Two Briskets at Once in the PBC?

[TBoneJack]

I'll be cooking two briskets in my PBC on Thursday night, for a BBQ lunch party at work on Friday. Both briskets are prime-grade whole packers, about 14.5 lbs each.

I've cooked several briskets in my PBC, but never two at the same time. Do you think I might have trouble maintaining a high-enough temperature, considering all the dripping fat from two briskets?

I use a Thermoworks Smoke to monitor internal PBC temperature when I cook, and I use Noah's suggested lighting method. And the temperature trend in my PBC when I cook a single brisket is that it drops to about 200 degrees, and climbs slowly to about 230. I can then drive it up arbitrarily by removing the lid for a few minutes and replacing it.

Thanks.

[JeffJ]

Given that I've seen Jerod Broussard post a pic of 5 briskets in his PBC I don't think you'll have any trouble. It was designed to cook large quantities of food.

[RonB]

I don't have a PBC, but if you are worried about it, how about putting a drip pan under one of the briskets. I don't think you want to put it under both because the drippings falling on the coals are part of the flavor profile.

[Jerod Broussard]

I did two last Monday.

1. I cut the thickest part of the points off since I had the room and I'd rather have the end of the flat as far from the coals as reasonably possible.

2. I was using B & B Briquets mostly and had the VENTA cracked to maintain 275-ish.

3. When the meat started really sweating out the moisture I expected the temps to drop but they didn't. I just had the typical white smoke pouring out the barrel. Four briskets will bring it down fo sho.

4. I hung 6 hours, then I went to the grate. At 6 hours one of the points was at 205 internal so I just wrapped it and stuck in a 170 degree oven.

10 hour cook time. 2-3 hours on the resting before I sliced and bagged.

[TBoneJack]

I did two last Monday.

1. I cut the thickest part of the points off since I had the room and I'd rather have the end of the flat as for from the coals as reasonably possible.

2. I was using B & B Briquets mostly and had the VENTA cracked to maintain 275-ish.

3. When the meat started really sweating out the moisture I expected the temps to drop but they didn't. I just had the typical white smoke pouring out the barrel. Four briskets will bring it down fo sho.

4. I hung 6 hours, then I went to the grate. At 6 hours one of the points was at 205 internal so I just wrapped it and stuck in a 170 degree oven.

10 hour cook time. 2-3 hours on the resting before I sliced and bagged.

Thanks Jerod.

These two briskets are 20 inches long. When I've cooked a single brisket that long, I either hung it "sideways" in the PBC, or I cut the bottom portion of the flat off and hung it on the other side of the PBC.

With these two briskets, I'd like to just hang them both "long ways" in the PBC, as I've seen in Youtube videos. But I'd like to ask, are they too long (20 inches) for this? Would the bottom portion of the flat get too dry?

Thank you sir.

[Jerod Broussard]

I'd rather cut mine when they get close to 19" since they stretch out even more once you trim out the fat b/n the two muscles.

[TBoneJack]

So Jerod Broussard , you trim your briskets down to 19 inches, and then hang in the PBC?

Thanks.

[Jerod Broussard]

No, if close to that I cut the thickest part of the point off and hang separate. Helps bring the flat up off the coals some.

[JeffHillyard]

I've never tried two briskets, but I've done three pork shoulders with no problem. I'd say account for a slightly longer cook time than normal, and you should be alright.