Did a 14lb brisket on thanksgiving. I trimmed the Mohawk and deckle fat, Cooked it at 230-260 for 14 hours, using the snake method. I wrapped it at around 170 using the foil boat method and let it cook till what felt like probe tender to me at 204. Once I took it out the grill, I added tallow and wrapped it in butcher paper. I let it rest in the oven while off for an hour till I sliced it. Overall, the flavor was great and the bark was good too. The only thing is, it was just a tad dry for my liking.
I’m planing on doing two briskets for Christmas and wanted to know some tips. This time I’ll be using the slow and sear, and I’ll be resting it for at least 4 hours in a yeti cooler. Any advice would be great.
by TexMex908
3 Comments
Cook it Christmas Eve.
https://www.reddit.com/r/smoking/s/win9dIlRVj
My 26” slow n sear method
I’ve never been a big fan of the foil boat method since I prefer to wrap it in butcher paper after it reaches about 170°F or once the bark is looking nice and set. That takes about 5 to 6 hours at 250°F and then I wrap and cook for about five more hours. I can do that on the grill if I still have heat left and then whenever it goes below 200 I can finish it off in the oven until it’s probe tender. I figure might as well wrap it from the beginning if it’s gonna need to be wrapped during the rest. I would maybe try and pull the brisket just slightly before being probe tender may be around 200° or 198 if you plan on resting for a few hours in a yeti cooler.
I really like the results you get with the slow n sear. I recommend filling up most of the basket with unlit charcoal, and then fill up a small chimney with just enough charcoal to light one corner of the basket. If I leave the bottom vent just barely open and the top vent open almost all the way I can hover between 240°F and 275°F. If the basket is mostly full with lump charcoal and a few wood chunks, I will get about six hours of cooking. You should also fill the water tray before lighting up the charcoal. Otherwise there is a ton of steam and you don’t want to splash the coals.
I try not to go overboard with the trim. Mainly slicing away some of the deckle and the mohawk. I slightly round off the flat if it’s super thin and a little bit of the point, but nothing too crazy. The trim goes in a Dutch oven on the slow and sear side of the grill with a bit of water, which is perfect for rendering out the fat and it should be ready by the time you need tallow for the wrap.
Did a 12 pound brisket on the 22 inch kettle but it’s basically the same process. Highly recommend you season with salt, pepper and garlic the night before and let it sit, uncovered on a baking tray in your fridge overnight. Really lets the salt absorb evenly and gives a better bark. Also make sure to put some boiling water inside your cooler for maybe 10 minutes and then don’t pick out before you rest your brisket in there. Keeps it from cooling down too much. Just make sure your brisket has cooled down a bit under 190° before you put it in the cooler to prevent it from carry over cooking. Resting the brisket for a few hours like this really makes a huge difference and makes it easier to time to cook if you’re trying to eat at a certain time. I hope that helps.
https://preview.redd.it/xo0tc83rrw8g1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41bdd9c86d0a9f1c09a5a255bfadc71d76379fd1