One Hour into the first cook and Brisket on the LBGE...Help?

txav8r

Ok boys, time to tickle the keys and keep the noob from scorching his meat!  I have an 8.5 pound full packer from Costco.  I trimmed it per all the YouTube videos, seasoned with AmazingRibs beef rub complete with roasted Ancho peppers, since I couldn't find any in a jar.  I did rub it down good with yellow mustard to hold the rub.  I left it in the fridge overnight on a cookie sheet wrapped.  I pulled it out of the fridge about an hour prior to putting it on, while I was getting the brand spanking new egg going. 

I got in on the Rockwood group buy so that is the fuel, along with about 5 chunks of mesquite.  I used BGE fire starter in 3 spots and closed the egg with the daisy wheel vents open (not the whole cover open) and the lower damper all the way open.  It climbed to 300 pretty quick and I started throttling it back on both dampers.  I set the daisy at about 1/4 open and the lower damper at about 1/4" that I have read on here.  I helped it drop back down by placing the platesetter (foiled and legs up), a couple of drip pans (to get under the brisket as much as possible) on the platesetter, and the stainless grate in the egg.  I attached my Mavrick ET-732 on the mate and clipped the grill probe on the grate in front of the brisket but no closer to the edge of the egg or meat than about 2"...and the probe is clipped so it is about 1.5" above the actual grate.  I placed the brisket on the grate and inserted the meat probe into the point but almost at the intersection of the point and the flat. 

I have been jockeying a little on the grill temp.  I let it drop to 225F and it seemed to stablize there, but after 10-15 minutes, I noticed that the grill had dropped to about 223F, so I opened the lower damper.  A few more minutes and it had dropped to 221F, so I opened the daisy up to about 1/2 and the lower damper to about 1/2".  It took what seemed like longer than it was to start to climb again.  It certainly doesn't take much to change it and it seems pretty easy at this point to keep it around 225F.  Right now, at 1:24 into the cook, the grill is at 228F and the meat probe is up to 131F.  It sure seems to be climbing fast.  The dome temp is pretty close to the same as the grill temp, but as the grill climbs, the dome temp is proportionately higher than the grill temp.

I had read a number of recipes and was expecting to do 8 to 10 hours to get to an IT of 200, but two new posts suggest I may be way off as one of you cooked for over 12 hours!  I got up having not hardly slept (I must have been dreaming in green!), at 6:00am to get the egg going, and all said and done with meat cooking by around 7:30...noobs are slow!  I am managing to keep the temp in the 223-230F range, so how long do you guys think?  It is a small packer and the whole thing is on the egg.  I haven't had time to understand or consider burnt ends, so the whole thing gets cooked.  Any suggestions at this point?  I didn't intend to foil it and I didn't add any water to the drip pans.  I did foil the platesetter too (probably to anal and trying to be too clean).  I am hoping to finish by around 3:30 or 4:00, so I can then foil/towel/cooler for a few hours before dinner.  

I also intend to roast a butternut squash after the brisket comes off at about 375 for 45 minutes or so.  This egg thing is kinda fun!  But...here I sit in the study and I smell like smoke...and it is way too early to start considering any liquid libation other than coffee!  My biggest concern is time.  How many would recommend increasing the temp to keep the cook in the 8-9 hour range?  I know we will want to eat by at least 7pm, and I want to enough time F/T/C to let the fat render...what little fat was left on it.  I do need some advice about the silver skin too on the meat side, I tried to remove as much as possible, but that is one tedious operation and really tears them meat up IMO.  Anyway, I am hoping a few of you experts chime in and give me a little encouragement! 

robnybbq

Dont worry about the temp climbing fast - It will hit a stall and sit around 160-170 for a long time - sometimes 4 hours or so.  I find it hard to keep my egg stable below 250.    Let it cook to about 195 internal.  Once it gets there try probing the meat an if the probed goes in and out like warm butter (butta) then its done.  If not let it go another 1/2 hour and try again.

