Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Brisket help- is my fire out?

booksw
booksw Posts: 470
in Beef
I am in the middle of my brisket cook and I am so tempted to open the dome that I thought I would post this for advice instead to keep me away from the temptation...  I filled the firebox overfull last night with 90% new lump after making sure all the holes were clear.  My temp has not gotten past 240 (dome) since 10 PM.  At 6 AM I was at 220 with the daisy wheel 1/2 open and the bottom vent at 1/4 inch.  At 7 AM I was down to 180 so I opened the daisy wheel all the way. At 7:40 I was still at 180 so I opened the bottom vent all the way.  Now it's 8:20 and I am still at 180 (maybe a hair below).  The meat has been at 162 the whole time...

Should I open it, take the whole thing apart, and add more lump...? I have never had to do that before for an overnight cook but then again my gasket is pretty well fried and I noticed last night that there was smoke leaking out one side through the gasket...

Thanks!!
Charleston, SC

L/MiniMax Eggs
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • booksw
    booksw Posts: 470
    Now at 8:35 I am I think a hair above 180 dome so I open the bottom vent all the way (I thought it was all the way  before but it had a bit to go) and otherwise leave it alone.  I figure as long as it is 195 at the grate (which it probably is but my maverick grate probe always goes HHH when I try to set it up so I didn't bother this time), the meat will eventually get to 195...  I will resist the temptation (for now)
    Charleston, SC

    L/MiniMax Eggs
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • booksw
    booksw Posts: 470
    I still haven't opened it- but now smoke is billowing out. I am not sure if it is really a change from before or if the difference is the sun coming up and the light changing on my deck so now I can SEE the smoke... Where there is smoke there's fire so I am leaving it alone- all vents wide open and at about 190 dome. The meat has gone up one degree to 163! I've got all day :)
    Charleston, SC

    L/MiniMax Eggs
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • hartofatiger
    hartofatiger Posts: 204
    I think that if its smoking then leave it alone. I bet it shoots up to temp. Good luck!

    GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!!!!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • booksw
    booksw Posts: 470
    Thanks! I am glad to have this forum to turn to and distract myself from the temptation to peek... Now it is 220 and the meat may be out of its stall- 167! Now I am thinking about the three sauces I will serve with it. I am going to make the KC BBQ sauce from the BGE book to cook the cubed point in a foil pouch for "burnt ends", I have a BBQ restaurant down the road that makes a killer maionaise based brisket sauce that we will pick up, and then I have to come up with a third sauce for the savory tomato onion garlic fans in my extended family... Not sure about that one yet.
    Charleston, SC

    L/MiniMax Eggs
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • hartofatiger
    hartofatiger Posts: 204
    Sounds awesome!

    GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!!!!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    Nice patience...and cook.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Coastalcooker
    Coastalcooker Posts: 185
    Try a wiggle rod. If there is no blockage, with the top and bottom wide open the temperature should be over 700 in a few minutes, unless the lump is burned up.

    Bob
    Cookin' on the coast
    Shellman Bluff, GA
    Medium BGE

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories