6 # brisket flat questions (time and temp)

[Murphy's Law]

A full brisket is just too much for my small family so I picked up a 6# flat at COSTCO for the weekend. As much as I have cooked on this Traeger I have never done a brisket of any kind! What would be the best way to cook this thing? I am thinking 225 but would 180 be a little better and the bump temp late in the cook?

About how long do you think it will take to cook this thing?

I am still undecided on the rub but I will use wagyu tallow when I go to wrap!

 

[TheGrumpyGriller]

A full brisket is just too much for my small family so I picked up a 6# flat at COSTCO for the weekend. As much as I have cooked on this Traeger I have never done a brisket of any kind! What would be the best way to cook this thing? I am thinking 225 but would 180 be a little better and the bump temp late in the cook?

About how long do you think it will take to cook this thing?

I am still undecided on the rub but I will use wagyu tallow when I go to wrap!

It all depends on how much bark you like as well as how much time you have. Doing a smaller piece will take a bit less time, but at 180-225 (I like the lower part of the range), it'll take time. If you need it earlier in the afternoon, you could throw it on overnight at 180 and then bump to 200 or so depending how things are going. Treager's site recipe shows a 12-14# will take 9 hours @ 225, but I've found them to be way off much of the time. My complete guesstimate is that you are looking at 9-11 hours for the 6#, especially if you do the lower end of the range.

I also like to inject my briskets with Butcher's BBQ, but that's a personal preference.

 

[Murphy's Law]

I was thinking more of an early dinner so I'd like it to be done and resting early afternoon time frame, I suppose. Before bed may be a good idea.

And I gave up paying attention to the time on the Traeger site a long time ago! I swear those guys are cooking in a place where different physics are applied to their grill!!

 

[TheGrumpyGriller]

And I gave up paying attention to the time on the Traeger site a long time ago! I swear those guys are cooking in a place where different physics are applied to their grill!

ROFL - Soooo true.

And if it's done earlier than expected, wrapped up in foil and a towel in a cooler and it can rest for hours.

Good luck....now I need to get another brisket myself

 

[JamesB]

If it were me I’d cook it just like I do a 15 lb packer. Start the evening of the day before you want it done. Let is cook overnight at 180 ( can’t possibly get done or over cook at that temp). It may very well be ready to wrap when you get up. Could easily have it ready by afternoon.

 

[Walleye Hunter]

I've only done one and it was about 4 lbs. I did it at about 225, wrapped and moved to kitchen oven at 160, which was about 4 hours in and it was done in about 5 1/2 hrs all told. I have my own process for preparation but I was very happy with the outcome.

 

[Full Throttle]

I ditto putting them on the night before to start out low and slow. I have tried doing them early in the morning and they came out great but wasn't able to get the internal temperature up to where I wanted it before I had no choice but to pull it off in time for guests. Not mentioned here but I used the pink butcher's paper a couple of weeks ago and it was great. When I pull it from the grill leave it right in the butcher paper and then wrap that in aluminum foil before placing in the cooler. Its a little less messy that way. Good luck!

 

[John S.]

Low and slow is the right answer, look at Matt Pittman's Weekday Brisket Video this will get you started, forget about time, it is all about temperature...

 

[REDOC]

I am with yea. Just cut off the point was going to do burn ends. Lil Big Mo's brisket rub and I sprizt some and wrapped in butcher paper at the stall. I was at 225 for total of maybe 6 hour cook with one hour rest. But came out like leather. Did not add anything to the wrap which maybe was my problem.

 

[JamesB]

I am with yea. Just cut off the point was going to do burn ends. Lil Big Mo's brisket rub and I sprizt some and wrapped in butcher paper at the stall. I was at 225 for total of maybe 6 hour cook with one hour rest. But came out like leather. Did not add anything to the wrap which maybe was my problem.

No, the problem was that there is no way it was gonna be at 200 IT in just 6 hours at 225, and the collagen/connective tissue was not broken down. Undercooked brisket = “like leather”.

 

[Walleye Hunter]

No, the problem was that there is no way it was gonna be at 200 IT in just 6 hours at 225, and the collagen/connective tissue was not broken down. Undercooked brisket = “like leather”.

That's what I was expecting but why did mine come out awesome at 5 1/2 hrs?

 

[JamesB]

That's what I was expecting but why did mine come out awesome at 5 1/2 hrs?

No idea...what temp were you cooking at?
Flat, point, packer? What was the IT when you wrapped? Use foil or pink paper.
Even at 275, most briskets are gonna take around 10 hours.
My last brisket cook, 190 overnight then bumped to 225. Still took over 20 hours. RemE just did one yesterday (same temps), and it took 23 hours.
When cooking something to 200+ IT, 225 is gonna take a looong time. That’s only 25 degrees over desired IT.

 

[Walleye Hunter]

Point, flat, beats me, I don't know the difference. It was about 2" or so thick, weighed bout 4 lbs and I cooked it at 225. Wrapped it in foil with broth at 160 and cooked to 205, well...up to 209 as it rested. I had aged it in the refrigerator for a few days and injected it with broth before cooking.

 

[JamesB]

Point, flat, beats me, I don't know the difference. It was about 2" or so thick, weighed bout 4 lbs and I cooked it at 225. Wrapped it in foil with broth at 160 and cooked to 205, well...up to 209 as it rested. I had aged it in the refrigerator for a few days and injected it with broth before cooking.

It could be that your pit is running hotter than the set temp. My Timberline sure does. I don’t go by what the temp readout is on the Traeger. If I set my TL 1300 on 225 I’m running close to 240 in the middle of the middle grate, and that is where I measure my pit temp instead of on just one side or the other, where the ambient probe is located.

 

[Walleye Hunter]

It could be that your pit is running hotter than the set temp. My Timberline sure does. I don’t go by what the temp readout is on the Traeger. If I set my TL 1300 on 225 I’m running close to 240 in the middle of the middle grate, and that is where I measure my pit temp instead of on just one side or the other, where the ambient probe is located.

Pit runs colder and I use a fireboard to monitor temps. I'm at a loss as to why it went the way it did. But fortunately, it turned out good.