Asking for opinions.

[Henry B 3]

Thank you for taking the time to read this.  Yesterdays brisket did not have that WOW factor I look for. It was cooked at 225 for 20 hours using a slow roller.

   I began ruminating in the shower and this popped in my head.  My first cook in the Big Joe 3 was a brisket.  I started in the evening with the vents opened more than required and in turn I struggled with temp control.  Frustrated and registering just below 300, I threw the brisket in anyway and went to bed.  First thing in the a.m. temp was hovering around 275 and the brisket was fantastic.  Noted.

   The other 2 were cooked around 250 with exact results as before, again noted.

   So, there ya have it.  This is where I am asking for opinions and prior experiences.  Do you think higher temps, meaning 250-300 range in a "larger" cooker better for briskets?  I am kinda thinking so.  225 on a smaller kamado has been ingrained in my head for many years, might be time to change.

 

[A.O.]

I have a Kamado Joe Classic 18" and have cooked all of one brisket in my entire life so I dont have a lot of experience but.. I was having trouble with my dome thermometer and according to my probe thermometer I was running at 330 or a hair higher the whole time. That particular brisket was fantastic! so in my experience a little warmer worked great... AND in a shorter amount of time, about 5 1/2 hours.

Sometimes its better to be lucky than good!

[len440]

I don't get too hooked on one certain temp for smoking- I cant guarantee that at 225 a rack of ribs will be done after 5hrs. Sometimes a little sooner and some times a little longer, all depends on the meat and a few other variables. Also what works for me might not for you. Just keep notes on what works and what doesn't. I've seen all kinds of posts on brisket with a WIDE range of temps. I'm like A>O> i only did one brisket. But i did a lot of practice with chuck roasts. Never had a bad one some were just better than others.   

[jark87]

I’ve cooked quite a few briskets, some better than others, on all kinds of smokers, but no disasters, thank goodness. I’m happy as long as my temp settles below 300°. I don’t really sweat it if 225° or 275°. I also have a Pit Barrel Cooker and it cooks hot - 300°+. It doesn’t have any temp regulation but due to the temp, it also cooks quicker than any other method I’ve used. However, I’ve never had a really good brisket on the PBC. I’m new to Kamados and am looking forward to my first brisket on my KJ. @Henry B 3 did you use the slo roller on all of your briskets, or just the last one? That device was one of the main reasons I chose KJ over BGE. Also - I thought I could smell a brisket the other day. I’m just down the road from you in Bridlewood.

 

Interestingly, my first brisket was one of my best. I had a Brinkmann smoker and no idea what I was doing. I didn’t trim the fat cap at all. Got up really early, got the fire going, put in the water pan with brisket above and walked to the convenience store to buy a newspaper. On my way home, I noticed an orange glow lighting up the sky at my house. I returned to a fireball raging in the cooker, as the entire brisket had lit up. Thank goodness I didn’t have the cooker under an eave! I got the fire put out and thought the brisket was trash, as it was burned to a crisp on the outside. I put it in the oven to finish the cook and it turned out fantastic! Seems the sear was a good thing, but I’ve never tried to replicate that technique.

[Henry B 3]

On 6/17/2021 at 8:50 AM, jark87 said:

orange glow lighting up the sky at my house

This is absolutely scary.  Make sure you burp your Kamado, if you don't, its instant hair loss time.  It took me a couple of times to learn that lesson as I am originally from Louisana.

As far as briskets go, done 6 since May with and without slow roller. I liked them all with the exception of the last one and I am leaning to it was just a roll of the dice concerning meat quality I purchased at the Lantana Kroger.  Cooked up some fantastic Dino ribs over Fathers day from Old Time Meat Market. Grateful they moved so much closer.

Had that large BGE for over a decade and I could cook blindfolded, but this KJ is a bit bigger and I am confident I will get it.  Need to acquire more experience with it.

Glad North Texas is represented here.

 

[CentralTexBBQ]

All things being equal, temp basically has no effect other than time and possibly bark formation. 

[A.O.]

On 6/22/2021 at 9:52 AM, CentralTexBBQ said:

All things being equal, temp basically has no effect other than time and possibly bark formation. 

The only one (maybe) complaint I have with the hot quick cook was the bottom wat a little hard in a couple spots.. but not a big deal..

[CentralTexBBQ]

yeah, you have to make adjustments imo to do that on a kamado. Especially, if you temps are going into the 300+ range. When the kamado reaches 300+ there not only is a ton of heat but possibly fire coming around the deflectors and the higher the temps climb, the greater the possibility of the brisket grease catching fire. Anyway, under normal circumstances, I would rotate and flip the brisket if doing an entire cook that way. Using an extension rack is a great idea also

[A.O.]

11 minutes ago, CentralTexBBQ said:

yeah, you have to make adjustments imo to do that on a kamado. Especially, if you temps are going into the 300+ range. When the kamado reaches 300+ there not only is a ton of heat but possibly fire coming around the deflectors and the higher the temps climb, the greater the possibility of the brisket grease catching fire. Anyway, under normal circumstances, I would rotate and flip the brisket if doing an entire cook that way. Using an extension rack is a great idea also

I did it like that accidently due to a faulty dome thermometer..