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A complete and utter disaster

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Stoogie
Stoogie Posts: 173
in EggHead Forum
I put a 11 lb CAB choice brisket in my LBGE at 11:00 last night for dinner tonight. Following everyone's advice here, I had many adult beverages before putting it on, while putting it on and even afterwards! Well, I ended up falling asleep and woke up at 2:30 and went to bed. At that time, the brisket was 114 IT and grid temp was 248. Woke up this morning at 5:30 to go to basketball practice(I coach) and everything had fallen off the edge. My IT was 80 and grid temp was 55. Because I had to get going, I figured I'd just take care of it when I got back home. Fast forward to 8:15 and I get home. Now my IT is 50 and my grid temp is in the 30's. Fine, I'll just fire it back up. Not so easy.... Our overnight low was around -5* F and..... My BGE is frozen shut with my brisket inside! So I've been spending the last 3 hours stuffing oil soaked paper towels in the ash box (after knocking the frozen slide doors open), then putting a chimney full of lump in the ash box when that didn't work. So far, that hasn't done the trick. I will end up putting more in there I'm sure. Any other suggestions?
Large BGE

Neenah, WI
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Comments

  • ShadowNick
    ShadowNick Posts: 533
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    hair dryer?
    Pentwater, MI
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  • Chris_Wang
    Chris_Wang Posts: 1,254
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    Hair dryer or other electrical heater blowing hot air at the opening?

    Ball Ground, GA

    ATL Sports Homer

     

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  • Chris_Wang
    Chris_Wang Posts: 1,254
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    Double the comment, double the fun @ShadowNick

    Ball Ground, GA

    ATL Sports Homer

     

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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    Dude at those temps for that time I would chuck it. I'm not normally on the hard and fast danger zone but you could have been six or seven hours in it. Sorry but it happens.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Stoogie
    Stoogie Posts: 173
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    Serious? You're talking about tossing the brisket, right? I have to admit that I'm not the most educated when it comes to temps with meat and this kind of situation, because I typically have my sh*t together and don't have to worry about it. I finally got the BGE open and took the brisket out and the IT was 32 at the time, down from at least 114
    Large BGE

    Neenah, WI
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    edited January 2014
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    It's the surface temperature of the meat that the FDA uses in the danger zone figures. It's now 2:50 EST. Your surface temp was down to that level sometime between 2:30 and 5:30. It's a lot longer than the four hours total (meaning any time it was in an environment warmer than 40*F including packing, prep and wait time) plus the time it was cold in the cooker. You can assume that it was actually in a colder environment but that is unlikely because it had been heated to 114* internal. You have to expect that it was hotter than that on the surface as the heat transfer is from outside in. Fact is you really don't know. I am usually the first to say fire it back up and go for it but you have greatly exceeded the "safe" time IMHO. Odds are that it will be fine but you need to be aware and consider who you're serving it to. Kids, the elderly and your boss are probably good ones to avoid.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
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    The only reason I would consider not chucking it is how cold is outside. Ultimately though, I would toss the packer.
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
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  • Stoogie
    Stoogie Posts: 173
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    Yeah, I'm sure you're right. The more I think about it the more I agree with you and see what you mean. It's gonna kill me putting that in the trash but it is better than what may happen. I appreciate you saying something because I probably would've tossed it back on.
    Large BGE

    Neenah, WI
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    I agree caz but the unknown is the surface temp of the meat. The egg may have shown 32* but what you don't know how long the surface was between 40* and 140*. If it were me, I would probably finish it and try it myself, then vac seal and ice bath and refrigerate. If nothing happened to me in a couple of days I would reheat and serve.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
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    Stoker and Stoker Log Software....
    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    Hotch, still wouldn't help in this situation unless you had a probe on the surface of the brisket.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • jscarfo
    jscarfo Posts: 405
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    I'd crack out the adult beverages.
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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
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    I use 2 fire (Dome and grid) and 2 meat probes (Point and Flat) with mine with brisket and butts. Grid probe controls the fire.

    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
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    Kind of like Ron Popeil, set it and forget it!!!!
    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    Oh, you are talking about the whole thing not happening. Sorry.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
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    henapple said:
    @Stoogie...@Cazzy usually throws away most of his briskets after they're cooked. . Don't feel bad. >:)
    Damn straight!  I totally am running out of pics to steal off of the internet.  One of these days i'm going to post one of yalls by mistake.   :)
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
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    The more I drink, the more I stoker.....

