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    Fire went out- advice needed

    Posts: 63
    edited March 2017 in EggHead Forum
    Ok guys, need advice. Fire just about almost went out tonight while cooking a packer brisket (14 lbs before trim). Was using a BBQ guru set up to control temps. Put the brisket on 9pm and checked on it at midnight and it was still humming along. Went to bed. Woke up at 6:40something (5 something  really due to DST spring forward) to check egg and looks like a gust of wind knocked the controller over and managed to disconnect power. Meat temp reading 145 degrees.

    ive reconnected the guru and its starting to bring the cooker temp back up.  Is this meat still safe to eat if I continue cooking it until it is done? Hate to throwaway a big piece of meat, but I don't want to risk my family's health either.


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    • Posts: 2,319
      Re-stoke the fire and press on with the cook. 
      Living the good life smoking and joking
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    • Posts: 506
      It is safe. Push on and enjoy
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    • Posts: 10,490
      What was the egg temp? As long as the egg was above 140 you are fine. Even if drops below 140 you are fine for a couple of hours.  If you were able to get the temp back up just by connecting the guru then I would guess the egg was still hot. 

      Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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    • Posts: 4,716
      It's fine......continue on.
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    • Posts: 1,400
      If you add new lump, make sure you let it clear the nasty smoke before putting the meat back on.  You'll be fine for the cook, you have hours above 160F to go until your brisket is ready.
      Large BGE - McDonald, PA
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    • Posts: 63
      Yes the egg was about 153 degrees. I did open it up to check if fire was totally out and luckily there were still embers glowing. It's now back to temp.

      I feel a flame boss or other wifi controller is in my future. The guru dx2 is great at keeping temps but downside is I have to go outside to hear any alarms or check status. Would prefer to just check my phone and see a webpage, email, text, or app alarm me if something is going on.

      thanks everyone for the advice!
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    • Posts: 1
      I feel your pain.. I am dealing with the exact same scenario here in SC, only i don't have the guru.. I Put a 13lb Brisket (after trimming) on last night a little after 7. Checked at midnight everything was great.  Woke up 7am, meat temp was about 155 grill temp hovering around 175 (dome temp) around 140 and no fire.  There has been a significant drop in outside air temp this morning compared to last night and its starting to spit rain..Needless to say the fire is re-lit and Im hoping it turns out fine.
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    • Posts: 3,827
      REMtx said:
      Yes the egg was about 153 degrees. I did open it up to check if fire was totally out and luckily there were still embers glowing. It's now back to temp.

      I feel a flame boss or other wifi controller is in my future. The guru dx2 is great at keeping temps but downside is I have to go outside to hear any alarms or check status. Would prefer to just check my phone and see a webpage, email, text, or app alarm me if something is going on.

      thanks everyone for the advice!
      A baby monitor will get you through the night.  Can't help you if you leave the house, but you'll hear the alarm if you're nearby.

      If you go looking; look for the Flameboss 200 ... call @stlcharcoal for a quote.

      Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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    • Posts: 10,490
      I think you are 100% fine. Anything above 140 egg temp and you are technically still cooking...just very slowly. 

      Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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    • Posts: 6,239
      The standard regulation is that the food should not be in less that 140F for more than 2 hours. So definitely its safe.

      Note that the food safety rule is written to lots of extra protection. Pathogens stop growing at around 126F, and begin dying away slowly above 130. That's why people safely do sous vide ribs for 3 days at 133-135.
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    • Posts: 4,716
      gdenby said:
      The standard regulation is that the food should not be in less that 140F for more than 2 hours. So definitely its safe.

