Why does this happen

[Thom71gt]

I constantly see videos of guys putting their smoker between 225 and 250 degrees and they smoke their brisket for something like 8 - 10 hours before they take it off to wrap it. They say to get the meat to between 165 and 180 degrees. Well, I've got a 13 lb Brisket I put on the smoker at 10:30 this morning, set the temp to about 225 and it's already at 170 degrees internal temp in just 3 hours. How do you all smoke your stuff so long? What am I doing wrong?

 

[Inscrutable]

First response is probably gonna be check if temp at grate is really 225 and if your meat probe is accurate.

 

[Thom71gt]

Good idea. I have two probes in it from a digital thermometer, but I should check the grate temp.

 

[JLeonard]

I'm gonna second Inscrutable I'd double check everything. And dont ever go by factory thermometers.

Jim

 

[smokerjim]

What's your grate temp, are your thermometers accurate. , just kidding but that was the first thing that came to my head.

 

[normanaj]

Checking therms for accuracy is key. That being said all cuts are different and I've had briskets reach temps like that fairly quick and then stall for hours on end.

 

[Inscrutable]

If haven’t done lately, would be good to ‘calibrate’ by checking in a glass of ice water, and a pot of boiling water.

 

[thirdeye]

Knowing your grate temp (next to or above your meat) is important. I don't start taking meat temps until later in the cook. Prime rib is the exception, I stick them about 1 hour into the cook.

 

[pineywoods]

I agree with these people check thermometers then check grate temp. Also make sure you have the probe about half way into the thickness of the brisket and that it's not in fat. In a fat pocket can throw your readings way off. You are not getting a brisket to 170 in 3 hours with a smoker temp of 225 something is off

 

[tallbm]

I constantly see videos of guys putting their smoker between 225 and 250 degrees and they smoke their brisket for something like 8 - 10 hours before they take it off to wrap it. They say to get the meat to between 165 and 180 degrees. Well, I've got a 13 lb Brisket I put on the smoker at 10:30 this morning, set the temp to about 225 and it's already at 170 degrees internal temp in just 3 hours. How do you all smoke your stuff so long? What am I doing wrong?

Hi there and welcome!

Also if your meat probes are in the point I highly suggest you move them to the thickest yet center-most portion of the FLAT muscle.

The Point will lie to you like a 6 year old politician :P
Also, it is not easy to nail this magical temp spot on a brisket and is a major reason why people report so many wildly different finishing temps for their brisket.

The Flat muscle is the key. Also the brisket is only done when it is tender. Never by time or temp.

Check for tenderness around 198F+ Internal Temp (IT of the Flat muscle) by stabbing ALL OVER the brisket and if it goes in without resistance ALL OVER then the brisket is done. If you get resistance in an area, let the temp rise a few degrees and try again. Pull when the tenderness test tells you it's tender and done.
Also if you find a non tender spot, I bet money if you move your meat probe to that spot you will see the temp much lower there :D

I'd also recommend wrapping at 180F IT of the meat. Why? Better flavor. If you wrap too early you end up with roast beef flavor and not smoked BBQ beef brisket flavor. To me flavor is everything, not the time it takes to make the thing. So in my smoker I don't ever wrap my briskets. I simply plan more time to have the most amazing flavor AND I cook at a hotter temp to reduce my overall time.

Finally, a brisket doesn't care what temp it is cooked at, as long as you aren't burning it. I do mine all the time at smoker temp of 275F. All a smoker temp of 225F is going to get you is a longer time babysitting that brisket. Feel free to crank it up.

I hope this info helps :)

 

[thirdeye]

The Point will lie you like a 6 year old politician

 

[noboundaries]

Folks need to understand that cold meat (say 35°F) in a 225‐250°F smoker has an initial temperature difference of 190-215°F. Cold meat will absorb heat FAST trying to reach equilibrium with the smoker. BUT, between 130‐170°F meat temp the physical and chemical properties of the meat jumps in the game. Collagen starts to melt, fat starts to render, and myoglobin (the red juice) starts to evaporate. WHAM! The stall. It can take hours.

At this point, if you do not raise the chamber temp, there's only a 70‐120°F difference in available heat energy to melt collagen, render fat, and evaporate myoglobin (the muscle sweats). As the stall ends and the meat temp starts to rise, if you do nothing to the chamber temp, the meat absorbs less available heat energy and progresses slower toward being tender (melted collagen).

Now you know.

Brisket ain't lazy steak muscle.

 

[Thom71gt]

Thanks everyone for your advice and tips. Thermometers were accurate. After I wrapped the Brisket, I put it in an oven at 225 and it went from 170 - 203 in about 2 hours. Since I was making it for a day on the lake for the 4th, I immediately threw it in the fridge. Lake day morning I was up at 6, turned on the oven, and threw it in there to warm it up. At 190 internal, I pulled it out and let it rest. I sliced it up and threw it in a crock pot for the boat. It was extremely tender and juicy. Best Brisket I've made. There wasn't a piece left at the end of the day.