High temp fast brisket

[mguerra]

I am consolidating the info regarding the high temp brisket method here in the Techniques section, and request an admin or moderator to sticky it.

It is accepted barbecue gospel that the correct way to cook a brisket is at a low temperature for a long time, so called "low and slow". Recent experience by a number of barbecuers, and competition barbecuers at that, suggests otherwise. The high temperature, fast cook method is simple, and produces outstanding results, including first place competition wins. Here is the method:

Prepare your brisket with the rubs and or injections of your choice. Cook indirect on a fire between 300 to 350 degrees. Fat cap up or down, your preference, I don't think it matters. The colder the meat is to start, the longer time it will spend in the smoke, enhancing the smoke ring and bark. When the internal meat temperature reaches 160 to 170, wrap the brisket tightly in foil. This will occur roughly at the two hour mark. One hour later, begin checking the brisket for tenderness, and at half hour intervals thereafter. Continue cooking until the brisket is very tender when probed with a sharp probe such as a skewer, fork, ice pick or similar object. Do not poke the probe all the way through so as to puncture the bottom foil, you will lose all your juice! Do probe in several spots. Do not use a specific finish temperature. In fact, it is advisable to remove the meat temperature probe after foiling and stop monitoring the meat temperature. When tender, remove from the fire and rest according to your preference. Some people prefer wrapping in towels and resting in a cooler, or ice chest. Others prefer a rapid cool down in the refrigerator. Or, you may hold in a warm oven if you like. Although foiling has generally been considered unnecessary in ceramic cookers, it has a function other than to simply prevent moisture loss. It enhances the tenderization of the meat, most likely by accelerating the breakdown of the muscle fiber proteins. Also, if you foil properly, you will likely collect several cups of juice in the foil to use later for various purposes. This, in a nutshell, is the high temperature/ fast cook method for brisket. Typical times to completion are four hours, more or less.

You can also do a hybrid method, combining lower and/ or higher temperatures before and after foiling, to suit your time needs. For example, you could start the cook at 200 or 225, and go do something else for a few hours, then come back and check on the meat. Or vice versa, start hotter and finish lower. The key is to foil the brisket when it reaches the 160 or 170 degree point. Although a low and slow brisket cook is certainly an excellent method, it is not necessary. The fast/hot method does require you to stay around and monitor the cook, so a low and slow does offer the benefit of allowing you to leave for quite some time. Use whichever method suits your time needs, or hybridize!

[ckillgore]

Re: High temp fast brisket

Thanks Doc,

Tried this last night, my first brisket ever, and the results were great.

It worked exactly as you said, and man it was good! The best brisket I've ever had.

[LarryR]

Re: High temp fast brisket

Pictures?

[ckillgore]

Re: High temp fast brisket

Sorry Larry, it's all gone.

I'll try to do better next time, as i will being doing another brisket very soon.

[Keytickler]

Re: High temp fast brisket

After a number of low and slow briskets, I tried the high temp fast technique yesterday afternoon. Brilliant! The results were delicious. Thanks, Doc Guerra. Given that it takes half the cooking time, I'll use this technique every time in the future.

Keytickler

[tnt]

Re: High temp fast brisket

OK Doc,

let say we are talking an 8 pound brisket, If I try the "High temp fast brisket" what do you suggest as ball park times ?? I know that you recommend poking the brisket with a sharp object to determine done-ness but about how long should I expect the process to take so I can do some minimal planning....

Tony

[mguerra]

Re: High temp fast brisket

After you foil, check for doneness every 30 minutes. The time is somewhat variable depending on the size of the brisket. I did a big 15 lb packer recently and the whole cook took about six hours. But I did the first part at about 250 to let the brisket stay in smoke a little longer, then kicked the fire up to 300 ish for the balance of the cook after the foil. You really have to experiment but I would think 4 hours for smaller briskies cooked hot the whole way, stretching out to maybe 8 hours if you do a hybrid with part of the cook at a sub 300 temp. The beauty of this method is if you do one hot all the way, 300 to 350, you can get it done quick. When I do them hot the whole way, even big packers can get done in 5 hours. If you are pressed for time do it hot. But if you need time to go do something else, do the pre-foil part at a lower temp. Once you foil, you need to stay there to poke for tenderness every 30 minutes. Not a concise answer, granted, you need to just do a few. But it won't take 10, 16 or 24 hours!! For an afternoon party you can definitely do it same day. And I have found that really long hold times, toweled in a cooler, seem to make it even better. So if you get it done well ahead, so much the better. You lose the dramatic impact of having everyone stand around watching you pop the lid and taking it off the fire. That's good for some real ooh's and aah's. But the meat is better with a long rest.

