How To Keep A Brisket Warm After Cooking
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Briskets are a staple food to prepare during the holidays. It is popular not just because it’s delicious, but also because it can accommodate large numbers of people. This is also why it requires a lot of time and effort. However, if your brisket loses all of its warmth and becomes dry, all of your efforts will go in vain.
You can keep a brisket warm by using a hot box, keeping the brisket inside the oven, or using a faux cambro. Using these methods, you can keep your brisket warm for approximately 5 hours.
Learning how to keep a brisket warm after cooking requires a lot of patience and attention. So, in this article, I have provided all the instructions as to how to keep your brisket warm after you have cooked it. I recommend reading all the way to the end so you don’t run into any obstacles to having a great brisket.
How Can You Keep A Brisket Warm After Cooking It?
When the brisket is warm, it means that the juiciness and tenderness of the meal are still intact from the time you cooked it. As mentioned, after cooking, you can keep your brisket warm in three ways.
Using a hot box
This procedure is mostly done by professionals in restaurants, but you can use a hot box too if you have the proper equipment. Firstly, you will require a hot box, also known as a holding box. You can find them at any cutting station near you.
Next, you need to remove the brisket from your smoker. Let it settle down to room temperature. After that, you will have to place the brisket in the hot box. Due to this, you can easily keep it warm for approximately 10 hours.
Keeping the brisket inside the oven
After taking your brisket out of the smoker, wrap it in foil paper. You need to make sure that it is covered tightly so that it can be properly insulated. The temperature in your oven should be between 150 °F to 170 °F for 60 minutes. Since the temperature is not always accurate, you can check it with your own thermometer for assurance.
Later, turn your oven off. Ensure that you do not open the door, even once. If not, the heat can pass out. This process can keep your brisket warm for a minimum of 4 hours.
In some cases, using an oven can cause your brisket to go dry. You can prevent this by wrapping it with pink butcher paper and then placing it over a pan.
Using a Faux Cambro
A Cambro is basically a container that is properly insulated. It helps to keep food hot or cold. If you do not have the actual equipment, do not worry. You can easily make it at home.
Before going to the container, you need to ensure that your brisket is covered with foil after you have taken it out of the smoker. Heavy layers of tin foil will keep it warm for longer periods of time. After that, cover the wrapped brisket with either a towel or a blanket.
For your container, you can use an ice chest or an ordinary cooler. Fill the container halfway with warm water. Allow the water to sit inside for half an hour. Then, drain the water out and let the cooler dry a bit. Keep the lid of the container closed so absolutely no heat escapes. Check the temperature with a thermometer to ensure that it does not fall below 140 °F.
Place a folded towel on the bottom of the container and then place your covered brisket over it. Place another towel over the brisket so it gets even more insulation. If you follow this procedure, you can keep the brisket warm for at least 5 hours.
Reheating a Brisket
Now that you know how to keep a brisket warm after you have cooked it, you might also wonder if you can retain its warmth after you have already sliced into it. Below are the instructions for properly reheating your brisket.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 220°F–250°F. The temperature depends on the accuracy of your oven. You can use a thermometer after preheating to be sure.
Step 2: Before putting it in the oven, make sure the brisket is bare and that you’ve removed the foil that was previously wrapped around it.
Step 3: Place your brisket over a sheet tray. If you want to, you can add two or three small pieces of butter to the brisket.
Step 4: Place the tray with the brisket inside the oven. Reheat it for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 225°F.
What To Do When A Brisket Goes Dry?
When trying to keep your brisket warm for a long time you can accidentally turn it dry. Sometimes, despite investing a lot of time and putting in your best efforts, a dry brisket might not be avoidable. But can you still do something with it?
Yet. There are still some measures that you can take to salvage it. While the following ideas might not fully retain the moisture of the brisket, they can still help you to escape a disappointing situation.
Sauce
Over medium heat, sauté 1 tablespoon of butter in a heavy saucepan. As soon as the butter takes on a golden shade, pour in 1.5 teaspoons of white green peppercorns, 4 cloves of garlic, 3 minced shallots, and 2 teaspoons of cracked black peppercorns. Sauté the mixture for 60 seconds.
Add 1 or 1.5 cups of beef broth or stock. Turn the heat a bit low and let the mixture simmer until the liquid has diminished to approximately 1 cup in measurement. Pour in 1.5 cups of heavy cream and 1/4th cup of brandy. Stir and let it simmer until it again gets reduced to a portion of 1 cup.
Take a glass measuring cup. Pour in 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice and cornstarch each. Mix it together well until it resembles a very thick sauce. Taste it and see if it is up to your standards. If not, add a little bit of salt. Pour it over your dry brisket and savor the new delicacy.
Transform it into something new
If you do not want to risk serving a dry brisket, you can simply transform it into a new dish. For example, a beef stew. You can start off by cutting the brisket into 1-inch cubes. Put it aside.
In a stockpot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and pour in sliced carrots, onions, and celery. Sauté those until the vegetables turn soft. Then add 2 tablespoons of flour. Pour in 2 cups of beef broth along with the chopped brisket. Reduce the heat and bring the mixture to a low boil. Cover the mixture with a lid and let it simmer for an hour until the beef turns fork-tender.
Afterward, pour in bits of potatoes and turnips. Simmer it for an additional 30 minutes. You need to season the mixture with salt and pepper. Then, you are ready to eat.
If you want you can also turn your dry brisket into a shepherd’s pie. You can simply follow the instructions for the beef stew above and leave out the potatoes. Take the stew dish and pour it into a pie pan. Add a layer of mashed potatoes and then scatter shredded cheese over it. Bake for 20–25 minutes at 350 degrees and you are good to go.
