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[reubenray]

While looking at Sam's Club for my yearly brisket flat I bought a packer instead.  The packer was a little over 17 pounds and was $3.88 a pound.  The flat I was looking at a little under 10 pounds at  just under $7 a pound.  The cost was only a few dollars more for the larger packer.  After I got home I started estimating smoking time and I roughly figured 30 hours.  Being this is my first packer I am looking for hints on smoking it and how to shorten the smoking time.  I usually do this at 225, but I may bump the temperature up some.  I will be doing this for July 4th, but I will do it early and reheat it on the fourth.

[Bentley]

You can cook it at 300° and it will probably be done in under 10 hours!

[Brushpopper]

I got an email from ThermoWorks not long ago on how to cook a packer in 6 hours by separating the flat and point.  I haven't tried it yet but here's the link.  I found it interesting.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf4fiJDbMcs&ab_channel=ThermoWorks

[reubenray]

I got an email from ThermoWorks not long ago on how to cook a packer in 6 hours by separating the flat and point.  I haven't tried it yet but here's the link.  I found it interesting.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf4fiJDbMcs&ab_channel=ThermoWorks

Thanks for the link.  I don't mind a 15+- smoke, but a 24 or more smoke is rough on my old body.

[Brushpopper]

I got an email from ThermoWorks not long ago on how to cook a packer in 6 hours by separating the flat and point.  I haven't tried it yet but here's the link.  I found it interesting.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf4fiJDbMcs&ab_channel=ThermoWorks

I don't mind a 15+- smoke, but a 24 or more smoke is rough on my old body.

Copy that!

[hughver]

The method shown in the video is virtually the same as I've been doing for years, with minor exceptions. For one I remove almost all of the visible fat/silver skin from both the point and the flat. Another thing is that I do not wrap, I use sealed foil pans in the home oven. I do the initial smoke at 160° then incrementally increase to 225° until IT reaches ~160°. Another thing is that I do not season as heavily as shown, but I may have to rethink that. I also add a bit of beef broth to the pan in addition to the butter. I pull at approximately the same IT's then open, do a probe test and proceed as required. Sorry I did not intend to be so long winded.

[Bentley]

I have always said there is a lot of knowledge of BBQ and cooking on this site!

[reubenray]

Bentley - didn't you do a no trim brisket a while back?  I looked for the thread, but I could not find it.

[Bentley]

Yes, the last one I cooked, a little 10lber..  Very rarely will I trim before cooking anymore.  It is just as easy to do after the cook, and it does seem like flavoring while the meat is cooking.

[reubenray]

How long did it take?  My brisket is 17 pounds and it was the smallest one Sam's Club had.

[Brushpopper]

How long did it take?  My brisket is 17 pounds and it was the smallest one Sam's Club had.

What temp are you going to cook it at?  I do mine much like Hughver does and start at the lowest the pit will go for overnight and then after a good night's sleep I turn it up to 225° and go from there.  I wrap it in a foil pan with a little broth at the stall also because that's easier in my opinion.  I usually do an 8 to 10 lb one (give or take) and it takes 18 hours or so starting at 8 or 9 PM and finishing around 2 to 4 PM then let it rest in a huge Styrofoam ice chest until we eat supper.  I very seldom trim anything either other than the deckle fat.  You could cook it at a higher temp and get it done faster if you wanted to.  Especially after the wrap.

[Bentley]

I cooked it at 300° and it was done in 7 1/2 hours.

How long did it take?  My brisket is 17 pounds and it was the smallest one Sam's Club had.

[elenis]

I have been doing briskets a pretty handy way lately. One of the big issues I have usually is trying to guess when they will be done. I trim and season and slap them on my pit at 200F the evening before I want to eat it. When it hits 175F at some point the next day (usually 12-13 hours on a 18-22 pounder) I wrap in butcher paper and then depending on what time I want to eat I increase the pit from anywhere between 225 and 275 until it hits around 203F then I check to see if it is where I want it and take it off and rest it till time to eat. At 275 only takes 2-3 hours for it to cook. So I basically just make sure I have a full hopper the night before and check on it in the morning .

[Brushpopper]

I have been doing briskets a pretty handy way lately. One of the big issues I have usually is trying to guess when they will be done. I trim and season and slap them on my pit at 200F the evening before I want to eat it. When it hits 175F at some point the next day (usually 12-13 hours on a 18-22 pounder) I wrap in butcher paper and then depending on what time I want to eat I increase the pit from anywhere between 225 and 275 until it hits around 203F then I check to see if it is where I want it and take it off and rest it till time to eat. At 275 only takes 2-3 hours for it to cook. So I basically just make sure I have a full hopper the night before and check on it in the morning .

That's pretty much what I do too.  Seems to work well for me.

[reubenray]

For the people that has done a full packer is the flat overdone while getting the point done?

Right now I am planning on putting the packer on around 5 PM.  I will check on it and fill the 20lb hopper up around 9PM before bedtime.  I am normally an early riser, but from experience I am sure I will wake up even earlier to check on it.  I will set the temperature either at 180 or 200 for the night smoking.