Ed.

Fork tender.

Forget the probe if you are using it for a final determination on done. Use the probe as a guide...but nothing more.

When I do my next one, I am going to try and maintain about 350 lid again.

Pardon my ignorance, but what does "no roll" mean?

It means the meat wasn't graded.

quote:

In a matter of 15 minutes i was getting a 205 reading on the probe (hooked to the Stoker). I thought something was haywire, so i checked with a dial and it was right on. I unfoiled, leaving the probe in, to improve the bark. After unfoiling temp dropped into 180s within 5-10 minutes. Sooo, something was amiss. I'll go it again...brisket is tough to cook anyway, let alone changing method.

I had the exact same thing happen to me on my first brisket cook. I didn't know what to do so I left it on an hour or so more unfoiled and finally pulled it. Guess I should have 'stuck a fork in it' because it was a little tough.

Note the second paragragh in this post. Additional to that I'll add that you can feel free not to pay attention to the therm after you first foil. In fact, you can skip temping entirely if you wish once you've broken plateau (I recommend hitting 170-175 before foiling if you're cooking a packer). Look at the clock when you foil. Figure a packer taking 4-4.5 hours at ~325 grate, depending on thickness and come-up time if you Minioned the start. So subtract whatever your unfoiled time was from 4 hours to give you a ballpark on the cook time remaining. Check with your probe (not for temp, for feel) when you are 20-30 min shy of the time you figured and go from there. Some resistance to the probe? Go another 20 min and check again. When it just feels tender pull it. There will be continued cooking from residual heat during the rest.

Kevin, what exactly do you mean by microwave hold? Do set the microwave at a certain temp and run or do you just let it sit in there for awhile? Also, if you wrap in a towel after they are done how long do you keep them out before putting in a cooler to further rest? I'm planning to do two briskets next weekend and will probably do them high heat like you and Craig.

Sorry for the confusion. I just use my micro as a vessel, a container to rest the brisket, rather than a cooler. A foiled brisket wrapped in a towel will rest and hold a while in a nuker, a couple hours or a bit more. If needing to hold longer the better insulation of a cooler is better.

You can knock off potentially excessive residual cooking by resting the brisket after removing in opened foil on the counter or on top of the cooler for 5-10 min. Then, tightly wrap, towel, and hold in your vessel of choice. This little pre-rest rest isn't necessary if you've pulled the meat a bit prior to 'done' and you're planning a residual heat finish. It can be useful if you take it to tender while still in the cooker though. And that's what I'd recommend if you're new to the high heat approach--hitting 'done' while still in the cooker--to give you the best sense of the process. You can modify it later, if you wish, more easily if you've got a good grasp of what's going on with the meat.

Appreciate the quick response. Just got my WSM back. My new cart was being fitted around it so I didn't have good access to it. I'm chopping at the bit to do some smoking.

Craig, Kevin, and all,

I assume you are doing this "High temp brisket" on the WSM. Any reason it couldn't be done on a kettle? The time and temps involved seem ideal to this rookie!

I'd like to try this for a small group of friends on Sunday. It involves traveling, and the kettle (22 1/2 OT Gold) would be a lot easier to transport than the WSM. I've got the "rails" for indirect, and the BBQ Baffle.

What do you think?

JimT

Chris,
Any chance of adding this technique to the "cooking" section of the website?

quote:

Any reason it couldn't be done on a kettle?

I can't think of one. Give it a shot.

Kevin,

Does Mr. Minion realize he has become a verb?

I hadn't been following this thread. Great stuff. I'll be giving this a shot on my kettle using the BBQ Baffle.

Jim

Kevin,

You ever find a source for Picnic?

Jim--

I don't know--but it just seems to roll off the tongue: "I believe I'll Minion the start...," does it not?

Craig--

No. I'm on my way to L.A. then San Diego now but I'm hoping that, perhaps on the way in and perhaps with your assitance, I can score a bunch.

The guy that owns WG e'd me last week. The very last of the WGC was sold to a fellow in Jacksonville, a couple pallets. He sent me the contact info to see what might still be available but I haven't done so as I just don't get through J'ville much. Furthermore, based on your recommendation and the pricing, I think I'd be happier with the Picnic.

The place is called Sanwa wholesale/growers.

I don't know how familiar with Tampa you are, but they are located on Hillsborough Ave, just west of Nebraska Ave.

They usually have 1-2 pallets of it on hand.

Let me know......

PS- They close by 1:30 pm, open around 3 am.

Do you know the place in Jacksonville ?
I tried to look up sanwa in jacksonville and couldn't find it. Maybe I will call the tampa location. If you want I can pick up and hold till you come through jax.

Woody

Craig-- I can't think of too many cities I'm unfamiliar with. But 150K miles/year will do that. Do they have a dock, preferably with a large turning area? (So many places in that part of Tampa--many parts actually--don't have room for larger t/t combos.) I'd buy a pallet. If not, maybe I can figure out something else. You have a store in T and live in O, right?

Woody-- Sanwa is in Tampa. They have Picnic. The last of the Wicked Good Comp blend was purchased by a guy in J'ville. It was 4 pallets he bought. Don't know what's available or pricing but the contact info I was sent:

David Pinkstaff
A.A. BOTTLE GAS & FUEL CO., INC.*
12601 N. Main Street
Jacksonville, FL
(904) 757-1924

It's a pretty large docking area.

Basically you park/load at a dock no matter what you are driving. They mostly handle 24 ft trucks and less, although I think they'd be able to handle something bigger. Forklifts and pallet jacks are on site.

I'd suggest calling them first if you are seeking a full pallet ( Note: they are mostly Asian, and sometimes I've had a few interpretation issues).

I could handle a smaller load, but not a full pallet as my store is not freedocked.

Let me know, I'm more than willing.

Kevin & Craig,

I was going to make a trip myself (thanks for the lead Craig ). When I get down there and the inventory is gone, I will know what happened.... . Seriously though, the good folks at picnic gave me the name of another distributor in the Tampa area (GUIXENS FOOD DISTRUBTOR). They informed me that they have several accounts in the Orlando area who sell the product. I am not so sure about $$$$. Craig, do you have any knowledge of these retailers?

I have about a half a bag of BGE, so a trip is in order. I appreciate the lead...

Q'n, Golf'n & Grill'n..... too many choices.

Gary

Gary,

It was my understanding that Sanwa has a smaller outlet in the Sanford area. I am not sure to what extent they carry in overall goods as the translation with these folks leaves something to be desired. But they did tell me it was a smaller outlet (that I did understand).

Ps- remember, they close like 1:30 pm daily!!!

I've never heard of any other distributors........but the Picnic stuff is A+++ IMO.