Battles
If you could really cook a respectable brisket in 3 hours, why have so many of us endured predawn wake-up calls or overnight smoke sessions.
Well, the controversy reached Barbecue University recently, so we asked our Test Kitchen Director, Steve Nestor, to put it to the test.
Hot and Fast vs Low and Slow
In a nutshell, the hot and fast method calls for cooking a full packer brisket at 400 degrees instead of the traditional 250. The supposed secret is to rest the brisket in an insulated cooler for at least 2 hours to allow the meat to relax.
We used a Weber kettle grill set up for indirect grilling. (Most smokers don’t get that hot.) We fueled it with Fogo Quebracho charcoal and added my cherry chunks to generate wood smoke.
We seasoned the meat with my new Texas Brisket Rub and cooked it unwrapped to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Then we wrapped it in unlined butcher paper and continued cooking it to an internal temperature of 205 degrees. The total cooking time was just north of 4 hours.
I confess: I was dubious. The internal temperature may have been right, but the brisket sure didn’t feel right. It flunked the “bend” test (lift it under the center and watch the ends bend downward) It lacked the “jiggle” I associate with a properly cooked brisket.
We rested it in an insulated cooler for the prescribed 2 hours. Much to my surprise, the meat softened considerably during that time, and when we cut into it, we tasted not a top tier brisket, but a respectable second flight.
The Results
The flat was a bit tougher than a low and slow brisket, but it would be OK thinly sliced on a sandwichh.
The point was moist and succulent. You could see the white intramuscular fat (which in a low and slow cook would melt out), but the mouthfeel was luscious the way a brisket point should be.
Both parts had a well-defined smoke ring and pronounced smoke flavor.
Bottom line: You wouldn’t mistake a hot and fast brisket for meat smoked low and slow the traditional way. But if you’re crunched for time, the hurried up version is a lot better than no brisket at all.
Have you tried hot and fast? Let us know the results on Facebook or Reddit.
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