Brisket temp drop

eggheadbrown

Hey guys
i did a 12 lb brisket over the weekend. A couple of quick questions. 225 for about 18 hrs

1. I put in a combination of dry and soaked chunks. Waited until it was smoking pretty good before putting brisket on. Straight from fridge. Didn’t see any smoke rings on finished cook. Any suggestions? Should I have done something different?

2. Cook started at 9 pm. Brisket was at 178 ish around 8 am. Climbed to 190 by 12 ish then started losing temp down to 182. I started spraying with liquid around this time. At 2 pm I decided to wrap as temp wasn’t going up, reached 201 around 4 pm. Is this normal? Turned out okay but the area not under fat cap was dry.

thAnks
steve

onpoint456

I haven't had a drop that dramatically. I did one this weekend and at one point it dropped from 175 to 170 for about 1.5 hours.

bgebrent

It’s all normal as Frank (@lousubcap) would tell you.  Each brisket cook is a little different.
Things I’d do differently:  I’d run 250-300 to speed things up.  I’d not waste time spritzing, unnecessary in a Kamado.  How much smoke wood did you use (and no need to soak them)?

The stall can lower your IT, especially at 225.  Too low and slow will dry meat.  Try 275, 4-5 chunks of dry smoke wood and a prime brisket.  Whether or not you wrap is questionable.  I think sometimes it helps preserve the bottom of the flat from drying out.  Jury ‘s out for me.

your brisket still looks pretty dang good.  FWIW.

bgebrent

And smoke rings are for show in any event.

lousubcap

@eggheadbrown @bgebrent has it with the BGE and moisture and the cook temp.  Your BGE likely has a sweet spot somewhere in the 240-280*F range.  Let it run there.  At the higher end of that range you can plan (key word) on around an hour/lb to get to the finish line.  Finish-line as defined by the probes like buttah feel in the thickest part of the flat. 

I will shoot you a PM with some info that you can digest. 

That is a great result right there-we are our own harshest critics. 

The info I will send does not address the ring.  Sometimes I get it and sometimes I don't.  Even with laying the smoke wood to it.

Always remember, "The friggin cow drives the cook."

bgebrent

Frank brought me along with great tips on brisket.  His pm will be full of some pearls.

eggheadbrown

Thank you both!

RRog17

lousubcap said:

@eggheadbrown @bgebrent has it with the BGE and moisture and the cook temp.  Your BGE likely has a sweet spot somewhere in the 240-280*F range.  Let it run there.  At the higher end of that range you can plan (key word) on around an hour/lb to get to the finish line.  Finish-line as defined by the probes like buttah feel in the thickest part of the flat. 

I will shoot you a PM with some info that you can digest. 

That is a great result right there-we are our own harshest critics. 

The info I will send does not address the ring.  Sometimes I get it and sometimes I don't.  Even with laying the smoke wood to it.

Always remember, "The friggin cow drives the cook."

I would love a PM with info, also, if you don’t mind. My brisket cooks have been all over the place. 

lousubcap

@RRog17 -  PM sent.

RRog17

lousubcap said:

@RRog17 -  PM sent.

Much appreciated!!!

eggheadbrown

When you guys give Temps- I assume they are generally at the dome? Thanks Steve 

bgebrent

eggheadbrown said:

When you guys give Temps- I assume they are generally at the dome? Thanks Steve 

Yes, dome temps.

buzd504

If it was dry and you only took it to 201, it might not have been ready yet.  I'm sure @lousubcap 's PM explained the jiggle.

SPRIGS

Looks dang good to me.  I have had temps fall like that before.  As has been said - the meat drives the cook.  As for the smoke ring or lack thereof - I generally don't get very noticeable rings when cooking on the Egg.  Not sure why but I don't.  The smoke flavor is still always there but no ring.  Used to bother me, doesn't anymore.  If the lack of a ring really bothers you, you can always enhance it a bit by lightly sprinkling some Morton's Tender Quick on the meat before applying your rub.    You will get a ring for sure!