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Brisket Emergency!

McPhreak
McPhreak Posts: 42
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Sorry for making a new thread. This is a follow-up from my original post (http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=584364&catid=1), but this is a bit of an emergency.

I put my 16# brisket onto the grill at 10pm last night expecting about a 16 hour cook. I had the egg stabilized at 225 dome temp before putting the brisket on. For the next several hours, it dropped down and held stable at 200. At about 1am, I opened the vents a little bit and had it stabilized at 225. At 3am, I double checked that things were still at 225 and they were.

I got up at 8 this morning and temps had crept up to 275 dome. Not a problem I thought, until I stuck my thermometer into the meat...205!! :sick: I double checked my thermometer by sticking it in some boiling water. It read more or less at the right temp.

So now I've just got my brisket bundled up in foil and towels. The question I have is what now? Can it sit for all of 10 hours? Am I screwed?

Comments

  • bubba tim
    bubba tim Posts: 3,216
    did you cook it direct? Fat side up or down? 205? You may be screwed the rest in foil should help.
    SEE YOU IN FLORIDA, March 14th and 15th 2014 http://www.sunshinestateeggfest.com You must master temp, smoke, and time to achive moisture, taste, and texture! Visit www.bubbatim.com for BRISKET HELP
  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
    I think much more than 6 is a stretch. Any chance of eating brisket early?

    One thing you might try is keeping your thermometer in the meat so you an watch the temps as they slowly fall. I probably would not go more than 2 hours after you drop below 140.

    Your brisket will probably be really good, so enjoy it when it's time!
    Cheers!
    Chris
    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
  • bubba tim wrote:
    did you cook it direct? Fat side up or down? 205? You may be screwed the rest in foil should help.

    It was indirect w/ platesetter, fat side down. Didn't touch it once I put it in the egg.

    I still don't understand how it cooked so fast. I'm wondering now if my egg thermometer is WAYYY off.
  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
    Forgot to mention...the reason I thin it will be really good is that you pushed it through the plateau with the extra heat. So the collagen is probably not all broken down yet. But as long as your meat is over 140, the collagen is still breaking down....but being wrapped in foil it is not losing moisture as it would be if still on the cooker.

    So I think the brisket is fine. Now it's all about timing chow time!
    Good luck!
    Chris
    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
  • if you're not gonna serve it for 10 hours, i'd wrap it up good, stick it in the fridge (this will stop from cooking any more). ...then two hour prior to serving, i'd stick it in a warm oven (around 25o degrees), to warm it back up . ...oughta be fine ....
  • Maybe not. I would wrap it in towels and place it in an unlit oven or a cooler. You can help the cooler scenerio by pouring some hot water in it. You can also wrap some bricks in foil heat them up in your egg and put them on top of some towels in the cooler. I remember someone travelling with a butt that lasted 8 hours this way.

    Remember to keep your thermo plugged in and if the temp gets near 140 you can put it in the chill chest and reheat later.

    Keep it whole and slice at the last minute.
  • bubba tim
    bubba tim Posts: 3,216
    Max and NB are giving you some good advice. You must remember that dome and grate temps are not the same. I would advise to put your digital meat probe in the meat before putting in in the egg and leave it in until you serve it next time. You may also what to look into a pitminder like the GURU. Cooking a brisket is a journey. Enjoy the ride... :woohoo: :woohoo:
    SEE YOU IN FLORIDA, March 14th and 15th 2014 http://www.sunshinestateeggfest.com You must master temp, smoke, and time to achive moisture, taste, and texture! Visit www.bubbatim.com for BRISKET HELP
  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
    If you put enough heat to a brisket or butt you can push the meat temp up over 200 real quick, but that doesn't mean it cooked fast. You still have some cooking to do, and it's happening right now in your cooler.

    And yeah, definitely chack your dome thermometer, and consider getting an extra polder and monitoring your grate temps next time.

    Happy eating!
    Chris
    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
  • I'm leaning to a combination of what NB and Max suggested. Wrap it for three hours or so for further breakdown of the the collagen. Then get it cooled down in the fridge. Put it in the oven at 250 two hours before you serve. Bet it's a hit.
  • Check it out.

    McPhreak has an issue that needs immediate attention and the big boys (NB, mm, bt, and MiA) come out to play - nice work lads. :) Gotta luv this forum.
  • I appreciate the quick responses guys. You guys are like the EMTs of BBQ. I have it wrapped up and sitting in my oven.

    I had a wireless polder style probe (Weber) sitting in my brisket since the beginning, but for some reason when I went to check on it this morning, the receiver and transmitter would not couple. Fortunately, I have a backup polder style probe (Williams Sonoma). I think I'm going to get an ET-73 or something similar after this incident. I think I'm also going to replace my old dome thermometer as well. It's starting to look a little crusty.

    Thanks again for the help guys. Wish me luck.
  • mad max beyond eggdome wrote:
    if you're not gonna serve it for 10 hours, i'd wrap it up good, stick it in the fridge (this will stop from cooking any more). ...then two hour prior to serving, i'd stick it in a warm oven (around 25o degrees), to warm it back up . ...oughta be fine ....

    So I've got one guy saying to stick it in the fridge and recook and the other saying to let it keep cooking. Would it be ok to compromise and keep it wrapped in blankets until 2 hours prior to game time when I stick it back into the oven at 250?

    Also, if I decide to reheat in the oven, I want to keep the foil on, right?
  • JPF
    JPF Posts: 592
    Did you check out you dome thermometer? I have one that gets off, but the other two stay spot on.
    12508011.jpg
    12508014.jpg
  • JPF wrote:
    Did you check out you dome thermometer? I have one that gets off, but the other two stay spot on.

    Ok. Just got back from checking my dome thermometer. Stuck it in some boiling water....160 degrees. :lol: That means I was cooking the brisket at 275-300 this entire time. I guess I now know how the brisket managed to cook so fast.

    Oh well. I learned my lesson this time. I just recalibrated my thermometer so hopefully the next time will be more successful. :blush:
  • Thanks for posting this, I never considered my dome thermometer was wrong and couldn't figure out why I was consistently having the same problems you have had this moring.
  • to be clear, i'd keep all wrapped up in the same foil its in right now so its in all its natural juices... in fact wrap it up in even more foil so you don't lose any of it. . . like chris said, its all broken down already ... . then when you reheat it, it will be still cooking in those same righteious juices, which i'd still use to serve it in.. . .it will be delicious ...