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Tips on restarting

pretzelb
pretzelb Posts: 158
in EggHead Forum
My 2nd brisket is looking like a failure. The temp has been all over the map for some reason. Now I think the fire is out. My dome is 200. I finally opened the vents all the way and so far it hasn't budged. I use the BGE fire starters. Do I just pull everything and use the starter in the lump and quickly put it all back? My concern is the starter gives off some off smoke. I think the brisket is ruined so it probably doesn't matter much but I wanted to ask.
XL egg owner, home brewer, jogger, coffee roaster, gamer 
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Comments

  • Shiff
    Shiff Posts: 1,835
    Why do you think the brisket is ruined?  How long was it on before the fire went out?  What was the internal temp. when it went out? 

    I don't like the fire starters due to their smell, so I use 91% rubbing alcohol to start my fires but that is a personal choice. As long as the meat isn't spoiled, you should be able to remove it, restart the fire and put it back on.

    Have you calibrated your thermometer?  Maybe it is way off and you were trying to keep a very low temperature and it went out?  It can be difficult to keep anything below 250 at the dome.

    Take a look at the way your charcoal burned.  Maybe it just burned straight down and didn't spread sideways.
    Large BGE
    Barry, Lancaster, PA
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,184
    I bet your brisket is fine. If you think it's out, take everything our and put a paper towel with a drizzle of cooking oil (not soaked, kind of like a sheen) and light that in the lump bed. It will get it going fast and won't give any off-putting odors in your egg. If you think wild temps and fire mishaps make bad briskets, I've got a couple of threads for you to read. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • pretzelb
    pretzelb Posts: 158
    Well it isn't out bit something is off because wide open it seems stuck at 250 dome. Grill probe says 210 and meat probe so 159. Problem is I'm 21 hours in on 9.5 lbs.
    XL egg owner, home brewer, jogger, coffee roaster, gamer 
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,184
    watch it- it will shoot up to 600 in 3 minutes once it catches. it can sit like that for 30 minutes but when it's ready to go, look out.

    That is a long cook. I do 9 lbs in 7-10 hrs




    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • jhl192
    jhl192 Posts: 1,006
    I do not think it is ruined.  Pull all the food off and stir the lump trying to get the ash to drop thru the grate.  Then add more lump and it should take off unless it is completely out. I wouldn't put the food back until its back to temp and the smoke runs clear.  
    XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    I had your picture and link posting privileges revoked after your behaviour last night

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • pretzelb
    pretzelb Posts: 158
    Turns out the lump was nearly all gone. I just added some more and wrapped the brisket in foil. Even though people say to not cook to time, I think if I try this again I need to have a plan for certain temps otherwise I won't know when things are going wrong.

    I'm stumped on this one. I did test my dome thermometer just last week and it was pretty accurate. I was going above and below 250 a lot more than usual on this cook but it should have been in the ballpark. I did not test my new ThermoWorks dual probe using the ice water test so maybe I will do that next. 

    Now to see if I can save this brisket. 
    XL egg owner, home brewer, jogger, coffee roaster, gamer 
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  • Shiff
    Shiff Posts: 1,835
    Your fire grate may have been getting clogged with some small pieces of charcoal.  Make or buy a wiggle stick.  You insert it through the bottom vent and use it to poke through the fire grate and push out any small pieces.

    You should be able to see one at: http://thirdeyeq.com/Custom_Tools.html
    or you make one with an old wire shirt hanger.

    Large BGE
    Barry, Lancaster, PA
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