Hot and Fast Brisket - WTF?

[Dewesq55]

While attempting to do some research in advance of smoking the prime packer I bought last week, I found that the interwebs are full of videos of cooking brisket hot and fast, and very little about doing it low and slow.

So, what gives? Can one really smoke a wonderfully tender and juicy brisket in 3 or 4 hours at 300°F? If so, why do we still do it for 10, 12 or 14+ hours at 250? Are folks here cooking hot and fast? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Donw]

Ahumadora and a few others here have been doing it with good results they report.

[au4stree]

I’ve cooked 4 full packers this year on my pbc. They all turned out terrific. 2 were Costco prime and just S&P, the other two were black angus choice from Restaurant Depot. I dry brined one of those for 2 days and used black ops by oak ridge bbq. The other I injected and used Harry Soo's beef rub. I’ve only hung one of the briskets, I put on the rack for the other three. Cook time was about 4-6 hours on average for me. I let rest in a faux cambro for about 2 hours for each. They they all were wrapped in foil when the bark was set and I use beef consommé.

The PBC cook temp runs about 275-325F.

[HawkerXP]

What au4stree said is the normal PBC cook.

[Huskee]

I tried it, twice, and didn't like the harder drier bark, also felt it was noticeably tougher...not tough or bad, just tougher. Wasn't for me. If I need to cook something in 4 or 6 hrs, well pardner, I just ain't cookin' a brisket that day.

[hogdog6]

Same experience. As stated not bad but for me, low and slow brisket is the only way to go. My definition of low is 250*

[Ahumadora]

Works fine no problems. Only time I cook ow n slow i when I havve alot of time and beer to drink. (never happens)

[holehogg]

Think you found the time to have had a few before posting by the looks of things😊

[Ahumadora]

holehogg Small phone/ big fingers

[Spinaker]

When do YOU have a lot of time? I find that hard to believe with everything you are busy doing!

[fzxdoc]

I usually cook my PBC and WSCGC briskets at the 250-275° range, closer to 275, truth be told. Not really too hot or too fast, but not long like a 225°cook. Usually 6 to 8 hours, which for me is a really enjoyable cook time.

The results are delicious; the bark is firm but not dried out.

You may want to try upping the temperature ante to that 250-275° range and see how it goes. It's always fun to change up the game plan a bit in a cook.

Let us know how it turns out for you.

Kathryn

[jfmorris]

Kathryn, how do you control the temp to that 250 to 275 range on your PBC? That could be useful info for the new guy asking about this in that other thread.

[Dewesq55]

Thanks, Kathryn. I think that sounds like a plan. I'll let you all know. It won't be for a week or 2, however.

[fzxdoc]

jfmorris, the 250 to 275 range is where my PBC likes to live. Almost every cook except poultry is done in that range. If I want temps over 300° in my PBC, I've got to goose it to get it to go that high.

K.

[mountainsmoker]

Since the beef has gotten better and prime is available, I alwaus cook mine at 275-300. Now that I have I have a DigiQ I just set it at 275 and have a nice as can be brisket in 8-10 hours for a 12-14.lb one.

[jfmorris]

I too have moved to cooking my brisket at higher temps. At 225, my briskets were always taking 16 to 18 hours. Recently, I got up at 7AM on a Sunday morning, lit 12 briquettes, and got the kettle+SNS going around 7:30AM, and dropped a prime brisket from Costco on the kettle at 7:45AM, and let it run at 225F, as I had to go to church, and I didn't want to have it hit the point I was going to wrap at before I got home around 1PM. Got home and cranked the temp to 275F around 12:30PM, and hit the 170's and my wrap point around 2:30PM, ran 2 more hours wrapped and the brisket was probe tender around 205F, and into the cambro it went at 4:30PM. Dinner was at 6:15PM. Timing came out perfect.

Next time I cook brisket it will be at 275F all the way, and I ought to be able to get it done without staying up all night. I used to stay up until midnight to start a brisket for dinner the next night, because of the 16 to 18 hours it takes me at 225. No more!

[Dewesq55]

275°F for 8-10 hours sounds perfect to me. I hope I can accomplish it. Thanks for the response mountainsmoker

[jfmorris]

How large is the packer you bought? I got the results I got with a wrap around 170F or so, and the bark was set nicely, and did not suffer from a 2 hour finish in the foil, or the cambro.

[Dewesq55]

jfmorris it's about 12.5 lbs untrimmed. What in the neighborhood of 170° is what I'm shooting for. I will be wrapping in butcher paper rather than foil

[Troutman]

Same here, converted to the 275* mark and am well within 6-8 hours, usually closer to 6 hours. Then cambro for about 2 hours. Quite honestly I'm not into the all night cooks and am not going to spend 10-12-14 hours cooking anything.

The comment about the quality of the meat is valid as well. The fattier the faster it seems to cook. I did try one of those hot and fast 325* ones and it got done closer to 5 hours but like Huskee mentioned the bark didn't develop the way I like it. The meat, otherwise, seemed just fine.

[Dewesq55]

I bought prime so hopefully it will be of good quality.

[Bobby Q's]

I run my Lang at 275 (or it runs me) and have had great results. A 16 pound pre trimmed takes about 6-8 hours like everyone else says but I dont wrap mine.

[ColonialDawg]

Nothing more to add. Hot and fast is the only way I cook my briskets. It’s just as tender as any I’ve had cooked low and slow. Pull test and bend test just as good, solid smoke ring, beautiful bark, amazing flavor, and I get to sleep in.

[Spinaker]

I simply go by how much time I have. I have never gone over 300 F intentionally. That being said, I know for a fact that when I first got my PBC and was just starting out in the BBQ world, I was running way over 300 many times!

[smokin fool]

Got that t-shirt many times....
When we first got our Keg I was better at melting horse shoes than cooking pork butt, finally this summer I'm able to kinda, sorta, maybe, keep a handle on cooking temps.

[Powersmoke_80]

Running hotter you have to pay attention to it more and be constantly moving it around till it's time to wrap but turns out just as good IMO but I do prefer 275.