There are several different ways to handle the cooking of one of these babies. My advice is to keep it simple and not get too fancy, at least when you’re first starting out.
One very, very key principal about cooking a great brisket is that at some point during the cook, the internal temperature is going to stop rising—this is called the “stall”, because that’s exactly what happens.
And, it’s going to be in this “stall” state for several hours, depending on how big it is and its internal makeup. During the “stall” the brisket is getting rid of its internal moisture by bringing it to the surface to evaporate. This evaporation keeps the temperature from rising—it’s like when you sweat and you skin feels cool.
During the stall, don’t raise the temperature of your Egg…just have a few more beers and relax. Many a brisket has been dried out this way.
One trick I use when it enters the stall, usually around 160º to 170º, is to wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil. This speeds up the stall because the evaporating moisture becomes warm and continues the heating process.
I then keep the foil on until the end of the cook when the internal temp reaches 203º. Just before I’m ready to serve it, I’ll put it back on the Egg unwrapped for 20-30 minutes just to get the “bark” (the outside of the brisket) a little crispy.
Here’s Aaron Franklin taking you through one of his cooks. His tips, for the most part, are universal and spot on.
Keep in mind that he’s not using a Big Green Egg, so you can forget about putting a container of water in your Egg, and do not keep opening the dome to spritz the meat.One of the beauties of owning a kamado-style cooker is its ability to retain moisture
But, do follow one of his tips—put the point (the thickest end of the brisket) so it’s facing the back of the Egg where the heat enters the dome.
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