Brisket Question

Tettletime

Hi Everyone!

Let me preface my question by saying that I am an experienced brisket smoker. I've done dozens, maybe hundreds in my 10+ years of cooking bbq, but only since March on my LBGE. My last 3 cooks have been different, however, and I'm just wondering if the way the Egg smokes is a contributing factor. Basically, my briskets are done way too quickly. My last one on Saturday for example was a 16 lb packer that took less than 8 hours. The 2 cooks before that had similar results. My first few brisket cooks on the Egg were not like this, they were closer to the 1hr/lb time frame. I cook at 250 dome temp, as that seems to be the sweet spot for my Egg. I haven't changed anything: my supplier, lump, and wood chunks are all the same. Now I'm not complaining, as my cooks have all turned out fantastic, but it's just a little strange. When you've cooked as many briskets as I have, you can usually anticipate some things, and timing is one of them. So when you anticipate 12 -14 hours but it only takes 8, it's a curveball. Anyone have any thoughts?

TexanOfTheNorth

I had a 12.5* cook in about 8 hrs. yesterday; it was probably "done" before that as it was a little dry. I was running with a steady dome temp of about 270*. I'm going to check my dome thermo to make sure it is properly calibrated; otherwise, I really have no idea why mine cooked in less than 40min/lb.

MelSharples

Like @TexanOfTheNorth if you haven't already done so check the thermo calibration. You might be going turbo without noticing. Seems like a long shot but you never know.

dougcrann

First brisket I done wad a 16.5, prior to trimming,  packer. I listened to the 1.5 hours@pound crew and put it on the XL at 9:40 p.m. The Guru wad set at 225*. Woke up at 6, went outside and stuck the probe in the meat, 188*. Wasn't probe tender.  Short while later it was..and I had a piece of shoe leather. 

Ladeback69

dougcrann said:

First brisket I done wad a 16.5, prior to trimming,  packer. I listened to the 1.5 hours@pound crew and put it on the XL at 9:40 p.m. The Guru wad set at 225*. Woke up at 6, went outside and stuck the probe in the meat, 188*. Wasn't probe tender.  Short while later it was..and I had a piece of shoe leather. 

I've never seen one that looked that before when done.  Did you wrap it?  As for being tough, did you cut with the grain or against it.  You want to cut against the grain.  Was the Guru still at 225 in the morning?

@TettleTime, I would check your dome gauge.  I always use a dual probe with one in the meat and one on the grate so I now what that temp is at all times.