brisket holding question

[mikecw_1968]

I'm going to attempt my first brisket this weekend. I have a whole, untrimmed 12 lb brisket. I figure it's gonna take 14-18 hours to cook. I have to have it cooked for Sunday afternoon. This means I would need to put it on around 9:00 pm on Saturday. My question is could I start it early Saturday morning, finish it late Saturday night and serve it Sunday afternoon and it not dry out? Would I wrap it in foil and put it in the refrigerator and slice it cold and then reheat in the oven?

If this would make it dry out (assuming I cook it right in the first place) I'll just do the all-nighter. But if I could get away with doing it the day before, it would be preferable so that I could watch the Superbowl, drink my beer and not fall asleep before halftime.

[Steve-O]

What type of cooker? If you have a gas or electric, you can start at 8pm, smoke it for 4 hours, wrap in foil, go to sleep and check on it the next morning. Put it in a hotbox when it comes to temp and keep it there till you are ready to serve.

If you foil and reheat you really need to freeze it because it stays inside the 40-140 danger zone too long if you just refrigerate. And the only time I cook, freeze, and reheat is when it's going to be served days later. I think you lose some flavor and moisture her (not much though).

You might get by with finishing at midnight and hotboxing till noon the next day. Never tried hotboxing this long though.

I think if you want a really good brisket, you will be cooking all night....

[mikecw_1968]

I have an offset cooker. I agree, it would be better to be up all night but I thought I would ask if anyone had tried this before.

[TexLaw]

With the amount of time you are talking about holding it, I'd hesitate to keep it in a cooler with towels and all that.

If you have a Foodsaver, you could cook it Saturday, refigerate it, separate the point from the flat, seal each separately (just a matter of convenience for reheating), and reheat in simmering water.

If your oven goes low enough, you could also remove the brisket and hold it, foiled, in a 145-150F oven for about as long as you want. I wouldn't want that oven to get much warmer than 150F, though.


TL

[vinman]

Hi Mike and welcome by the way
Good advice will follow you can be sure :D
Not that there hasn't been some already :wink:

[carnivore]

I have a similar situation...I need 6 for Sunday around noon...

I planned to cook them all day until mid evening sat night then place the foiled briskets into a cooler until noon the next day... I don't have direct experience doing them this way but am welcoming any input as well on the cooler time.

[Thom Emery]

With the amount of time you are talking about holding it, I'd hesitate to keep it in a cooler with towels and all that.

If you have a Foodsaver, you could cook it Saturday, refigerate it, separate the point from the flat, seal each separately (just a matter of convenience for reheating), and reheat in simmering water.

If your oven goes low enough, you could also remove the brisket and hold it, foiled, in a 145-150F oven for about as long as you want. I wouldn't want that oven to get much warmer than 150F, though.


TL

That is my plan for this weekend

[Woodman]

What type of cooker? If you have a gas or electric, you can start at 8pm, smoke it for 4 hours, wrap in foil, go to sleep and check on it the next morning. Put it in a hotbox when it comes to temp and keep it there till you are ready to serve.

If you foil and reheat you really need to freeze it because it stays inside the 40-140 danger zone too long if you just refrigerate. And the only time I cook, freeze, and reheat is when it's going to be served days later. I think you lose some flavor and moisture her (not much though).

You might get by with finishing at midnight and hotboxing till noon the next day. Never tried hotboxing this long though.

I think if you want a really good brisket, you will be cooking all night....

Got to disagree with you on that "danger zone" comment there Steve. You can leave food in the 40-140 range for 4 hours. That is plenty of time to get from 200 to 35 using a combo of the counter and refrigerator. I am serving briskets at 7 on Sunday. Unfortunately it is supposed to rain, snow, and blow (hard) on both Saturday and Sunday. Therefore, I am cooking them on Friday . I will take them to about 190 (already foiled at that point) sit them in a foil pan and cool to room temp . Then, I will refrigerate until reheat on Sunday. DO NOT SLICE BRISKETS UNTIL READY TO SERVE OR THEY WILL DRY OUT! Good luck. Woodman

[Thom Emery]

My last Brisket was in the hot box 4 hours best ever for us foolish Californians

[Big Mike]

Dang it Woody, I didn't know it was supposed to snow Saturday and Sunday. Oh well, the pit will be smokin on Sunday anyway.


Mike

[mikecw_1968]

Woodman, I think that's what I'll do as well. How are you going to reheat it? Slice it first, put in a pan, and put it in the oven or reheat in the oven unsliced? I would think you would want to slice it first but I'm new to this stuff.

[Michiana Mark]

I've cooked till midnight, pulled and refrig, till morning and then reheat in low temp oven for a few hrs. Slice after reheating, will turn out great.

[Woodman]

Mark is right. If you slice it first, the juice will exit the brisket, thus, drying it.