[tnt]

Re: High temp fast brisket

Thanks Doc that helps.... I'll do one for labor day..

Tony

[bohunk49]

Re: High temp fast brisket

My cooked brisket had the texture of a pot roast. Very tender and moist and everyone liked it, but I was surprised at the texture. I cooked it at 320 until it reached an internal temp of 165, (3 hrs) then foiled it until it was tender,(2.5 hrs) and let it rest in a towel for an hour. Did I do something wrong?

[Sanny]

Re: High temp fast brisket

My cooked brisket had the texture of a pot roast. Very tender and moist and everyone liked it' date=' but I was surprised at the texture. I cooked it at 320 until it reached an internal temp of 165, (3 hrs) then foiled it until it was tender,(2.5 hrs) and let it rest in a towel for an hour. Did I do something wrong?[/quote']

Bohunk, if it tasted good, and you liked it, then you did nothing wrong!

[Sanny]

Re: High temp fast brisket

Sorry Larry, it's all gone.

I'll try to do better next time, as i will being doing another brisket very soon.

Tsk tsk. Imaginary brisket.

[mguerra]

Re: High temp fast brisket

A brisket that comes out dry as shoe leather is done wrong, I'll take pot roast texture any day!

[qundoy]

Re: High temp fast brisket

doing my first high temp brisket today. im a bit anxious about it, its almost 11 am and i havent even started the kooker. This is a small brisket just shy of 7 lbs, i have been smoking briskets since i was a kid and not having it on the grill for extended hours is a new experience. I feel confident it will come out very nice after reading thru the post. i will let you know how it comes out and post pics.

[LarryR]

Re: High temp fast brisket

Qundoy, it's the only method use anymore on anything less than a prime grade brisket. Works like a charm every time. Curious, is your 7lb brisket a flat or is it a packer? Seems pretty small to be a full packer.

[qundoy]

Re: High temp fast brisket

just a flat, its on now, the Kooker is settled in at 280 for the smoke phase.

[qundoy]

Re: High temp fast brisket brisket was very good. i had put a coffee cardamom rub on the night before and with the foiling i did not get the bark i am used to, the bark was nice but after foiling was a little err...soft, mushy cant come up with the correct descriptive word here. Maybe i shouldnt expect a good bark when foiling (input on this welcome). Larry i had said this was just a flat but is was a packer.

[mguerra]

Re: High temp fast brisket

True, the bark gets a little moisturized once you foil it. But the overall result is better than a non-foiled low and slow, in my experience.

[Syzygies]

Re: High temp fast brisket

Syz' date=' have you done the hot fast brisket as described in the sticky?[/quote']

I haven't tried foiling while cooking in a long time (and it was on a primitive precursor of my KK) but we never liked the texture. The idea that one compromises on texture makes foiling a nonstarter for me. The ideas here did nevertheless sink in; that was part of what lead me to trim all the fat cap and cook brisket much more quickly. The ideas go nicely together.

This was a 17.5 lb Prime brisket from my best source within 30 miles, which came apart into two pieces after trimming nearly 6 lbs of fat. I rubbed it with 1.2% salt or so (by trimmed weight), less black pepper, and chiles, and left it to cure in the fridge a couple of days. After cooking eight hours at 225 F or so it reached an internal temperature of 175 F and tasted done to me. Rather spectacular, compared to my 22 hours brisket cooks. I turned the KK down to 200 F to wait the four hours for the party, and the texture will surely change while foiled for transit.

[Syzygies]

Deckle the Halls!

Well, if one is playing with cooking the point and flat separately, there's always the option of foiling the flat for a while, but not foiling the point.

Many people said this brisket was the best they'd ever had. My dear, direct German host blurted out "I'm sorry Dave, this is better than last year." His wife (who was cooking madly for her birthday, and was the one to request it) was very pleased. I loved the point; the flat was a bit lean for me, as always.

Option two would be to revisit a bit of dry aging. Too much and one is serving meat pudding, but in moderation?

Option three: My butcher actually has more trouble selling the points than the flats. Some people never buy whole chickens, they just buy legs. Maybe I should just buy points!

[TexasTim]

Re: High temp fast brisket

Some of the best hamburgers have been when I grind my raw "choice" flats; the ground meat is shaped into patties very quickly and over a hot fire almost immediately. I keep the choice points for my "brisket"!!!!

Typically, if I have a prime or Wagyu brisket, I cook it at 225-250. If I have a cheaper choice brisket, then I bump the temp to 325.