Question for you guys that know this technique. Some time back, while smoking a couple of briskets, I decided to put one up whole in the freezer. Small one, 9 lbs, and vacuumed sealed it. Would this be a viable option to reheat it, and keep it moist? Should I add more moisture and repack it? Or just get some liquid around it wrap it in foil and toss it in a low heat oven.

I sous vide a bit. Never done a brisket reheat. If I did, put it in 125, 3-4 hours then put back in oven or smoker. Mop it, cook 400 30 minutes each side. Just my guess.

Don't add any liquid. You'll have plenty of meat juices once it comes up to temp. You can smoke it for an hour or two afterwards, but don't go too long on it or you'll end up drying it out.

I usually cook large briskets and break them down into 1.5-2 lb portions, vacuum seal them, and freeze. Super handy way to have brisket for a weeknight meal without much planning. I toss in the sous vide machine when I get home from work and it's ready by dinner time.

Great way to reheat it.

Vacuum seal mine twice in two different bags to make sure a pepper flake or something isn't in the seal (had a bad experience with a leaky bag). Then 140-145 degrees for 6-12 hours but you can go 24-48 hours if you are worried about tenderness. Open it up and it's ready to serve.

If you want a better presentation for a party take it out, wrap in butcher paper and put it on the pit at a very low temp a little bit before you bring it in to cut up.

I know it sounds too high of temp but it's not, fat will very slowly continue to render at 130-140.

Use it all the time. If it is sealed well you do not need anything else. Just drop in the water and let it go. I would make sure the temp is high enough to avoid any contamination concerns. I would think 130 would be a good reheat temp. When heated, seems like folks have given some thoughts on finish either on the smoker or oven for a short period.

Thanks for all the replies. Don't have a proper sous vide set-up, just a huge pot, so don't know how it would work. As I understand it, temp control is important. So, guess I'll just use the oven, and hope I don't dry it out.

So you ask everyone if sous vide will work, and then tell everyone you don't have the setup to do it? The hell??

Sous vide is (or at least used to be last time I looked) the method for heating recommended by Franklin's for preordered brisket, which they vac seal. It works great.

But you DO need the immersion circulator. Given how many are out there and how inexpensive they've gotten, get one. Useful for a lot more than just reheating brisket. For example, it's a great way to thaw meat and/or bring it to room temp before grilling.

Well since you don't have one I'll tell you I use a joule sous vide. Works great. Tons of options. I use silicon bags. Pain to clean but re usable. A brisket wouldn't fit in one. But you can use regular vacuum seal bags.

Sous vide is perfect for this. Did this just today on a brisket I smoked last weekend and I wanted to serve this afternoon. Froze it last Sunday then thawed it starting Thursday and into the sous vide this morning. Sat there until I was ready to slice.

bam02 said:

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Sous vide is perfect for this. Did this just today on a brisket I smoked last weekend and I wanted to serve this afternoon. Froze it last Sunday then thawed it starting Thursday and into the sous vide this morning. Sat there until I was ready to slice.

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Don't even need to thaw it first. It's great, because you don't have to plan ahead!

To be honest, just would read about it here,, and gather bits and pieces. didn't google the exact process till after I posted here, just yo see if it was feasible. Apologies if I offended your sensibilities.

JT06 said:

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Vacuum seal mine twice in two different bags to make sure a pepper flake or something isn't in the seal (had a bad experience with a leaky bag). Then 140-145 degrees for 6-12 hours but you can go 24-48 hours if you are worried about tenderness. Open it up and it's ready to serve.

If you want a better presentation for a party take it out, wrap in butcher paper and put it on the pit at a very low temp a little bit before you bring it in to cut up.

I know it sounds too high of temp but it's not, fat will very slowly continue to render at 130-140.

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Am I understanding right, you put in a raw brisket into the bags then into the water at 140 degrees. How does it ever get done, I generally cook brisket to 203 internal temp. Really interested. I'd love to be able to get a good brisket without staying up with the stick burner.

The method sous vide is for reheating a cooked meat. So cook like normal, freeze, reheat with this method

Jag you need to run down to Walmart and pick one up. Doubt theirs are expensive. If you like it you can upgrade.

the pit man said:

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JT06 said:

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Vacuum seal mine twice in two different bags to make sure a pepper flake or something isn't in the seal (had a bad experience with a leaky bag). Then 140-145 degrees for 6-12 hours but you can go 24-48 hours if you are worried about tenderness. Open it up and it's ready to serve.

If you want a better presentation for a party take it out, wrap in butcher paper and put it on the pit at a very low temp a little bit before you bring it in to cut up.

I know it sounds too high of temp but it's not, fat will very slowly continue to render at 130-140.

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Am I understanding right, you put in a raw brisket into the bags then into the water at 140 degrees. How does it ever get done, I generally cook brisket to 203 internal temp. Really interested. I'd love to be able to get a good brisket without staying up with the stick burner.

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I'm pretty sure he's referring to reheating, not starting with a raw brisket.

Probably the best brisket I ever made was one that I started and smoked to 130 or so, which supposedly is the point where the meat doesn't really absorb more smoke. This was a planned get together where the other family had to cancel, so I didn't really want to go through the whole process, just stuck it in the smoker while I made ribs.

Pulled the brisket, let it cool, and vac sealed it. Then finished it a couple of weekends later, in the sous vide for 24 hours at 140 or so. Used the meat juices from the bag to make a sauce that was incredible as well.

The collagen will break down over time, making the meat tender, even without getting it to 200+.. Just has to hold that temp longer. That's part of what makes sous vide interesting. You can cook tougher cuts to get them tender without having to cook them as long. You won't get a bark, though, so keep that in mind if it's an important part of your brisket experience.

Thanks Steve. Just went ahead and did it in the oven this time, as I didn't have time to go to Walmart and everything else. Fortunately, we have a little grocery called Scivallys in Gainesville with a butcher counter, and I've never got a bad piece of meat there. Best steaks, and they always pick out good briskets for me. So it came out well. Ruby giving Ranger fits?

No Ruby is holding her own. They play tug of war every morning with this dead sheepy doll. She actually harasses the cat which puts her on top of my list. I love seeing her giving that almost worthless cat he'll.

She might be a tad spoiled in the second pic.

For all got Ruby from Jags.

Just a tad! It's all good, have 2 sharing my lap right now.

I lived in a high rise a while back with no grill allowed. I did a 53 hour sous vide on a brisket. I had a tiny electric box smoker on my patio that I could hide to get some smoke on it for a few hours.

Wasn't bad, but of course it wasn't as good as on a smoker full time.

GeorgiAg said:

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I lived in a high rise a while back with no grill allowed. I did a 53 hour sous vide on a brisket. I had a tiny electric box smoker on my patio that I could hide to get some smoke on it for a few hours.

Wasn't bad, but of course it wasn't as good as on a smoker full time.

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I've done "cheater" briskets about a half dozen times. Trim and season just like normal. You can add a small amount of pink salt to the rub to get a cheater smoke ring. Into a 160 degree water bath in a cooler I modified for 24 hours. Take out and let dry for an hour. Cover with hardcore carnivore Black and on a 250 degree egg for 4 hours. Turns out pretty good without the hassle overnight. Fat in the area where point meets flat is about the only issue as it never seems to render as well as a traditional cook.