Cook Brisket the Day before???? (Advice Please!)

[Bad Hat BBQ]

Mea Culpa if this is posted in the wrong area....

As part of a fundraiser I offered to BBQ for 3-4 couples. So I have 8 people coming over in May- the menu is not finalized yet but here is the plan:

Appetizer: Crackers w cream cheese , pepper jelly and smoked pork belly (diced)

Meats: Brisket, Ribs and Indian Candy Salmon
Sides: Mac & Cheese, Sweet potato Hash browns (jullienned Apple, Onion & Sweet Potato cooked on the Camp Chef Griddle)

Desert: Cheesecake with Grilled Pineapple or mixed berries
HERE IS MY QUESTION:

Can I cook the brisket the day before and re-heat? (I do not have Sous Vide)

I was planning on cooking Brisket and Pork belly the before.

RIbs then Salmon on Saturday (Start early AM and the event starts @ 3 PM)

Okie Joe Longhorn & Camp Chef Griddle are the tools I have
THOUGHTS & SUGGESTIONS ARE APPRECIATED!!

[mrteddyprincess]

Others will answer with better advice, but yes, you can heat up brisket. My suggestion would be cook the brisket the day before, cube the point, and then prepare "burnt ends" along with your rib and salmon cook. Those are freaking delicious and you won't have to worry about the flat drying out. Keep the flat for yourself to eat another time. You could also consider chopping the flat and serving it on sandwiches with some sauce. Good luck! Let us know how it goes with pictures! Your menu sounds delicious.

[STEbbq]

You can reheat brisket. I would suggest slicing chunks then microwaving with a wet paper towel on top. Then slicing warmed chunks to serve.

Or warming chunks in skillet until ready to serve at medium temp.

Avoid the oven as it will dry it out.

[UncleSpike]

I second this. Microwave with damp paper towel. Works awesome!

A better option would be to buy more smokers and do them all at once...

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Bad Hat BBQ]

I hear you loud and clear....the smoker I recently ordered will not be ready
thias will be the last time to have this problem

[efincoop]

Another popular option if your timing permits, is holding the brisket overnight. Most who take this approach have an oven that will go lower than the standard 170/180. I have a Pit Boss 2 (vertical) propane smoker that I bought specifically to use as a holding oven because on its lowest setting & with the vents wide open it holds 140-150. If you go this route, be sure to let your brisket cool down to the hold temperature. Others have held brisket overnight in a faux cambro unit. I have never had any luck keeping the temp steady overnight.

Good luck whichever route you go, and post pictures if you can!

[Rob whatever]

This. I’ve held brisket using this method for up to 18 hours. Many more experienced than me insist this improves the brisket.

[Polarbear777]

If you wrap a 200f brisket and stuff it in a cooler it will stay hot for several hours, I’ve done 6 in a really good cooler. 6 hours is enough time to knock out the ribs.

if you do cook ahead, cool for an hour, then completely cool in the fridge before slicing. That will help avoid drying the slices when hot. Then reheat the slices n a skillet as needed.

[jfmorris]

I'm of the opinion you schedule things so the brisket smokes overnight and finishes the morning of the event. I've moved brisket, double wrapped in foil, then in towels, into a cooler straight off the smoker, and it was still 150-160 and steaming 6 hours later. I left a Thermoworks Dot connected to the temp probe in the cooler, so that I could keep an eye on it, and move to the oven if it dropped further. Pork belly - if not making bacon, I do pork belly burnt ends, and these seriously do not take long if you cube up the pork belly and smoke the individual chunks on the smoker - 2 to 3 hours, then into a pan with the burnt end stuff, and you could move to the oven. Then put the ribs on.

The problem with reheating the brisket is that it will take as long to get it to serving temps of 140 as it did the day you smoked it. You are better off just holding it above 140, rather than dropping it to 34F in the fridge, then trying to take it back to temp again.

[Mark The Q-er]

In case you haven't seen this: Cook Today, Serve Tomorrow, The Wozniak Way (amazingribs.com)

[Mark V]

I have seen arguments that brisket seems to taste better the next day. I have noticed that myself. When reheating, low and slow so you don't chase moisture out. Wrapping helps also.

[Bob's BBQ]

I've sliced and refrigerated a brisket for the next day. I put slices in a zip lock bag with some of the juice from wrapping it. From the frig to the microwave. I leave the bag zipped up and it puffs up from the steam. (careful you don't pop it in the microwave) When you open the bag it smells and tastes dang close to when to you originally sliced it. (Not as good as fresh, but real close)

[MonsterDuckMadness]

Do this. It is a pretty AWESOME approach. I have done it, and, as the man says, the relaxation is a game changer. Also, I know its hard to believe, but it has produced some of the moistest (yes thats a word) briskets I've turned out - no issues with dryness.

If you start day 2 early in the morning, you can pull your finished brisket well early enough to have time to do your ribs. The cooler/faux cambro method of holding it, does a fantastic job of keeping temp. Far be it from me to argue with Raichlen (of all people) but I wouldn't even do the "top off" part (I'd just close it right away), unless you are cooking at a really high temp (over 275), or if your meat has been gaining temp super fast right before you pull it, for some reason. But, your cooler/cambro should be able to keep your meat nice and warm for many hours — especially if you pack around it with towels, for additional insulation!

Bonus: When you towel off later that night, after your shower, your towel will be warm, and smell like sweet, sweet brisket! 😂

[Bad Hat BBQ]

So we got rained out and the Auction BBQ is now slated for August

The Good News: Anticipate my new smoker for m Rocket Grillz in July AND HOA approved my Yardistry Pavilion....
SSMmmookin....

[tbob4]

You are a lucky guy! You will love the pavilion

[SmokingSteve]

You may want to also smoke the cream cheese for around 2 to 2 1/2 hours at 200. Crosshatch the block of cream cheese while cold, put your favorite rub on all surfaces then smoke it. It is really good that way. You can do it ahead of time then when done wrap it in plastic wrap, place in fridge, unwrap it about 20 minutes before serving. It will soften up just enough to smear nicely on crackers. Keep it refrigerated in the plastic wrap and it will last for days. Just don't go over 225 as it may soften too much and melt.

(You got lots of good advice regarding the meats, but no one mentioned smoking the cream cheese).

[Dadof3Illinois]

I would recommend doing as some of the others have suggested and time the cooks where the brisket is in the cambro while the ribs are smoking. That brisket will hold for a really long time if well insulated. Just remember that it will continue to cook if left wrapped for that long so you need to plan for carryover cooking. Depending on the type of ribs you'll be smoking you can kick the temp up and wrap them to finish faster or even cut them into individual bones and they will be done in no time!!! Sounds like you're going to have a fun night....good luck with everything and keep us posted on the cook!!