Smokette Brisket Help!!

Mitch - Though I've never done 2 briskets that size at the same time in my 008, I'm confident that if you can jam both of them in there, the unit can handle it.

I smoke at 225F and usually figure 2 hours per lb. Others seem to recommend 1 1/2 hours but it's never worked for me (obviously, were not talking about a combined weight of 26 lbs). Your objective is to get them to 190F-195F internal. Any way you cut it, it's going to be a long smoke so plan ahead.

Also, you might want to rotate them mid-smoke.

Based upon your likes, 2-4 oz. of your favorite wood should work. Just use chunks, not chips.

BTW - What's "the old fashioned way"?

Old fashioned way is sitting by the wood/charcoal smoker all day and feeding the smoker box with briquettes and wood chips. Basically sleeping with the smoker.

I love doing it that way but when it comes to a long smoke and a tired Mitch it makes for a very long day/night:-(.

The smokette instructions say not to overload the smoker and I am going to either have to trim the Briskets a little or take a chance. Taking a chance seems like a fun way to go!

hungry:
Do not worry anout overloading the smoker. CS's weights are very conservative. I have managed to jam 3 briskets into an 009. Do a search there has been several threads regarding the amount that can fit into a CS.

You may or may not have to rotate the briskets with two, but you might want to consider putting the lower one fat cap down. If you are to close to the heat source, the brisket gets a little "crunchy".

If I put the fat side down won't it be a little tougher? I always think of the fat dripping down into the meat.

I tested the spacing and the two Briskets will fit on the top two racks eliminating the very bottom.

Do you think that twenty hours will do it or do you think that they will be done sooner. I read where some are done to 188 degrees within twelve hours and then they had to keep them warm in the oven for a number of hours at 150. If so do you all recommend 150 in the oven wrapped in foil or open?

I appreciate the responses!

One other question, have you all ever used a briquette in the oven with your wood chunks? I like the idea for the grill flavoring. If so would you use one or two briquettes?

hungry:
I think 20 hours might ne to long, I would guess 15-18 hours but better safe. You can always foil and wrap the brisket and it will keep hot in a cooler for several hours.

If you want to use a briquette in the oven, I would start with one and see how you like it, then decide if you need more the next time.

Thanks Greyn!!!!!!!!

A super July 4th to all!!!!

Mitch - I'm with you on keeping the fat cap up but, that's just my personal preference. Since you can eliminate the bottom rack, I'd just rotate them mid-smoke.

If you can get them done in 12 hours then you're going to experience a miracle that I have not. My guess is at least 20 hours. Just keep monitoring your internal temp. You're going to hit a plateau around 170F that could go for several hours. Also, if they are cooking faster than you expected, you can always open the door for a minute and cut the temp back. Finally, if they are done a few hours before you anticipated, double wrap in HD foil, then wrap in a big beach towel and, put in a cooler. They will keep very well for several hours.

Can't respond to the 150F oven question since I have never done it. But, if I were to do so, I'd definately foil.

I have not done it but I don't see any problem with throwing a briquette in if you want to. If you like it, then why not?

GREAT plan DLS!!!!!

Have a super weekend!

Hey, Hungry�.

Some good suggestions offered up by folks that have been there and done that. That�s the nice thing about this forum.

I recently did 2-13 lb briskets and 2-8 lb butts in one smoke on my Smokette. The briskets had to be folded under and the butts had to be put 2 on a shelf, but everything came out perfect.

As for the amount of wood? I follow Tom�s lead and load up the smoke box when cooking briskets and butts. Chicken, fish, ribs, etc., you can limit wood to 1 or 2 chunks, and experiment with apple, and other milder woods. But briskets and butts I load it up, as much as it will hold, hickory.

On my �full load� I put the brisket nearest the heat source fat cap down. The brisket on the middle rack fat cap up and the two butts packed in tight on the top shelf. You can rotate the briskets mid-way through the cooking if you want�I didn�t and they came out perfect.

I only have one temp probe and I put it in the smallest brisket since it will get done before the others. Pulled it and foiled it (and 5-6 layers of newspapers and an old beach towel) and put it in an Igloo cooler while I waited on the next brisket. The two butts would take the longest and I knew it�.so when the second brisket went into the cooler I stuck the probe in the smallest butt and so on.

I plan on 1 to 1 � hours per lb for briskets @ 225 to get to 195. Can�t tell you why, but they will always take less time than butts. Thickness of meat? I don�t know. 2 hours per lb for butts, also @ 225. As one wise ol� sage is oft quoted on this forum�.�it�ll be done when it�s done.�

Happy 4th�.

I tried 1 briquet and didn't notice any difference. Tried 2 on the next smoke and got a nice smoke ring. Think I'll try 3 next time to see what happens. Can't imagine it'll hurt anything. Time to fill the freezer. Brisket's goin' for $.99 here. I'll be workin' so no Q this weekend for me. Happy 4th.

Well, these guys have been in the oven for almost fourteen hours now and the probe is stuck at 161 degrees (for an hour and a half)... It was actually 163 for awhile and then it dropped? Swapped the shelves and am figuring on another five or six hours. Glad that you guys suggested twenty hours or we would have been eating at midnight instead of five!

Hope y'all have a super day!

You have hit the "plateau" and that's exactly what happens, the temp will rise and then fall. After that they rise pretty fast.

Hope they came out ok.

Smokin'

Well, I checked the oven temp and my oven temp thermometer was stuck at 185 degrees. Even with Smokette temp set a 250 I could not get the temp up past 185. The thermostat kept shutting the heat off and the temps would not rise.

I had to resort to my gas grill with some trays of water and indirect heat to finish the process. Will chat with Cookshack tomorrow. What a day for this to have to happen!

Hope you all have a super 4th!

Hey, Hungry�.

Just out of curiosity, did you thread the temp probe down through the �smoke hole� or just run it out the door and close it gently on it? I did the latter on all my (not that many yet) smokes without any problem, but on one a few days ago I did have a problem. The temp got to 185 and stayed there forever, long past when I thought it should be done. When I opened the door to take an insta-read it jumped to 201. For some reason, pinching it in the door caused a false reading. On my latest brisket I ran the probe down through the �hole� and didn�t have a problem. Just a thought.

arkansasQer

arkansasQer, I run it through the door but I also keep a regular thermometer in the oven. I also stusk my big smoker thermometer in the top hole of the smoker because I though I was losing my mind. All read anywhere between 183 and 187 degrees. Not quite sure what to think..

No problem though as I just pulled one of those hulking chunks of meat off the gas grill and it is just falling apart. The second will be done shortly.

Have a good one!

Boy, I wish that I could spell without the use of Microsoft Word... :-(