Brisket rest time

Qbert60 · Jul 11, 2014

SO, I am always looking for ways to better my BBQ knowledge. I came across a youtube video with Harry Soo. He states that he allows his brisket to rest, with foil vented until the internal temp of the brisket is 170*. Then he holds in for at least 4 hours prior to turn ins. In the video, the IT of the brisket was 210*. I am thinking that it's probably gonna rest for at least 90 minutes, then cambro'd for 4 hours. that would mean his brisket is done between 7 & 7:30am.

2 questions:

1. Anyone do this or do similar? Willing to share?

2. Can this be modified to cooking at 275*-300*?

Funtimebbq · Jul 11, 2014

Don't know how old the video is but recently Harry has been using one WSM for all 4 meats in a competition. That means he has to have his brisket and butts off earlier than most other teams so he can cook the ribs and chicken. So, yes to your question.

BBQ Lifer · Jul 11, 2014

I actually take it off at 203, open up and rest for a minimum of 3hrs. then reconstitute in ajus just before turn in.

gettinbasted · Jul 11, 2014

I don't even put mine on until 7 or 7:30!

LTG · Jul 11, 2014

gettinbasted said:
I don't even put mine on until 7 or 7:30!

Foil after 3 hours?

druss2001 · Jul 11, 2014

While researching how efficient a Cambro is, I read a similar article about Harry pulling the brisket around 6:30 AM to make room for the ribs and chicken. Once he puts the brisket down for rest, it goes into his Cambro. The article didn't say how much time there was between pulling from the pit and putting into the Cambro. I'm figuring that it is about a 5+ hour hold in the Cambro.

Which part are you looking to modify? The Cambro hold time, estimation on how long to let the brisket smoke at 275-300?

Podge · Jul 11, 2014

back when I just cooked on one smoker, I'd get the big meats done by 7:00 am and into the cambro.. no problems.

Qbert60 · Jul 12, 2014

Maybe I didn't post my question carefully. He rested the brisket, vented open (not in cambro) until the IT was down to 170*, THEN CAMBRO'D IT. Trying to figure why he lets the temp drop down before he holds in in a cambro?

Porcine Perfection · Jul 12, 2014

If you don't drop the temp it will continue cooking.

Podge · Jul 12, 2014

Porcine Perfection said:
If you don't drop the temp it will continue cooking.

Well, I obviously don't know what I'm talking about then.

boogiesnap · Jul 12, 2014

podge, you just gave out a pretty good tip....without even saying it. :wink:

i know you know exactly what was happening in that cambro. :becky:

Qbert60 · Jul 14, 2014

OK, OK, I know that you have to vent it to keep from overcooking it. I guess that main question was time frame. That video was from 2012. He said that he teaches this in his class. Vent until the temp drops below 175*.

Check out the video here - [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PrbNKcIou8"]Why should you let your brisket rest? - with Slap Yo' Daddy - YouTube[/ame]

SO new question I guess. How long do you rest the brisket before putting it away?

Ron_L · Jul 14, 2014

Do you mean how long to we vent it? For me, I vent it for 10 - 15 minutes.

Now, how long do I rest it in the Cambro? At least 4 hours, typically longer.

CBQ · Jul 14, 2014

A lot of people say you need long resting times on a brisket. It needs to rest, but I think these 5-6 hour rest times are as much a function of it fitting into someones timeline vs. being needed for the quality of the turn in.

The hotter you cook it, the longer you need to rest it, but for a low and slow cook you only need an hour of resting. It won't hurt it to be in the cambro for a lot longer than that, but it doesn't NEED it. In my process, the brisket is out for about 10-15 minutes before it hits the cambro.

Wampus · Jul 14, 2014

Podge said:
back when I just cooked on one smoker, I'd get the big meats done by 7:00 am and into the cambro.. no problems.

Yeah, once we determine that it's done, we wrap it back up and into the Cambro it goes. We don't vent. I know the thinking that it will continue to cook in the Cambro if you don't vent, but we've not had an issue.

.....then again.....don't listen to anything I say we can't seem to buy a brisket call this season. :tsk:

ique · Jul 14, 2014

Qbert60 said:
He states that he allows his brisket to rest, with foil vented until the internal temp of the brisket is 170*.

Some of my best briskets at comps have been those that took longer to finish and ended up with barely an hour of rest. I really dont think a properly cooked brisket gets any better after more than an hour of rest. The 4-6 hour rest that is part of a lot of cooks schedule is mainly about two things. One, margin of error, we need a wide doneness window. Done at 8 or done at 10 and it really doesn't matter. Plan for Noon though and the brisket needs another couple hours the cook has a problem. Two, is juggling cooker space. Harry is the king of using the lowest square inches possible.

The steaming down and lowering the internal temp of the meat is very important though. It doesn't improve the brisket really but instead preserves in a state pretty close to when it was perfect coming off of your smoker.

RumRunner_1492 · Jul 14, 2014

I take my brisket off at 7:30am. I vent it for 10-15 minutes then put it into the cooler with towels. It works great. I took 4th in brisket out of 42 teams this past weekend.

DawgPhan · Jul 14, 2014

Wampus said:
Yeah, once we determine that it's done, we wrap it back up and into the Cambro it goes. We don't vent. I know the thinking that it will continue to cook in the Cambro if you don't vent, but we've not had an issue.

.....then again.....don't listen to anything I say we can't seem to buy a brisket call this season. :tsk:

I havent found that briskets will continue to cook either. It might happen, but if I put a good brisket in the cambro, I pull out a good brisket. If I put in a bad brisket, I pull out a bad brisket.

INmitch · Jul 14, 2014

DawgPhan said:
I havent found that briskets will continue to cook either. It might happen, but if I put a good brisket in the cambro, I pull out a good brisket. If I put in a bad brisket, I pull out a bad brisket.

I would have agreed with you up until Traverse City MI a week and a half ago. I have always rested my briskies in a 28qt cooler (ya that superstitious thing) I never vent them because I always have so many holes poked in the foil from feeling for tenderness.
I thought I would be nice and put them in pan liners to save the Wife the clean up of the cooler. When I pulled out my perfectly cooked briskets the $$ end of the flats fell apart.:mad2:

Huge lesson learned

Burnt at Both Endz · Jul 14, 2014

<SIGH>.....If there's one thing this cook has learned about cooking brisket, you just can't take pieces of another cooks system and think it'll work for you.

Practice and good notes will get you farther ahead then looking for the perfect baking recipe.:wink:

Brisket rest time

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