Its important to get the egg stable with the platesetter/pans before adding the meat for at least a 1/2 hour.  When adding the meat I noticed the temp drops but it will recover shortly.

txav8r

Any idea on my temps and length of time required?  I am wondering if my temp of 225-230 is hot enough to geterdone in 8 hours for an 8.5 pound brisket?

robnybbq

It might be done but might take longer.  I did a 12 lb brisket last weekend at ~250 and it took 14 hours.  You can probably bump your temp to 250-260 and be OK.  But if you are adjusting the Egg do a small change as it takes a little while to see the change.

Eggcelsior

Maybe, maybe not. I did a 12 lb packer overnight thinking it would take up to 18 hours. I put it on at 1100pm and it was 198 at 600am. Your temp ought to rise with the dampers that open but I would try to get it to 250-275 for consistency. It can be difficult holding a temp at 225 dome when you're just getting started on the egg. It sounds like you're doing well so far.

Ragtop99

Don't expect immediate temp responses when you increase the air flow.  It can take a while to see the needle move a lot.  The fire will respond to the extra air, but much of the extra heat is being absorbed by the platesetter.  After a while the platesetter will radiate more heat and temps will really start to climb. 

So long as you can you have a fire (easy if you see smoke), then don't panic.  Give any adjustment you make 20 minutes or so to see if it is having an effect. 

I agree with @robnybbq, that cooking at 250* is easier than try to maintain temps below 230*. 

txav8r

I am pretty amazed at how easy it is so far...fingers crossed for sure!  It is pretty stable at 230 for the last 15 minutes.  I am resisting adjusting, it is apparent to me, that you can "chase" it all day I think.  So if it is in a range, I am going with it.  Your thinking my dampers are too open?  Where should they be?  I am around 1/4" open on the bottom again, maybe just a tad more, and the daisy is about 1/4 open two...not a 1/4", but all slots about 1/4th open. 

txav8r

I forgot to ask...cutting the flat and what to do with the point section?  Any threads you can post to help with that?  Is it too late to do burnt ends after you cook the whole packer together?

TexanOfTheNorth

Not too late at all on the burnt ends. Typically, you separate the point from the flat when you pull everything off the egg. FTC the flat and prepare the point for burnt ends by cubing and adding sauce. Put it all in an aluminum pan covered with foil and back out on the egg.

You can also slice the point and eat that like the flat. It will generally not be as lean so it depends on individual taste as to whether you want to do that or not.

Ragtop99

txav8r said:

I am pretty amazed at how easy it is so far...fingers crossed for sure!  It is pretty stable at 230 for the last 15 minutes.  I am resisting adjusting, it is apparent to me, that you can "chase" it all day I think.  So if it is in a range, I am going with it.  Your thinking my dampers are too open?  Where should they be?  I am around 1/4" open on the bottom again, maybe just a tad more, and the daisy is about 1/4 open two...not a 1/4", but all slots about 1/4th open. 

Your dampers are in the range of settings I'd expect for 230*.  Each Egg can very a little, so no one can give you exact settings over the internet to nail a temp. 

Sounds like it is stable now, so relax and enjoy the cook.

JRWhitee

I put my probe in the flat, that is the part of the brisket that will dry out if over cooked. The Point has a lot of fat in it and could take longer too cook. I did a brisket yesterday and the flat was done about an hour before the point. 

henapple

I let it drop to 225F and it seemed to stablize there, but after 10-15 minutes, I noticed that the grill had dropped to about 223F, so I opened the lower damper.

