Problems smoking a small brisket

td66snrf · January 20

I think a group hug would be appropriate about now.

CeramicChef · January 20

I shoulda known! This group is just about as twisted as yours truly! Cen-Tex ... I'm keepin' my eye on you. What is it they say about Texans in some circles? Somethin' and steers and ... How does that go? :)) I guess that was decidedly politically incorrect. I'm gonna have to talk to the priest about that in confession.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · January 20

CeramicChef said:

I shoulda known! This group is just about as twisted as yours truly! Cen-Tex ... I'm keepin' my eye on you. What is it they say about Texans in some circles? Somethin' and steers and ... How does that go? :)) I guess that was decidedly politically incorrect. I'm gonna have to talk to the priest about that in confession.

I don't see any horns on you boy :))

Oilpony · January 20

I hate to break up the love fest, but I have the fire going. I just closed the dome and I am bring the temp down. The daisy wheel is on but the slits are open and the bottom vent is about one inch open.

gerhardk · January 20

Good luck hope the temperatures will what you anticipate. I am doing a chicken for mid afternoon lunch today and my settings will be almost exactly what you are proposing but I expect to maintain a 350º fire.

To maintain low and slow temps my bottom vent is about 1/4 inch and the daisy wheel probably half the slit covered. You have to establish a good fire before dialling those settings in otherwise there is a danger of the fire going out. I like to stabilize the temp without the platesetter and meat, when I am satisfied that I have it stabilized between 225º and 250º I add the platesetter and meat, the temperature will not recover for at least an hour but it also will not continue climbing past the target temperature.

Gerhard

Oilpony · January 20

I let the fire burn almost an hour, before dialing it back. It is now sitting around 285 and the meat is cooking. I'll check my temp ever so often

Oilpony · January 20

A little update, the meat has been cooking for about two hours. My dome temp is reading 305, has been for some time. It had jumped up to about 330 but I can not get it any lower than 305 without closing one of the vents completely. Any suggestions

gerhardk · January 20

Next time try something closer to what I suggested in my previous post, I would still go for those settings now but don't expect to bring temperature down for at least 1/2 hour. Even if you are tempted don't shut things further because killing the fire will give you more problems.

Gerhard

P.S. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour from the time of lighting the charcoal for me to stabilize the fire for low and slow and then when I add the meat it will take about an hour to come back up to the target temperature.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · January 20

Oilpony said:

A little update, the meat has been cooking for about two hours. My dome temp is reading 305, has been for some time. It had jumped up to about 330 but I can not get it any lower than 305 without closing one of the vents completely. Any suggestions

I fyou close the draft door to 1/4 inch and close the daisy until they are just slits, the temps will eventually fall. The ceramics are warm and that takes time to come down. 305 is not the end of the world. Mine is on at 290 right now. It has gone up to 311 and back down to 288. No biggie

Oilpony · January 20

Thanks

The Cen-Tex Smoker · January 20

If you are going to wrap, 300 is no issue at all. Just wait until it gets a nice crust and wrap it up. Not sure when you want to eat but that thing will fly through the stall once it's wrapped. You can cook them at 30-40 minutes a pound at 300 wrapped. You can hold it for 4-5 hours wrapped in towels in a cooler and I really prefer them after a long hold so get done early and FTC that bad boy until ready to eat.

gerhardk · January 20

One more thing keep the lid closed, every time you open the lid you give the fire more oxygen so it can come back hotter.

Gerhard

Oilpony · January 20

My thermometer reads 160 after 2.5 hours of cooking. The flat is 6.5 lbs. I have re ensured the thermometer probe and it still says 160. My cooking temp has been between 295 - 330. Does it it cook that quick?

Brownie · January 20

Oilpony Do you have a camera? we would love to see any progress made.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · January 20

Oilpony said:

My thermometer reads 160 after 2.5 hours of cooking. The flat is 6.5 lbs. I have re ensured the thermometer probe and it still says 160. My cooking temp has been between 295 - 330. Does it it cook that quick?

yes. It will stall out right around 160 (plus or minus) for a bit while all the juices flow out of the brisket. The temp stays the same or goes down a few degress through the evaporative cooling that occurs when the juices are squeezed out. I know that sounds weird but it's exactly what you want. If you don't wrap, this stall can last a few hours. If you do wrap, it powers through the stall quickly and will reduce your cooking time quite a bit.

Oilpony · January 20

CTS, should I wrap it in foil now or leave it as is?

Oilpony · January 20

I'm not real good at posting photos but here goes.

gerhardk · January 20

I use to foil but I have given that up for both brisket and pork shoulder but still foil ribs, but then I aim for lower temperatures as well.

Gerhard

Brownie · January 20

Looking great!

Oilpony · January 20

I had to go back and read the post from last night. I'm going to 165-170 then wrapping. It's on to 200 at that point Thanks, Brownie

R2Egg2Q · January 20

Based on that pic, I'd hold off a little longer on foiling to allow your bark to form up a little more. I would let it get a little darker before foiling it. Perhaps take a peek at an IT of 165-175 and wrap if it looks good. Looks like you have some point meat on that which is a bonus.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · January 20

i just wrapped mine at 178. nice dark and crusty bark. I normally don't wrap but we are going out for the afternoon and I wanted to have it in a cooler before we left. wrapping will power it through quickly. I bumped up the temp to 350 so it Should be done in 20-30 minutes and into the cooler for a long hold

Oilpony · January 20

Thanks

henapple · January 20

Oilpony said:
I'm not real good at posting photos but here goes.

I've often thought about using my egg like a front load washer/dryer but how do you get the brisket to stay on the grill?

Oilpony · January 20

henapple said:

I'm not real good at posting photos but here goes.
I've often thought about using my egg like a front load washer/dryer but how do you get the brisket to stay on the grill?

Magic

Brownie · January 20

henapple said:

I'm not real good at posting photos but here goes.
I've often thought about using my egg like a front load washer/dryer but how do you get the brisket to stay on the grill?

This guy's under serious pressure to get this brisket just right so lets give him a break shall we.... (meat glue?) ;) Nope, it's magic... My bad.

Oilpony · January 20

Man it is getting really hot in here!

The Cen-Tex Smoker · January 20

man, the jackals are at the door. Power through @oilpony!

Oilpony · January 20

When it comes time to wrapping the meat, how much should I wrap the brisket

The Cen-Tex Smoker · January 20

Oilpony said:

When it comes time to wrapping the meat, how much should I wrap the brisket

just wrap it until it's all covered up. I usually double wrap because the brisket is too big to wrap in one layer of foil (and I have the extra wide food service foil. Just make sure its all covered up and wrapped tight. Stay Golden Pony Boy :)

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