Brisket cooking faster than expected

abartel · Sep 19, 2015

I put a packer on the smoker at 5:30 am, intending to serve around 7:00 tonight. It's about 11 pounds after trimming. The grate thermometer says I've been running 225-250, but the internal probe reads 140 already. I suppose there's a bunch of things that could have happened, but regardless, this thing is running way ahead of schedule. I'm considering leaving it unwrapped through the stall to slow it down, is that a good idea? If it hits 203 too quickly, any thoughts on how best to reheat it so it doesn't dry out?

smokingearl · Sep 19, 2015

Yes there is no problem leaving unwrapped through the stall. You could also double wrap it in foil and wrap in towels and put it in a cooler when it's ready and it'll stay nice and toasty for a few hours.

busmania · Sep 19, 2015

Don't try to do anything to slow it down. They have a mind of their own. When it is done, even if early, wrap in foil and place in a preheated (boil water, pour in cooler to preheat) cooler and then fill any empty space with towels. You can hold it like this for 4-6 hours if need be. Or wrap in foil and put it in the oven at the lowest setting (usually around 170). You are fine!

busmania · Sep 19, 2015

plus, you are not to the stall yet. it could take hours in the stall around 160-170. Don't sweat it!

abartel · Sep 19, 2015

This is true, I've got it wrapped in foil in the oven right now - rain on the horizon. Currently at 165, oven set at 200, we'll see how things go from here.

noboundaries · Sep 19, 2015

Cold meat will always absorb a lot of heat energy in the beginning of a smoke. It is absolutely normal to see a big piece of meat climb from 35F to 140F in anywhere from 2.5 to 4 hours. Its a physics thing. Then things start to slow down DRASTICALLY. Its a meat thing with some physics thrown in. At 250F chamber temp it isn't unusual to see a large piece of meat take 8 hours or more to climb from 140F to 200F.

abartel · Sep 19, 2015

Noboundaries said:
Cold meat will always absorb a lot of heat energy in the beginning of a smoke. It is absolutely normal to see a big piece of meat climb from 35F to 140F in anywhere from 2.5 to 4 hours. Its a physics thing. Then things start to slow down DRASTICALLY. Its a meat thing with some physics thrown in. At 250F chamber temp it isn't unusual to see a large piece of meat take 8 hours or more to climb from 140F to 200F.

Unfortunately, mine seems to have defied physics. It hit 203 at 12:30 - I took the reading in multiple places. I've double wrapped it, thrown it in a cooler and loaded it up with towels and blankets. Hoping that it can hold above 140 for the next several hours.

noboundaries · Sep 19, 2015

Wow, for an 11 lb brisket to hit 203 in 7 hours that smoker had to be running around 325-350F. How did it feel when you put the probe in to check the final temp? If it slid in easily, it was done. If you had to push, it wasn't done yet and something is off somewhere. Just trying to cover all the bases.

oldschoolbbq · Sep 19, 2015

:popcorn , I see no Q-view . . . :biggrin: :wazzapp:

As Ray , was discussing earlier , your Meat (IMHO) had the most to do with it . . .

I had Packer from CCo. which looked as it had a thick Far later , but it Raced through all the Physics I know too ! ! ! :ROTF

I saw that it had a nice long , thick Flat . What looked like fat was a disguised Piont . :biggrin: , as they say , ' it's done when it's done ' :icon_eek:

Hope it turns out good , and you send Q-view of it . . . and what did it look like when you cut it ? meanwhile , I'll be watching . . . :Coffee:

Have fun and . . .

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Brisket cooking faster than expected

abartel

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busmania

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busmania

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abartel

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noboundaries

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abartel

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noboundaries

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