Wrap Brisket or not?

You don't mention the size of the briskets so the 14 hrs cook time is hard to comment on. Rule of thumb is 1-1.5 hrs a pound.

I assume you're 2 staging the temps to develop more smoke flavor from your FEC. Many do and nothing wrong with that, however that will extend the cook time vs a stick burner running at 225-250.

Wrapping: I always have wrapped at 165 ish. I've recently discovered that I prefer cooking briskets to the finish point unwrapped...THEN wrapping them for a FTC holding period. I find the bark more to my liking that way.

I'd suggest you continue what your doing now with one exception...rather than cook to a 190 temp, cook till the meat is easily pierced, top to bottom with a probe. Depending on the size and quality of the meat, that may mean 190, 195, 200 or even slightly higher.

Hope that helps.

Is this for comps or just home cooking?

Is your 260* at the grate and which shelf are you cooking on?

What grade of brisket and how big?

Your times sound about right, is their something you don't like about your brisket?

Sorry, I guess I have more questions then answers, while I'm just starting to cook my briskets on the FEC. I personally wouldn't cook that hot during the plateau,seems to me that when I have tried this, I wasn't satisfied with the finial texture of my brisket. I guess I could be just a little critical on my cooking.

Why does the duration matter? It's bbq.

If you're doing the lower temps to add smoke flavor, have you cooked one at normal temps? Not everyone does the 180 for 4 hour thing.

Try one at higher temps, say 250 the full time and see what that matters.

What's your question about foil? Are you wanting to foil it to speed up the process?

Me (and the classes I teach) all prefer our FE briskets with no foil. If you start with a choice brisket, I have no problems getting a moist, great product and we LOVE the bark of a non-foiled brisket.

In comps duration is very important

I count on 12 hrs at 246 degrees for the average 12 lb packer

No foil

If I'm late, my ribs suffer

I need another FEC

Don't we all

Well,even with a pair of FEC 100s,we still need to get our big meats out of the way,to focus on our ribs.

Your times may not be all off,depending on opening doors,messing with the packers,etc.

We find that 15-16 lb packers,trimmed out,upper choice,may take 75 mins/lb. in the temp range folks are discussing.

quote:

Originally posted by Coach:
In comps duration is very important

I count on 12 hrs at 246 degrees for the average 12 lb packer

No foil

If I'm late, my ribs suffer

I need another FEC

Well.... Since I'm not competing much (if any) and I'm moving my twin big reds BOOMER and SOONER to my new deck today, I have decided what to do with Old Faithful, my original FE with a traegr controller and straight through auger (and the new IQ4 I never installed)

Not saying I'm selling.

Just saying i have 3

Surely,you wouldn't part with the original sraight chute,high heat,fast recovery FEC!!!

I,and several top cooks we know, swear to never part with theirs'.

Seems like you had some fine walks to the stage with that one,and even better dinin'.

Think how many fine rib cooks that won't give them up.How about all the "hot chicken" cooks and those that add the 2nd wing! portion to the box in really big comps.

I just give my more mature cookers to my kids,with the rights to recall them in times of need.

That's no stepchild,its the firstborn and a dandy!

To tag onto the Neely nephews cooking,they were doing brisket on the Food Network ,today.No one had ever heard of a brisket in "pork BBQ town",so they were safe.

You marinade for three hrs in cider and then sprinkle with a couple TBSP S & P,paprika,onion pwder compined.Looks like a 4-5 lb flat.

Take to your charcoal grill with the offset smokebox for coals and dripping wet hickory chips.Be sure to add plenty of wet chips,because they and coals provide your cooking heat.

Of course, you cook fat up-because we all know the juices then penetrate all the way thru the meat.
Flip after two hrs and cook two hrs more.
Lastly,foil tightly and cook for 1.5 hrs to hold in the flavor,just like he does for porterhouse,or NY strip steaks.

Leave foiled as you walk to the house,as this lets the juices redistribute.

Coat heavy with sauce,slice and serve with oven roasted root vegetables.

Yeepers,Ezy-Pezy and that's what makes Memphis the greatest of pork BBQ towns.