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1st time brisket, on a gas smoker, got a few questions

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    1st time brisket, on a gas smoker, got a few questions

    I received a frozen 8 pound pre-trimmed CAB brisket for Christmas that I want to do in my Thermotemp XL 340G cabinet smoker. (It is not a gas grill). I want to do it so that it will be ready on a Sunday late afternoon.
    How many days to thaw it in the refrigerator? How long to refrigerate it after prepping it?
    I have viewed plenty of YouTube videos about it from Harry Soo and Malcolm, T-Roy, Baby Back Maniac, etc. And of course I have reviewed Meathead's book (another Christmas gift) on it, so I think I have a fairly good handle on prepping it.
    Should I infuse it? If I cook between 225 and 250 F, any estimates on approximate cook time? 12 hours, 18 hours, 24 hours? I know it is done when it is done (probe tender with a temp between 190 to 205 F), but it would be helpful to have an idea of when to start it in order to have it rest in the cambro if needed, so that I can serve for a 5 o'clock supper.
    All advice will be greatly appreciated! (I am a little nervous doing a brisket for the 1st time).

    Thanks!
    Last edited by SmokingSteve; January 24, 2020, 11:15 AM. Reason: Clarify cooker info

    #2
    I thaw it in room temp. Takes 8-9 hours. Can’t wait for the 2-3 day fridge thaw. But choose the method you prefer.

    Dry brine the brisket overnight, then apply black pepper or a rub and throw it in your smoker. No need to inject.

    As for cooking: I would cook it at 275, no need to go super low. Also, it will be done in reasonable time. Since you have a gasser it will fire up quickly and hold steady temps. I would put it on at 05 AM. If you need to, wrap it during/after the stall. This will shorten cook time. I’ve never done a brisket longer than 9 hours (excluding the faux cambro rest).

    Comment


    • SmokingSteve
      SmokingSteve commented
      Editing a comment
      Thanks Henrik!

    #3
    Ok, I'll elaborate a bit on how I typically do it. Then you add/subtract and do whatever you see fit to work for you.

    So early morning the day before I take out a frozen brisket (say 7AM), and just place it over my kitchen sink. I 'suspend' it in air, typically by placing it across the sink (I have a small and a large sink). By letting air circulate around it (and not just over it, as would be the case when it is placed flat on a surface) it thaws quicker. Your brisket isn't that big, so it shouldn't take too long to thaw it.

    The night before, around 8PM (guessing here), you can trim it (if needed). Trimming is easier if it isn't fully thawed yet by the way. Then apply the dry brine, and into the fridge. If you want to you can apply a rub too.

    Early morning (5 AM), apply a rub (if you didn't do it the night before), and get your gasser running. Use a water pan (just like in an offset smoker). On a gasser I usually get one of those disposable aluminum pans (for food), and add a quart of water. I place it over, or close to, the burner that is turned on. Adjust placement so the water doesn't boil and splash. Place wood chunks on the grates, directly over the burner for smoke flavor. Cook at 275. Some people cook brisket even hotter, and I've done it several times too, but in this case the brisket is only an 8 lb'er, so I would be wary of drying it out. A few hours later you will enter the stall. There's a bit of air movement in most gas grills, so you may want to spritz the brisket. Keep an eye on the surface and see how it develops. Once it is mid-stall, or at the end of the stall, I wrap it. Depending on time I wrap with aluminum (faster), or butcher's paper (slower). Both will speed up the cook, but aluminum is 'faster'. If you cook between 6AM and 3PM that's 9 full hours on the grill. Given that it needs a 1 hour faux cambro rest you still have a 1 hour margin for your 5PM dinner.

    Your brisket isn't that big (which is a good thing timing-wise), so you may not need the wrap at all. But the wrap and the rest is where you can play with time. And you brisket isn't that big, so it would benefit from a wrap by locking in moisture. I would go with butcher's paper as my #1 choice, and just in case time runs away you can use foil. I've actually done that during a public event for a few hundred people. I wrapped in butcher's paper at 4AM (doing an overnight cook with 12 briskets), and by 5:30 AM I wasn't getting the 'response' I wanted, so I took them all out and rewrapped them in foil. Took 10 minutes, but I had them all done by 7:30AM, which was the plan. Like the famous quote from the movie Heartbreak Ridge: You adapt. You overcome. You improvise :-)

    And final words: have a beer. Relax. Enjoy the cook! It's gonna be fine. Whatever you do, don't do any rush changes or major adjustments. Just baby sit it until done.

    Comment


      #4
      I thaw in the fridge, give it a good 3 days. Or put it in a garbage bag in a cooler in the tub, fill cooler with cold water from tub faucet. Takes less than a day.

      I cook at 240-250 most times. I wait until after the stall, 180 or so (about 7-8 hrs) to wrap, then wrap tightly with double layer of foil. It takes maybe 1-2 more hours to get to 200+/-, then I reduce the heat to let it 'power cambro' (or you could do the faux cambro, either way) for about another 2 hrs. My brisket nearly always are done perfectly at about 12 total hours following this. Of course allow for variances, such as an 8 lb brisket is rather small, might be thin and cook much quicker. A Select might need extra time to soften up. A huge 21lber might take an extra 2-3hrs due to thickness- that sorta thing. Cooking at 225 or 250+ can cause 1-2 hrs variance too. CAB is pretty good and cooks just like Prime in my opinion. If your is pre-trimmed, how thick is that fat cap? Too thin, or non-existent, could cause a really quick cook too.

      Comment


      • JGrana
        JGrana commented
        Editing a comment
        I like that idea of the "power cambro" in the smoker. I have a KBQ and I can dial it down.
        Thanks Huskee, I'm going with your process the next time I do a full packer
        Last edited by JGrana; January 24, 2020, 04:41 PM. Reason: spelling...

      #5
      Wow. What they said. 👆

      I would emphasize a couple of points they made.

      1. it’s a small brisket, and likely will cook faster
      2. Cook about 250 ish
      3. no rash changes
      4. chill out and have a beer or three

      You have been around the block. You’ll be just fine.

      Comment


        #6
        I have done smaller briskets on my gas grill with an Amazn tube and one of those little smoke boxes, the grill will hold temp very well, and I've typically done them at 225 degrees. Typically took 12+ hours (with no wrap). These were smaller briskets too. I'd allow plenty of extra time in case you need it and hold in a faux Cambro as necessary.

        Comment


          #7
          I'm a bid different in cook method. I cook lower (in my gas smoker, stick burner, and charcoal smoker) @225°. I also inject. Crutching with paper, I always allow 22 hours (including hold time). As for thawing, all of the above work and have used them. Dry brine and inject 24-48 hours in advance. Injecting, lower pit temp, and using paper to crutch cause the longer cook times as opposed to no injection, hotter temp, and foil crutch.

          Comment


            #8
            As others said, that's a small brisket - 8 pounds precooked weight will likely be 4.5 to 5 pounds of post cook weight, assuming you don't trim any fat before the cook. If you get up early and start it, and run the cook at 275, it will be done a couple of hours before dinner, and you can do a faux cambro hold in foil in a cooler. I think the hold is very important for moist brisket.

            Comment

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