    Stoker first, then drink.....that's it.

    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
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    Hotch said:

    The more I drink, the more I stoker.....

    Stoker first, then drink.....that's it.

    I still recommend letting your egg recover to your target temp (after you add your meat) before turning on your pit controller fan.  Early on, i've had a few that flew past the target temp because the fan kicked in while it was recovering.  Totally sucks to get it back down.
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
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    I don't believe I have ever had an over shot.
    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
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    I don't believe I have ever had an over shot.
    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • jhl192
    jhl192 Posts: 1,006
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    I have to apologize but when I read your story I had to laugh.  What a series of events.  I can see how it could happen. Especially with the adult beverages.   Is your large on wheels?  I would roll it into the house.  When mine got stuck I tried the hair dryer thing, candles,  soaked paper towels  etc.  and it did not budge.   It took until the outside temp got over 32 degrees for a full day before it opened up. The ceramic Egg is not only great at heat retention, those same properties make it great a cold retention.  

    I would probably still try to cook it and eat it but I wouldn't serve it to the family until I survived 24 hours.  Great learning experience and good for a laugh for years to come.   
    XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    edited January 2014
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    I'd fire it up and you are good to go. The brisket temp was only in the low 100's, so even if you have a "growth" occurring due to the loss of heat, the final temp will be over 200ºF everywhere when you finish, not as if you are going to eat it at 140ºF, that would be unsafe for sure. The outside temps were cooler than most fridges. 

    I often boil off my marinades, some don't do that due to fear of contamination. Different strokes for different folks. 


    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
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    Skiddymarker said:
    I'd fire it up and you are good to go. The brisket temp was only in the low 100's, so even if you have a "growth" occurring due to the loss of heat, the final temp will be over 200ºF everywhere when you finish, not as if you are going to eat it at 140ºF, that would be unsafe for sure. The outside temps were cooler than most fridges. 

    I often boil off my marinades, some don't do that due to fear of contamination. Different strokes for different folks. 


    Skiddy, his IT dropped from 114 to as low as 32 over the course of several hours.
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
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  • Stoogie
    Stoogie Posts: 173
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    Sadly, I erred on the side of good judgement and threw it away. After talking it over with SWMBO and taking a closer look at it, I figured it is best to take a ~$36 (choice CAB for $3.39/lb no less) loss than risk getting sick before I leave for an ice fishing trip to Lake of the Woods, MN tomorrow. My son wasn't happy that I threw it away. He'd been looking forward to this all week (as was I!!).

    Two lessons:

    1 - Drink a little less next time for a low and slow
    2 - Time to invest in a Cyber Q, BBQ Guru, Stoker or something like it

    I think I'm going to go have a beer now and think of what might have been. Thanks for the feedbackimage
    Large BGE

    Neenah, WI
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  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
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    haha...great picture.  Nice finish to a funny, but educational story.  It's just $$...you may not toss the next one, but it likely won't be the last time he's holding the bag open for something that didn't work out.  I know i've had a few.
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
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  • Stoogie
    Stoogie Posts: 173
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    Thanks @cazzy ... If this pic isn't enough to make a grown man cry (or at least start drinking), I don't know what is. image
    Large BGE

    Neenah, WI
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    edited January 2014
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    He would possibly have been holding that same bag if he had eaten the meat too. And looking just as miserable.   >:P

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    Toss it and forget it. Happens. Maverick or a fan system will take care of it. Some don't but I struggled with an overnight. Got a deal on a digiq and have done 3 at 220 for 15-22 hours. I've had food poisoning. ..sucks. or blows.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,336
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    No need to rehash the story-if you want to do some exploring of web sites here's a link to a pulled pork cook that spends quite a bit of time on "building the fire": http://www.nakedwhiz.com/elder.htm 
    In addition his main site is a wealth of BGE and ceramic cooking info.  
    Controller use or not is a personal choice-if you get the BGE stable (loaded and no vent movement) for at least 45-60 mins before you finish the last of the beers and hit the rack you should be fine when you next surface.  Even a controller can have issues-best to learn how to manage w/o one then decide from there.  Just an opinion and we all know what those are worth
    :)>-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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