I'm smoking a couple briskets on Thursday at home for a work function at noon on Friday. I have to do these well ahead of time because I'll be at work Friday morning around 5am firing up the smoker for 12-15 racks of pork ribs. I've held briskets for 10 hours before in a well insulated cooler with towels (Yeti type cooler) but never longer. Read that they will hold wrapped up to 17 hours and also read they can be held in a 170 degree over for up to 20 or so hours. Has anyone done either of these with good results?
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I've held brisket for 9-10 hours in a 170F oven, wrapped tightly in multiple layers of foil. The biggest concern with a hold that long is that it may become pretty much fall apart tender, and be a little harder to slice cleanly. I.e. more "pot roasty". But from a food safety perspective, I think you will be ok going 17-20 hours if you never let it drop below 140F.
I am sure someone with more food safety experience and knowledge than me will chime in. -
I'd be afraid it would just fall apart when trying to slice. Would the timing and logistics allow you to slice after a normal hold and then hold in an oven as needed?Comment
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More of a qualitative issue. If it's that long I just chill and reheat.Comment
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Yeah, I am kinda in this camp too. I think he should let it rest for 2 hours wrapped in foil, out on the counter, then into the fridge. Reheat in the oven the next day. -
jfmorris I go counter to 135-ish, freezer until below 40, then fridge.
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Trying to hold that long at 170 is going to lead to overcooked and crumbly brisket, I think. I hold at 150, and have done so for 15-20 hours, but 170 will allow them to overcook, I'm afraid.
I've used my pellet smoker at 150 (Yoder does a really good job holding steady), I've used my toaster oven at 150 and I have used my Camp Chef Smoke Vault 24 - it doesn't hold low enough (more like the 170 you're talking about), but if I crack the door just a half-inch or so, it will get down to 150ish temps. That depends on outdoor temps, wind and rain. Once or twice I've gotten an alarm when the temp fell too much because the wind blew it open - luckily a monitoring thermometer like my Fireboard was enough to alert me in time and I was able to close the door back up and get it back to temp.
Long holds on brisket have been a game changer for me and my results have been spectacular, but keeping temp low enough is key. I'm afraid 170 is just too high and will cause it to overcook. If there is absolutely zero way to achieve that, I'd consider a slow cool to 170-180, then throw in the fridge and reheat the next day. I have had good results with this, as well, but will take 3-5 hours at least, with heat at 250. I would avoid a more rapid reheat at 300-350 because of it overcooking as well, before the middle gets to 150-160 (serving temp). Depends on the size of the briskets.
That's my experiences.Comment
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That's good advice. I am betting his oven, like mine, doesn't go below 170. I now wonder if I cracked the door if it would... at the expense of heating the kitchen for 20 hours, haha.
I keep saying I am gonna get a Smoke Vault 24 one of these days, and sit it next to the natural gas hookup behind my fireplace at the end of the house, where I long ago had a gas grill hooked up. Use as a holding oven could be great for the holidays... -
Absolutely! This is about all I use the SV for these days, I've got so many other options. lol. I need to get a micro-adjustment valve for it and see if I can get it to hold 150 consistently with a closed door.
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I held a brisket in my oven at 160 for about 15 hours for a work event similar to what you’re talking about. I can confirm that it did over cook itself and was pretty much falling apart while I was slicing. The good news is that the flavor was still fantastic and since I’m in Indianapolis and don’t work with anybody who really knows what it’s supposed to be, no one was the wiser. I kept getting compliments on how tender and fall apart it was. I died a little on the inside every time, but they were happy and that’s what really mattered. Lol. Good luck, let us know how it turns out!!!!
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Long holds are a game changer. When I discovered I could serve delicious brisket for lunch AND sleep…wow!
The masters have already spoken, so this is just one more vote in their camp.
What I’ve learned from many years of 12-14hr holds is that 170° is too hot. Planning to make “chopped beef” sandwiches that you don’t need to chop? BAM…perfect solution.
First time I did the long hold and kept it at 170° all night I ended up sitting around a giant plate of brisket crumbles with a few friends and we all dug in with forks and commented that it was the worst *looking* brisket ever, but not a single one of us could stop eating. I think the four of us killed about 5lbs of brisket in one sitting.
As I don’t have an electric cooker that will hold at 150° I use my kitchen oven. To combat the fact that it can’t set below 170° I cycle it on and off every couple hours to maintain something closer to 150° average.
With this method I’ve gone as long as 14 hrs and still had sliceable brisket.
With a hold time as long as you’re aiming for I’d def go with refrigerating after holding a few hours, then slowly reheat the next morning.
Looking forward to hearing about your results.Comment
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Good luck. Where is lunch?
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So just found out my oven will actually go down to 145 degrees! We replaced it last year with a Whirlpool double oven and never checked. Guess I'll be holding them in the oven at 150 until lunch tomorrow. They won't be done until 11pm tonight.Comment
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That's great news that you can hold low temps! Glad to hear it! I kinda wish my oven did, as well, though I do have other options I can work with - sometimes, the oven would be the most convenient, though.
Good luck, and let us know how it all turns out! Those briskets look to be very different sizes, that's for sure! lolComment
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