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Brisket temps

OldNavy
OldNavy Posts: 2
edited January 2012 in EggHead Forum

I am new to the forum and am confussed about final temp on brisket. Beef is usually done at 140 for medium and 160 for well. I have seen many post that brisket should finish at about 190-205. However afew ( not many recommend 160 ) way the diffrence?

Comments

  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
    Beef can be done at those temps (steaks etc..).  But for brisket it is 190-205 temp for done.  Put on at 250 or so and let her go until temp.  Similar to pork, some parts are done at 145 or above, but for pulled pork needs to be at 195-205 for fibers to properly break down.  Good luck
  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273
    +1
    Cookin in Texas
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170

    Brisket is a whole different piece of the animal...the temps you have seen (190-205) are good guidance...the true test of doneness is the twisted fork tender deal.  That or the "slides in and out like butta'" for a probe feel.  Brisket is less forgiving than pork so once you get into the 190 range you have to pay attention to the "feel".  Here are some great reads about brisket-enjoy!

    http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/texas_brisket.html
    http://www.bubbatim.com/
    http://www.nakedwhiz.com/recipes.htm
    http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/03/brisket.html

    Always allow time to "wrap and pack"-HDAF and a couple of towels in a cooler.

     

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • I am new to the forum and am confussed about final temp on brisket. Beef is usually done at 140 for medium and 160 for well. I have seen many post that brisket should finish at about 190-205. However afew ( not many recommend 160 ) way the diffrence?

  • Thanks for all the good info. Will post results.
  • bdub60
    bdub60 Posts: 31

    Also a beginner and I happen to have my first brisket on the egg right now.

     

    It's a 12 pounder and I was estimating around 20 hours total cook time.  Got my dome on 250 since the beginning and after two hours my probe is reading 120 already...is that normal?  I know it sits in the plateau around 170 or so for a long time but just wanting to make sure it's not going too fast.

     

    Thanks in advance.

    Guns Up! Roll Tide!
  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942

     Got my dome on 250 since the beginning and after two hours my probe is reading 120 already...is that normal?  I know it sits in the plateau around 170 or so for a long time but just wanting to make sure it's not going too fast.

    You're good, it goes up fast and then takes forever.  160 something to 180 or so will be VERY slow.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • bdub60
    bdub60 Posts: 31

    Thank you Choke!  That's what I was thinking but I saw that temp going up quick and got a little jumpy.

    Got it pegged at 250 and it's chugging right along.  Smells great in my backyard right now!

    Guns Up! Roll Tide!
  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942
    Perfect.  You can do fork and probe tests in the 190's, but if your not sure, taking it to an internal of 195 is pretty safe.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    I have my first one on too. Had egg stabilized at 250 but temp is sneaking up around 300 and meat only been on 20 minutes. I thought it would drop a bit with cold meat. Normal? I have bottom vent barely open and daisy wheel open a sliver and can't seem to get it to drop back down. Does it just take a while to lower?
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170
    @ Chubbs-what you likely saw with the brief temperature rise was the effect of adding some air when you loaded the brisket.  If you were stable before then things should return to equilibrium and you should be go to go.  Remember, with low&slows dome temperature movement of +/- 25*F is not going to have a big impact.  Enjoy the end results.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
    It will take a while for the temp to lower once it rises, so give it a bit.  It is no problem for it to jump like that, just get it to 250 and it should stabilize.  I have a packer brisket on now since about 2AM (now 9:10) and it is already at 180 degrees based on Maverick - seems very quick, but will not check the meat until 190 and test a few spots.  If you really want to temp to lower quickly you could always raise the lid, but I don't recommend that, just close the vents a bit and the daisy wheal and it will come down.    
  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    Thanks. Yeah, I am not opening the lid until 190. I am going to spray it with apple juice then and will cook until 200 internal then wrap for cooler. I finally got it stabilized back at 250. I hope this thing finishes between 5-6pm so I can cook scalloped potatoes on egg. Wishful thinking. I am at 143 internal right now nearing 2 hours.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
    I think you will be fine, if at 4PM or so you think it won't just crank up the heat and maybe even wrap it, but if all looking good - which I think it will, just let her go and finish normal.  I am at 183 now, definitely will finish earlier than expected, but will give me sometime to figure out the best way to make burnt ends.  Anyone on here have a good method/recipe to make burnt ends?     
  • bdub60
    bdub60 Posts: 31
    Well, it's 9:25am and I'm sitting at 196 internal temp in the brisket. It went
    right through the 150-170 range fairly quickly IMO but then held at 180 or so from around
    1:00am-5:00am. My dome temp is around 240 right now and I'm going to just let it
    ride until it gets to 200 in the brisket or I get ready for lunch. I'll probably
    pull it off around 10:30 or so and let it sit wrapped in a cooler for a while.
    Looks great. Didn't take as long as I expected though. I was betting closer to 1
    1/2 hrs per pound and it went a little faster.  Is it a bad idea to let it sit at 195-200 for an hour or two?  Should I go ahead and pull it and wrap it?  Don't want to dry out.
    Guns Up! Roll Tide!
  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273
    You really can feel the change in the meat when you probe it with a thermometer.  
    Cookin in Texas