RT-1250 Where to place 12 pound brisket on RecTeq 1250?

[RattleR]

I think you’re missing a great opportunity here, @larry4406; you obviously need (a) a second pellet smoker or (b) a bigger pellet smoker. Now’s the time; strike while the iron is hot!

@larry4406, you are being empowered er ah enabled, I mean being provided a new insight

 

[TheRicker]

When I have smoked brisket on the RT1250, I use the upper rack, fat side up, and I have a water pan below. Not sure why I went this way but it works for me. Typically the briskets I have smoked are in the 10-13 lb range.

Have an event coming up where wife & daughter want me to smoke 2 and maybe 3 briskets.

Will 2 fit on the upper shelf? I am thinking it will be tight.

If I went to a 3rd, it would have to be on the bottom shelf. For the bottom shelf 3rd one, fat side up or down? I would have to push the water pan to one side so the drippings from one above would drip on the one below.

Maybe I just put 2 briskets on the upper shelf and put a pork butt on the lower shelf.

I’ve got to cook a brisket and two butts for July 4th. I need to figure out how I want to to organize them on the shelves because I also want to capture brisket drippings for “the wrap”.

Lots of good advice/responses from some good BBQers here.

 

[larry4406]

I think you’re missing a great opportunity here, @larry4406; you obviously need (a) a second pellet smoker or (b) a bigger pellet smoker. Now’s the time; strike while the iron is hot!

No equipment upgrade anytime soon!

Recteq RT1250, Wolf 36” gas grill with side burners, New Braunfels offset smoker, and a Weber Performer. Upgrade will be a covered grilling & smoking space.

Will go to Costco this week to shop for briskets 2&3.

 

[SmokeOCD]

No equipment upgrade anytime soon!

Recteq RT1250, Wolf 36” gas grill with side burners, New Braunfels offset smoker, and a Weber Performer. Upgrade will be a covered grilling & smoking space.

Will go to Costco this week to shop for briskets 2&3.

Only one of those allows you to sleep through an overnight cook.

 

[larry4406]

Only one of those allows you to sleep through an overnight cook.

Very true! One of the reasons I bought a pellet smoker.

 

[TheRicker]

No equipment upgrade anytime soon!

Recteq RT1250, Wolf 36” gas grill with side burners, New Braunfels offset smoker, and a Weber Performer. Upgrade will be a covered grilling & smoking space.

Will go to Costco this week to shop for briskets 2&3.

How long, in advance, do you buy your briskets? Do you freeze them? Or keep them refrigerated in the cryovac they came in?

 

[Pacman]

I did three 14 - 15 Lb briskets a few weeks back on my 1250. I did all of them on the lower rack. I did have to sort of shoehorn them in, but they did fit. I debated about pulling out the upper rack, but figured my cook would be more consistent if all of the meat was one the same rack. Not sure I would've had the headspace on the upper rack.

 

[larry4406]

How long, in advance, do you buy your briskets? Do you freeze them? Or keep them refrigerated in the cryovac they came in?

Straight from Costco and into the deep freezer. Pretty much standard fare with whatever I buy, especially yellow tag sale items.

One in the freezer not sure how long its been in there (3-4 months?). Just about 1 hour ago I threw 2 more from Costco into the deep freezer. Will defrost about 4 days before the event so I can rub them down and dry brine them in the fridge before smoking.

 

[larry4406]

I did three 14 - 15 Lb briskets a few weeks back on my 1250. I did all of them on the lower rack. I did have to sort of shoehorn them in, but they did fit. I debated about pulling out the upper rack, but figured my cook would be more consistent if all of the meat was one the same rack. Not sure I would've had the headspace on the upper rack.

Good info, thanks.

I now have 3 that are 13-14 pounds frozen whole. I am not a hard core trimmer, in fact several I have not trimmed at all.

I think I will do 2 on the upper rack, and one on the lower rack. Might sneak a pork butt in for the ride.

 

[RattleR]

So are you all placing you proteins such that they hang past the drip tray, allowing the drippings to got to the bottoms of the barrel rather that onto the drip tray? Also thereby subjecting the protein to higher temps in the gap between the tray and the barrel? I am just trying to see how this is working because the OP has an interesting question.

 

[Pacman]

So are you all placing you proteins such that they hang past the drip tray...

Well I tried not to, but I did have a little hanging over the edges (less than half an inch) and accumulated probably 2 - 3 tablespoons of grease in the bottom of the barrel when I was cleaning things up post cook. It didn't affect my cook or temperatures, but I did have a bigger mess than usual. As luck would have it, my grill is very slightly sloped to the right so the drippings all accumulated under the grease channel and away from the firebox. The protein placement is definitely something I will think about more carefully in future large cooks.

 

[Pete6737]

Hello All, I got a 1250 here. A few cooks ago I’d been toying with raising the protein higher off the bottom grill. Pcsrackworks looks promising. But in the meantime, I raised meat off the grill by using firebricks on the bottom rack and placing the top rack on top of the firebricks. It allows for a pan under the meat. Not as pretty, but it’s getting the job done. There’s a real difference getting the meat in the center as opposed to bottom and top of the grill which , to me, is a tad hot on each level given to us by Recteq. I’ve done spatchcock chicken, ribs and brisket this way in the last few weeks.l, with really great results, But I can’t find one pic of them on the grill with my elcheapo mod. I’ll be following this thread for reports back after the July 4th cooks a lot of us will be doing! Happy Summer BBQing! -Pete

 

[Pacman]

Just circling back. This is what three 14+ lb briskets look like in a 1250. It's cozy, but it worked.

