Best way to reheat brisket

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figjam

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Nov 13, 2007
214
13
St Louis (area)
So, a friend has asked me to make brisket for her wedding reception.  There is the possibility that I might cook it overnight the Friday before the wedding and just hold it in a cooler, wrapped in foil and towels.  Then, slice it after the wedding.  This would likely give me the best version.

However, there might not be time to do this.  So, if I were to cook it the weekend before, I have a few questions I'd like to pick the brains of the group about.  I would vacuum seal it after cooking it.  I have chafing dishes for serving.

1)  Better to seal it whole or sliced?

2)  Best way to reheat it?

3)  Any liquid to put in either when freezing or when reheating or when putting in the chafing dishes.

4)  Anything else I might not be thinking of?
 
Well, we decided to not cook them a week ahead of time.  Instead, going to cook them the night before (or overnight into Saturday).  How long can I hold a brisket in a cooler after wrapping with foil and towels?
 
The brisket will stay hot in the cooler for 5 or 6 hours.

Lately, instead of using a cooler I just use the oven set at 170 degrees.

Wrap in foil the same way & just put it in the oven.

It will stay hot indefinitely.

Al
 
I have done 5 hours wrapped in a cooler also, not by choice but it was still very hot when I pulled it out and excellent.  It was almost too tender to slice much though, it pulled apart easily.

Good luck to you.
 
 
The brisket will stay hot in the cooler for 5 or 6 hours.

Lately, instead of using a cooler I just use the oven set at 170 degrees.

Wrap in foil the same way & just put it in the oven.

It will stay hot indefinitely.

Al
And it won't dry out in the oven?  I might go this route.
 
 
 
The brisket will stay hot in the cooler for 5 or 6 hours.

Lately, instead of using a cooler I just use the oven set at 170 degrees.

Wrap in foil the same way & just put it in the oven.

It will stay hot indefinitely.

Al
And it won't dry out in the oven?  I might go this route.
Will do.  Thanks for the suggestion.  Makes me feel better about an overnight cook without really knowing when it will finish.

For the
 
 
And it won't dry out in the oven?  I might go this route.
No it won't dry out at all, just make sure there is some juice in the foil with the brisket.

Al
Will do.  Thanks for the suggestion.  Makes me feel better about an overnight cook without really knowing when it will finish.

For the juice.  Thinking about putting a drip pan filled with beef broth underneath and not only catch the drippings, but get some smoke flavor in there as well.  Thoughts on this?
 
I have finished my brisket at 5am, put it directly in the warming drawer, still wrapped in the butcher paper, in my oven which runs at 150deg and held it there till 5pm... it came out of there perfect temp and extremely moist... would never change this method for holding briskets
 
I have finished my brisket at 5am, put it directly in the warming drawer, still wrapped in the butcher paper, in my oven which runs at 150deg and held it there till 5pm... it came out of there perfect temp and extremely moist... would never change this method for holding briskets
This is good to know for the future.

As it turned out, I started at 10pm and finished around noon Sat morning.  The reception was at 330, so I simply put it in the cooler wrapped in foil and towels.

I did end up doing what I asked about above ... put some beef broth in a tin along with some of the rub and put it under the briskets.  I poured it over the briskets just before serving.  Very good.
 
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