Reheating a smoked brisket?

[panfisher]

I plan on smoking a brisket on Saturday to eat on Sunday. What's the best way to heat it back up? Also, we plan on slicing it for Sammie's, what temp to do I bring it to for slicing? Thanks in advance its my first attempt at a brisket!

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Temp for slicing depends on the individual piece...some take a bit higher temp to reach a tender state, but a good baseline is 175-185* for the flat (center-cut), and 180-185* for the point (if smoking a whole packer brisket). Before you pull it out to foil/towel-wrap and rest, be sure to probe around a little to feel the texture...if little resistance is felt, it should be tender, but you have to probe through the muscle grain, not with it...grain runs with the length of the packer in the flat muscle and across the length in the point muscle. Brisket likes to cook low & slow...225-240*...at least that's where I get the best results. Rest for at least 90 minutes before slicing...if insulated properly for resting, it should still be piping-hot after a couple hours. Keep any drippings you catch, including from the foil, defat and add to the sliced meat before chilling.

If intended for reheating, you can go to slightly less tenderness before resting to slice, and finish to your desired tenderness when reheated. I've always sliced before chilling as it cools and reheats more quickly than a slab of meat (for food safety reasons). Reheat to a minimum internal temp of 165* (higher for more tenderness) at no more than 250* in a covered roasting pan or baking dish with just a couple dashes of added liquid if needed, for steam to keep it moist.

Eric

 

[bruno994]

Absolute, bar none, best way to reheat brisket is to drop the vac sealed bags of meat into boiling water for about 30 minutes or so.  This allows the meat to steam in it's own juices and is typically better than it was when I was freshly slicing.  If you don't have a vac sealer, just store it in Ziplock freezer bags, clip the top of the bag to the top of your pot of boiling water and allow the meat portion of the bag into the boiling water.  If your not planning on processing until your ready to eat, then just leave the brisket and it's natural juices in a foil pan and pop it in a 300 degree oven until the IT is 165, then it's ready to slice and eat. 

As far as slicing, I still cook to toothpick tenderness, not IT.  Once I get little to no resistance when probing the flat portion, I vent it for 10 minutes, then it goes into a cooler for a rest.  You can't pick up the slices without them breaking, but you can't beat the tenderness and melt in your mouth goodness of a properly cooked brisket.

 

[chef jimmyj]

If reheating Bagged Anything place a folded dishtowel in the bottom of the pot. A Bit of insurance from melting a bag not designed to be boiled in. Next the best liquid to place the meat in to reheat in the oven?....Au JUS! You may like this one...JJ

Smokey Au Jus

1- Lg Onion,

4-5 Carrots,

3-4 Ribs Celery

3-4 Peeled Cloves of Garlic

Toss them in a pan under the Beef, and let the whole deal Smoke for one hour,

THEN add 4-6 Cups Beef Broth,

2 Tbs Tomato Paste,

1/2tsp Dry Thyme (4-5 sprigs Fresh)

1-2 ea Bayleaf

Finish the Smoking process to the IT you want. 

While the Roast is resting, dump the pan juices veggies and all into a 2-3Qt Sauce pot and add 1Cup Red Wine, something you like to drink, and bring the Jus to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 20-30 minutes. Strain out the veggies and let the Jus rest a minute or so for the Fat to rise. Skim off the bulk of the fat then using strips of paper towel laid on top of the Jus then quickly removed, take off the last little bit of fat.

The purpose of Smoking the Vegetable for 1 hour before adding the Broth and Herbs is...The Smoked vegetables Roast in the Dry heat concentrating their Flavors and Sweetness giving the finished Jus a Richer, Deeper, Full Flavor.

Serve the sliced Beef Au Jus or thicken the Jus to make Gravy.

NOTE: If you are using this recipe with Brisket, additional Water will have to be added periodically to maintain the proper volume. Do not add more Broth as repeated addition and reduction will make the Au Jus too salty..

 

[wade]

It will freeze well too. If you have cooked much more than you need then consider freezing some. I slice mine and place it on food grade packaging boards before vac packing and freezing. To re-heat place in a pan of boiling water for a few minutes still in the vac-pac. 

It will not win any show prizes once reheated but is still tastes good - especially in sandwiches or when used to make burnt ends or BBQ beans.

 

[ski-freak]

I have had good luck reheating pre-sliced brisket in the microwave by laying a few slices at a time into tight fitting pyrex microwave-ware, and spraying the slices with an apple juice and bourbon spray. This keeps it very moist and flavorful. 

 

[smokinhusker]

I always make Chef Jimmy's Smoky Au Jus with brisket. I then just slowly heat the au jus in a skillet, place the brisket slices in there to heat them through. Always comes out perfect. I also freeze slices in the au jus in plastic containers, when frozen I pop it all out and vac seal then back into the freezer. 

 

[weinnmann]

You are going to find there are alot of different ways people cook brisket when it comes to IT. I personally have had my best luck by taking it to 195 and then starting the toothpick test in the flat, I dont care what the point is at because that is ussually cut into burnt ends and cook longer anyway. When doing the toothpick test remember to probe a few places to get accurate results, its hard to describe the feel of the toothpick but when you find that spot thats done and one that is done you will know what we are talking about. Some say it should feel like a toothpick through butter, but at what temp is the butter., a 90 degree day with no ac or 65 degrees with the AC on because the wife is having a hot flash?