      Note that the food safety rule is written to lots of extra protection. Pathogens stop growing at around 126F, and begin dying away slowly above 130. That's why people safely do sous vide ribs for 3 days at 133-135.
      Does anything change since you're going to raise the temp up to 200F?  It's going to kill everything.....but does something happen when you drop back below 130F?  Was always curious about that.
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    • Posts: 640
      My understanding is that holding and meat above 140 is fine for hours and even more so if you're further raising the temp after the hold.  Started my forst ever brisket last night at 11:30, so that is the limit of my ability to add any value here!  Soldier on =)
      Doug
      Wayne, PA
      LBGE, Weber Kettle (gifted to my sister), Weber Gasser

      "Two things are infinite:  the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe"   Albert Einstein
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    • Posts: 34,696
      Just to add my confusion to the food safety deal- I thought guidelines were 40-140*F for 4 hours.  Less than that and no worries-  
      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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    • Posts: 640
      FDA recently updated their minimum safe IT charts, clear browser history and search for the updated/ most recent. For holding I don't think there's been an update for years. Here's what I found with a quick search:

      Doug
      Wayne, PA
      LBGE, Weber Kettle (gifted to my sister), Weber Gasser

      "Two things are infinite:  the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe"   Albert Einstein
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    • Posts: 1,814
      Any bacteria you had on the meat would be at the outside and I am sure your initial cook time took care of all that anyway. Press on. 
      Mt Elgin Ontario - just a Large.
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    • Posts: 17,125
      edited March 2017
      Relight. Egg on.
      "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

      XL and MM
      Louisville, Kentucky
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    • Posts: 111
      Critical temps for bacteria (what I was taught) is 40 to 140, with the sweet spot around 120.
      D'you think I could interest you in a pair of zircon-encrusted tweezers?

      Newtown Square, PA
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    • Posts: 63
      This thread is worthless without the food porn so here goes. Glad I kept going, I only really delayed myself about an hour both the egg and brisket responded rapidly once it was restoked and controlled again.
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    • Posts: 339
      Congrats! Glad you had a happy ending!  :o
      Large BGE - 2014
      FB 200, KAB, AR - 2015
      Lake Norman area of NC
      The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten!
      Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing!
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    • Posts: 640
      Looks amazing!  Sliced pics coming?
      Doug
      Wayne, PA
      LBGE, Weber Kettle (gifted to my sister), Weber Gasser

      "Two things are infinite:  the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe"   Albert Einstein
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    • Posts: 526
      Many of us have eaten a Sunday dinner where food was left out from being cooked just after church until 8-9 p.m. with no Ill effects. Just no mayo based salads in the summer heat !
      LBGE, and just enough knowledge and gadgets to be dangerous .
      Buford,Ga.
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    • Posts: 10,490
      Glad to see that beautiful hunk o meat didn't go to waste. Looks great!

      Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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    • Posts: 1,814
      Glad it all worked out. Post again tomorrow so we know your still alive. 
      Mt Elgin Ontario - just a Large.
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    • Posts: 3,865
      Looks great. Glad it worked out.
      Stillwater, MN
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    • Posts: 1,208
      Nicely done :clap: !
      LBGE (still waitin' for my free T-Shirt), DIgiQ DX2 (In Blue, cause it's the fastest), Heavy Duty Kick Ash Basket, Mc Farland, WI. :glasses:  B)
      If it wasn't for my BGE I'd have no use for my backyard...
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    • Posts: 2,319
      REMtx said:
      This thread is worthless without the food porn so here goes. Glad I kept going, I only really delayed myself about an hour both the egg and brisket responded rapidly once it was restoked and controlled again.
      And there you have it........a successfully saved and food safe cook without all of the histrionics, quantum mechanics, and supporting metrics to prove otherwise.  :s

      Looks great and good save! 

      Well done! 
      Living the good life smoking and joking
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    • Posts: 63
      gmac said:
      Glad it all worked out. Post again tomorrow so we know your still alive. 
      Still alive! Haha.

      No sliced pics. This is the 5th or 6th brisket I have ever done. I'm still learning. It was good and had great taste. Wasn't super dry but wasn't all that juicy either. Family loved it, and it's waaaay better than what you get at most of the chain BBQ places around here. So that's what matters.
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