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I must have done something wrong ...

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Michael B
Michael B Posts: 986
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
With all the recent posts about waking up to a cold or over heated Egg, I must have, but I canÕt figure out what it was.[p]My son is having a bunch of his friends over this afternoon and I agreed to cook the meat.[p]At 6:30 last evening I lit the large Egg after filling the fire box to abut 1.5 inches below the top of the fire ring with NATURAL, hardwood lump charcoal, burying 2 chunks of cherry and 2 lumps of oak in the lump. I then placed the plate setter, drip pan, and new SS grate in the Egg and closed the dome, lower damper full open and no cap.[p]6:45 I took the 13 pound packer brisket out of the refrigerator and put it on the counter to add an extra bit of rub and to let it start warming.[p]~6:50, at 210 degrees dome, closed the lower damper to 3/4 inch opening and added the daisy, half open holes.[p]7:55, after a couple damper adjustments the Egg and its components are well stabilized at 240 degrees dome. I poured 3 bottles of Samuel Adams Boston Ale in the drip pan, unnecessary I know, but it sure smells good, added the brisket and closed the dome at 8:00. Dome temp dropped to 200 degrees, but no adjustments were made.[p]Went to bed at 11:00 after noting the back yard smells really good and dome temp reads 220 degrees.[p]I woke up this morning and found the dome temp reading 250 degrees and the meat thermometer reading 164. Now, at 11:20, the dome temp still reads 250 and the meat temp reads 170.6.[p]No cold lump, no blazing inferno, plenty of wonderful smells, É
Ok guys, what went wrong?

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  • Unknown
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    Michael B,
    "what went wrong"[p]you didn't drink the ale!
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  • BYC
    BYC Posts: 358
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    Michael B,[p]Why do you think something went wrong?---let it cook![p]Next time drink the beer!!!

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  • EggEd
    EggEd Posts: 88
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    Michael B,
    Depending on local outdoor temps in your area and if the Egg was exposed to any wind my guess would be the lower draft door at even 1/2 inch open is wider than I am used to for lo and slo cooks. My bottom draft door is open about the width of 1-3 credit cards and the daisy wheel (which I typically leave in the same spot intil the last hours) has about 1/8 or so showing for each hole. [p]But overall I think you are in good shape. Depending on your target temp you are probably only a few hours away. Maybe a little fast as your grid temp was probably 210-220 but should be fine[p]I will qualify my comments in that I have only cooked a couple of briskets. they turned out well. More experienced eggers will hopefully chime in.[p]
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  • Bucky Buckshot
    Bucky Buckshot Posts: 100
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    Michael B,
    I also feel that nothing is wrong, your brisket is just in the plataeu and will come out soon and go to your desired temp. The only thing I would have done diferently is maybe bump ut the dome temp. to around 250. And yes you would have gotten more good out of the ale to have drank it. Bucky
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  • Michael B
    Michael B Posts: 986
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    EggEd,
    I referr you to:
    > 7:55, after a couple damper adjustments the Egg and its components
    > are well stabilized at 240 degrees dome. [p]No changes to the daisy. The lower damper ended up beion open just under 1/8 inch.
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  • jwirlwind
    jwirlwind Posts: 319
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    Michael B,
    I don't see anything wrong. I always do the brisket at 250 dome. I did a 12 pounder last week at 250 dome and while I played eighteen holes it was doing it's thing. When I got home the dome was still at 250 but the brisket was 210 internal. I thought that would be to high. When I let it rest for hour or so, the meat could not have been more tender. It was perfect. [p]Chef Jerry
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  • Unknown
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    Jwirlwind,
    By the way, it took only ten and a half hours done. [p]Chef Jerry
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  • Michael B
    Michael B Posts: 986
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    You all could be right. I suppose I could have used a lesser brew in the drip pan. Ah, but sitting out in the evening, the aroma of the brisket mixed with the steam from the Sam Adams, another Boston Ale (or so) in an iced mugÉ.
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  • Unknown
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    Jwirlwnd,[p]10.5 hours? That's quick.[p]16 hours and my 13 pounder is reading 176. No worries, dinner is at 7:00.[p]Well, maybe some worries. Dinner is for fifteen 18 - 19 year old boys who will have just spent the afternoon playing ultimate Frisbee all afternoon.

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  • mollyshark
    mollyshark Posts: 1,519
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    Michael B,[p]I guess I don't see the issue. It's just coming out of plateau. A 13 lb brisket will take about an hr/lb and then you can allow up to another half hr/lb without going panicky. Some will never reach 190, but 99% of them will. Stick a thermapen in a couple places and see if it registers the same or close everywhere. If you can stick a fork in it and it slides almost like butter, it's done regardless of the internal temp. Wrap it in foil, wrap that in a beach towel, and stick it in a cooler. You'll be fine.[p]mShark
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    Rick's Tropical Delight,
    ...three beers poured into a drip pan is "alcohol abuse"
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Unknown
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    stike,
    <LOL>
    Is there an appropriate intervention program for that?

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  • Unknown
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    mollyshark,
    I was being facetious. ItÕs been a while since I did a large brisket and was pleased that all was going well.
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  • Unknown
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    Michael Ballou,
    ha! i knew it![p]next time use a beer and two bottles of water though.
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    Michael Ballou,
    I thought that my time was quick. I was set in for the 14 o 16 hour cook. I guess each piece of meat is different and the plateau is different also. [p]Jerry
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  • locolongball
    locolongball Posts: 414
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    Michael B,[p]I know, I know! You didn't drink the beer! ;-) [p]Putting one on myself in a few hours. Happy Memorial weekend. [p]Happy Egging
    Loco
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  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
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    Michael B,
    I'm reminded of that old saying: "I thought I had made a mistake but I was mistaken."[p]You're looking for micro-management of the cooking process and that's not always possible, though no fault of the Egg. It's usually the fault of the critter being cooked or the critter cooking it. In this case none of the above applies. As everyone else has suggested, you're fine and I'm sure you will be delighted in the results.[p]Spring "I Nevre Make Misnakes" Chicken
    Spring Texas USA
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  • EggEd
    EggEd Posts: 88
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    Michael B,
    I see
    What I did not ask and should have was why the concern about a 10 degree increase in temp. That would seem like another testament of the Egg holding a pretty good. Hope it turned out well. Makes me want to do another brisket !
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  • Unknown
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    Spring Chicken,[p]No, I found the mistake.[p]14 teenagers, 35 minutes, and the 13-pound brisket is gone. I should have done 2 briskets, or at least hidden enough to make a sandwich for me.

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  • Unknown
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    EggEd,[p]Here's another testament:
    Started with lump filled to about 1.5 inches from the top of the fire ring, 22 hour cook at 250 degrees, and the firebox is still better than 3/4 full of unburned lump.
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