I literally laughed out loud when I read this. The temp can fluctuate 30 degrees and it won't hurt. I'm not laughing at you just remember chasing temps like a cheetah on an antelope.. Too early for libations?... Good luck and keep us posted

txav8r

I really appreciate the coaching guys!  A little reassurance takes the edge off, since it is too early for liquid courage!  I can't believe I can set it and pretty much forget it for period of time however, this is a great way to cook!  The Mavrick really helps make this so much easier, not having to open the egg or run out to the deck to check on it.  I set a low and high temp alarm for the grill and a alarm temp of 195 on the meat probe.  If this comes out like I am hoping, this day will be the beginning of many!  And you guys on this forum have provided me and many others the background and support to take the plunge...I can't believe I am smoking something, I never have before!  I haven't even used charcoal in 30 years...except at the lake!  I do have to go out on the deck just to get a whiff every now and then, what a great smell out there!

Little Steven

henapple said:

I let it drop to 225F and it seemed to stablize there, but after 10-15 minutes, I noticed that the grill had dropped to about 223F, so I opened the lower damper. I literally laughed out loud when I read this. The temp can fluctuate 30 degrees and it won't hurt. I'm not laughing at you just remember chasing temps like a cheetah on an antelope.. Too early for libations?... Good luck and keep us posted

Never too early for libations

TexanOfTheNorth

Glad you're enjoying the ride @txav8r. Of course none of this means S**t if you don't post some pictures! 

hondabbq

When I started this EGG thing I took a lot of advice from the guys/gals on here. All of it good.

I don't have anyone in my area that I know that has a vast knowledge to learn off of first hand.
The EGG isn't a big thing out here. (YET). So a lot of my reading was with a lot of testing.

One thing I did find is that (and I may be wrong) but I believe that climate has a lot to do with the function of the egg and the varying degrees of the "dampers" being open or closed.

I read a post where a guy never used his DMFT, even for low an slows. I tried it and I could not get it below 305. I have tried other variations of egg setups here as well, some worked some didn't even come close to the same results. Wind speeds will make a difference on how much you have your dampers open as well.

I have personally found that the information on here is great and informative, but you still have to test, try and learn, the guidance here is undeniably effective, but there is some trial and tribulations to go with it. Not every setting or setup works for everyone.

txav8r

Well "> , I committed the cardinal sin right off the bat.  I failed to take any pre cook and prep pics.  I do have the following few, but they look like everyone elses!  I will post pics of the first open opportunity too but here is what I have so far!

michigan_jason

I would have burned it a few times before throwing a brisket on, but whatever. Also remember each piece of meat is different and no 2 will cook the same. One more thing, as others have said, get your egg stabilized with all the instruments in it before starting the cook (platesetter, rig, etc.)

txav8r

 

michigan_jason said:

I would have burned it a few times before throwing a brisket on, but whatever. Also remember each piece of meat is different and no 2 will cook the same. One more thing, as others have said, get your egg stabilized with all the instruments in it before starting the cook (platesetter, rig, etc.)

I think I understand the need to have an accurate and stable temp prior to starting, but aren't you going to destablize when opening to put the meat on too?  It took longer to put in the meat prob than I expected, but the grid temp was already showing 250 when I put the the meat on the grid so my open time may have helped all of the equipment get to temp by the time I put it on.  But I appreciate the varied takes on it, because I am learning.  But I wasn't going to burn up good charcoal and watch an empty egg all day!  The majority said "cook", so I am cooking!  I dont' know if it matters, but I did foil the PS.  I did open the dampers a little more about an hour ago, and it is stable at 237.  I don't want to chase it, so I will inch it up every hour and try to hold 250 or a little more.  Did I mention, after my initial panic, I'm liking it!

txav8r

One more consideration, do you guys think grid temp vs dome temp is maybe a little different on what you all have mentioned?  I just noticed, that my grid is 237 and the dome is 250.  And the meat is now at 153.  So this cook may be going pretty quick.  How long does the "stall" last?  I am at 4:18 cook time right now.  I just opened the lower damper a tad more and may be close to 1/2" now. 

TexanOfTheNorth

Don't worry about the difference between your dome and grid temps; it's really not that big of a deal.

