Temperature creep

tmas

I've been smoking a brisket all day. I've been aiming for 250 at the grate. All day the temperature has been creeping up. I've been countering it by closing the top and bottom vents. Right now I have both vents open a sliver and I'm at 261.

What can I do to stop the creep? If I had the vents set like this this morning it wouldn't have been over 200.

Thanks!!!

SickEyeDiaz

Had the exact same problem earlier so I'm in like Flynn for answers!

gdenby

Its a pretty common occurrence. The meat has warmed up, and the moisture in it is slowly reducing. The meat size has reduced, and the air flow around it has opened up. The Egg ceramics have absorbed lots of heat, and are re-radiating it. If your Eggs are out in the sun, like mine are, they are at least 25 degrees hotter now than in the early AM.

Just watch the meat temp, and don't let the surface dry out. If the surface dries, the surface starts burning while the inside cooking rate slows.

hapster

Don't sweat it... +\- 10 degrees won't do anything to your cook. If it helps, I started a 15lb packer at about 250 grid and have tweaked it up to about 325 on purpose

In fact, the grid is at 336 and the IT is at 167

tmas

Thanks.

I've got the grate temp down to 235 now, dome is 200. I was aiming for a 4pm pull time and eat at 5. It's 2:30 now. I'm at 192 and plan to pull at 194. Guess it will just sit in the cooler a little longer.

lousubcap

@tmas-With brisket, the finish-line indicator is when you can probe the thickest part of the flat with no resistance either direction.  That can occur anywhere from the low 190's to low 200's.  And the point will run 10-15*F hotter than the flat but no worries as it has such a heavy dose of fat. FWIW-

tmas

Thanks.

I've got the grate temp down to 235 now, dome is 200. I was aiming for a 4pm pull time and eat at 5. It's 2:30 now. I'm at 192 and plan to pull at 194. Guess it will just sit in the cooler a little longer.