 

[TheRicker]

Hello All, I got a 1250 here. A few cooks ago I’d been toying with raising the protein higher off the bottom grill. Pcsrackworks looks promising. But in the meantime, I raised meat off the grill by using firebricks on the bottom rack and placing the top rack on top of the firebricks. It allows for a pan under the meat. Not as pretty, but it’s getting the job done. There’s a real difference getting the meat in the center as opposed to bottom and top of the grill which , to me, is a tad hot on each level given to us by Recteq. I’ve done spatchcock chicken, ribs and brisket this way in the last few weeks.l, with really great results, But I can’t find one pic of them on the grill with my elcheapo mod. I’ll be following this thread for reports back after the July 4th cooks a lot of us will be doing! Happy Summer BBQing! -Pete

I did the PCS Rackworks mod earlier this year. I have the mod with 3 shelves on my RT-700…which I’ve been led to believe is a 700 with a second rack and front shelf standard (not options).

If you, or anyone, tries this, be aware that the height between the bottom rack and middle rack doesn’t allow a normal, full-sized aluminum pan to fit under the middle shelf. So I’ve taken the bottom shelf out and put the grates back in. That gives me the clearance to put a pan under the meat on the second shelf.

Here’s some pics…

 

[TheRicker]

I did the PCS Rackworks mod earlier this year. I have the mod with 3 shelves on my RT-700…which I’ve been led to believe is a 700 with a second rack and front shelf standard (not options).

If you, or anyone, tries this, be aware that the height between the bottom rack and middle rack doesn’t allow a normal, full-sized aluminum pan to fit under the middle shelf. So I’ve taken the bottom shelf out and put the grates back in. That gives me the clearance to put a pan under the meat on the second shelf.

Here’s some pics…

View attachment 22149

View attachment 22150

View attachment 22151

View attachment 22152

You can still see my original grates under the bottom PCS Rackworks shelf in this last picture. So all I’ve done is taken that bottom shelf out.

Just so happens, the bottom shelf fits perfectly as a replacement for the grates on my Grilla Grills Primate…with the (full-sized) griddle taken out.

 

[SmokeZilla]

I did the PCS Rackworks mod earlier this year. I have the mod with 3 shelves on my RT-700…which I’ve been led to believe is a 700 with a second rack and front shelf standard (not options).

If you, or anyone, tries this, be aware that the height between the bottom rack and middle rack doesn’t allow a normal, full-sized aluminum pan to fit under the middle shelf. So I’ve taken the bottom shelf out and put the grates back in. That gives me the clearance to put a pan under the meat on the second shelf.

Here’s some pics…

View attachment 22149

View attachment 22150

View attachment 22151

View attachment 22152

TheRicker, thanks for that post. That configuration has always been tempting for me but I purposely steered away from the multi-shelf options because on other cookers, the loss of height always came into play. As a cheap man’s alternate, I have RT’s large and a couple of their small racks that serve their purpose if/when I need to increase my capacity. Although not advertised, you can use RT’s racks in 2 positions (i.e., legs exteneded or stowed). When extended, pans fit comfortably below their shelf/shelves. The bonus feature is that they also fit comfortably on the top of half and full pans when capturing juices and renderings. If you are making a tray of smoked veggies infused with chicken, beef, or pork, drippings, they rule.

Edit: Cleaned up my happy hour typos.

 

[Pete6737]

I did the PCS Rackworks mod earlier this year. I have the mod with 3 shelves on my RT-700…which I’ve been led to believe is a 700 with a second rack and front shelf standard (not options).

If you, or anyone, tries this, be aware that the height between the bottom rack and middle rack doesn’t allow a normal, full-sized aluminum pan to fit under the middle shelf. So I’ve taken the bottom shelf out and put the grates back in. That gives me the clearance to put a pan under the meat on the second shelf.

Here’s some pics…

View attachment 22149

View attachment 22150

View attachment 22151

View attachment 22152

Good info! Today I fired up these chickens. From the pic you can see my makeshift rack lifter. Seems to work ok for me for the time being.

 

[Theodore]

Just circling back. This is what three 14+ lb briskets look like in a 1250. It's cozy, but it worked.View attachment 22123

To all 1250 and 700 owners. Made a modification to both smokers here is before and after pics.First pic is that after. So much easier to move.

 

[larry4406]

I did 3 briskets this past weekend on the RT1250.

Two on the upper rack and one on the bottom rack. Small water pan on left side of the bottom rack.

Fat side up and flats toward the stack.

Bottom brisket was first to finish, then the upper one closest to the stack. The upper one on the left side lagged the other two by 2 hours.

They were 11-14 lbs before trim. I'm no aero expert trimmer so just did a basic trim. Cut the mohawks off for chef snack.

 

[TheRicker]

Good info, thanks.

I now have 3 that are 13-14 pounds frozen whole. I am not a hard core trimmer, in fact several I have not trimmed at all.

I think I will do 2 on the upper rack, and one on the lower rack. Might sneak a pork butt in for the ride.

@larry4406 …Did you purchase “choice” or “prime” briskets? I’ve done both now. I felt like there was a ton of fat to trim with the prime. I may take your advice for at least one brisket cook and do very little or no trimming…especially if it’s “choice” and doesn’t come with all that extra hard fat that the prime came with.