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What's the deal???

MCRyan
MCRyan Posts: 167
in EggHead Forum
I'm in need of advice.  I'm on my 2nd attempt at smoking a "portion" of a brisket and seem to be running into the same issue.  My last attempt was a 4lb point that stalled at 160 degrees and never moved with the egg temp at 250-275.  Literally, 6-7 hours went by and no sign of getting to 195-200 internal.  It stayed at 160.  I finally removed it and it was beef jerky.  Horrible.  

Now I have a 3 lb flat on at 250-275 and it's been 4 hrs.  160 internal with the thermapen.  I've had a water pan underneath the grate this go round and just wrapped the meat in foil with a little beer bath.  

Any comments, suggestions, insight as to what I can do to gain success here?  Help is appreciated!!!


XLBGE, SS table
McKinney, TX.
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Comments

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Forget the water. It will hold your temp down. If you are serious about "the stall" just let it ride.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    And points are real hard to cook anyway. Go with full packers.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • shadowrider
    shadowrider Posts: 108
    Never had any luck with small flats.  Full packer is the way to go if you don't want dry brisket.  Note:  I generally do NOT foil.
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 37,823
    Brisket cooks are all about patience-the friggin cow gets revenge here.  Ride the stall home or foil and punch it to the finish-line.  
    Regarding the water in the pan-it is a heat sink.  An air-gapped drip pan is a given but the water pan supresses the cook temp to the boiling water temp for your elevation then once evaporated the vent settings will enable the cook temp to rise to their "no water" setting.
    Foil to the finish will get you there but always remember the brisket finish-line is the feel.  Probe the thickest part of the flat with no resistance and you are there.  Point only I would go to around 205*F+/- as it has enough fat to take the heat.
    Her''e a great link from Aaron Franklin about finishing a brisket-
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnRRDSYgdmw  Enjoy the cook and all above FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    When's the last time you calibrated your thermometer?  Might not be as cooking as hot as you think you are.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • MCRyan
    MCRyan Posts: 167
    Thanks for the feedback.  I prefer full packers, but am trying to be a little conservative considering the number of mouths to feed.  No joke about the stall.  In fact, it's almost like an indefinite stall that never gets up to 195-200.  Weird stuff!
    XLBGE, SS table
    McKinney, TX.
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  • MCRyan
    MCRyan Posts: 167
    Thermometer is dead on.  So is the thermopen.   I'll take everyone's advice, especially with removing the water pan and being patient!!!!
    XLBGE, SS table
    McKinney, TX.
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    edited September 2015

    If you have water in the egg the max temp you can reach is 100* C or 212F. It's basically a closed environment.

    Edit: that's on a low and slow cook to  be clear.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,848
    brisket flats need to be at least 6 lbs. for any chance of success.  

    anything less, grind for burgers.

    t
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
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  • Acn
    Acn Posts: 4,492
    tjv said

    anything less, grind for burgers.

    t
    Or slice super thin and grill direct, about 45-60 seconds per pound.

    LBGE

    Pikesville, MD

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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,494
    I had a seven hour stall recently. Just keep plugging on....
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