The stall typically hits around IT of 170*. it's hard to say how long you've got until you get there or how long it will take. My guess is that you won't be ready for FTC by your 3:30-4:00 target. You can try bumping your grid temp up closer to the 270* range or you might consider wrapping (search for Texas Crutch) to help move things along a little quicker.

Little Steven

Is it still too early for libations?

lousubcap

Does the BGE function without libations?? >-  That may be the underlying factor in this cook.  Gotta admit that I believe low&slow cooks are best done with an "analog" mind-set, and the "digital" approach left more to the hot&fast/thermopen cooks.  But just an opinion and we all know what those are worth...

GATraveller

Dome temp will be a bit hotter than grid.  That's normal.

Tailwind

Let us know how it comes out.  I haven't had success with Brisket yet but then again I've only tried it once.  What are you flying by the way?

sumoconnell

IMO: It's OK to have libations any time there is smoke rising from the egg.  

Then you post to the booze thread... then you take a boozy-snoozy and your brisky is ready when you wake up.

Griffin

I hope your first brisket is a huge success. Here's a few tips

1. Stabilize your Egg before throwing the brisket on. I usually light mine. Toss in the plate setter (or AR or whatever) and then bring it up to 250 grate level. When you go to throw on the brisket, the temperature will drop, but it will gradually come back in time. No need to adjust. If you try and adjust, you'll overshoot and then you'll have to adjust again and you'll be chasing temps all day long. No bueno.

2. At a minimum, shoot for 250 grate level. I don't know where the mythical number of 225 came from, but all it is going to do is make the brisket take longer to cook. I've done 225 and 250 (and 260 and even 275s) and there is not difference in one done at 225 and 250 except how long it takes to cook.

3. Don't rush the stall. Keep the temp steady. You just have to wait it out. No way to predict how long it will take. Every brisket is different. And don't be freaked out if you hit a second stall. It can happen, usually if the first one comes at a low temp. Personally, I don't even look at the temps anymore till the home strech.

4. If you are monitoring the temp at the grate level, stick with that. Don't even look at the dome temp. They will never be the same and you can drive yourself crazy over it. Pick one and stick with it, I suggest grate temp on low and slows.

5. Damper settings will vary from Egg to Egg and weather conditions. You can use them as loose guide, but you will have to adjust and learn on your own.

****...just looked at the time. Time to clock out. If I think of anything to add, I'll post it up later, but good luck. Time to hit the liquor store on the way home. hvae a great weekend.

txav8r

I really appreciate the thoughts and tips!  She is creeping right along.  I had to run an errand and had opened the damper just a tad.  Got up to 275 for about 30 minutes and been working for 30 min to bring it back down...so popped a nice black lager open to help!  @tailwind...I fly CA on the B-737-800 domestic now.

Little Steven

Bear in mind that it takes a long while to come down in temp cause the ceramic has to cool. Don't worry a lot abut the temp being precise. Won't make a lot of difference through the length of the cook.

txav8r

9 hours and 46 minutes into the cook.  Other than when it got to 270 for about 45 minutes I guess, it spent the first 3 hours at 230, and the time since I raised it at 250-255 on the nose pretty much.  It wont' take credit for it...I will give that to BGE for making such a stable cooker, and to you guys for the guidance. 

At 9:46, I am at 187 IT and enjoying a La Crema Pinot Noir, the sour cream and dill potato salad has been chilling for about 3 hours, and the butter nut squash is halved and ready to go on the egg as soon as i pull the brisket and raise the temp to 375-400F...45 minutes later, the squash will be done and ready to eat.  EXCEPTION may be that I don't get but 45 to 60 min of F/T/C.  I should have started earlier.  But I feel capable now, if it is edible! ha ha 

)

txav8r

It is moving up pretty good now.  I am at 190 and I am wondering if I should check or just wait for 200 IT.  Again, the probe is almost in the short end of the point. About 1/3 distance from the point end to the flat end.  I am guessing that 190/195 there would be 200 at the flat?  What do the eggsperts say?