentRider · February 17, 2010, 02:08:48 PM

The worst thing you'll have if you pull it out before it's done is it will be tough.

OU812 · February 17, 2010, 02:18:21 PM

Also save the juices from the boat, put in the fridge until the fat becomes solid, discard the fat and you will have some killer beef stock. If you do have to reheat pour some of this black gold over the brisket wrap in foil and cook till the IT hits 160

If you like taters and gravy this black gold will make some of the best gravy you have ever had, just make it like you would any other time.

kewilliam · February 18, 2010, 07:34:01 AM

So I cranked the heat up 250 degrees around 230pm, did the fork test at 630pm (still not quite done) then got hungry so I pulled it out at 745pm and FTC'd for 30 minutes until 815pm.

The brisket was good not great...it was definitely NOT tough but it was fairly dry. I thought it could have used a tad more smokey flavor as well...

Any thoughts on how to keep the meat from drying out? I suppose getting a packer cut instead of a flat cut would be step #1.

I think I know how to give the brisket more smokey flavor!

Thanks for all the help!

Kevin

OU812 · February 18, 2010, 07:56:23 AM

For bein dry the first thing to look at is how much of a fat cap the brisket had on it, try to get about 1/4"

With the brisket in a foil boat and some apple juice to steam it I would have thunk it wouldnt have dried out that much.

MPTubbs · February 18, 2010, 08:21:08 AM

Fat, fat, fat!

After trimming too much fat off my packers I take what I trimmed off and place it where it is thin on the rest of the brisket.

Never boated a brisket....gone naked all the time.

Never had one dry eather.

I DO FTC for at least 2 hours with a splash of what ever I'm drinking.

I think that help a bunch!

SnellySmokesEm · February 18, 2010, 09:55:07 AM

Getting the right cut of the brisket (Packer's Cut) will help next time you do brisket. Before I got onto the forum I had been buying trimmed flats from the supermarket an had the same problem. I know brisket was great but mine always turned out ok. But with help from everyone on the forum and a packers cut brisket from the butcher i successfully smoke a great brisket. Try it again after you do a little more research and you wont be disappointed...