3.5 hr. brisket already at 190F??????

[smokinq13]

So I'm smoking a brisket right now for tonight's dinner, I started it around 5 this morning and it is just 8:30 or 3 and 1/2 hours later and its already at 190F!! My question is what do I do???? I wasn't planning on it being done till 3ish and its 6 hours short... do I just continue normally and when its done, wrap it in a towel and put it in a cooler? will it still hot for 6 hours??? I've done pork for PP where its sat in a cooler for 3 or so hours but not 6.

crazy thing is I'm running at 250F in a mes30, its a whole packer brisket split into flat and point which I'm going to be making burnt ends with the point... Also I injected both pieces of meat right before going into the smoker with fridge temperature beef broth and it climbed this quick.

 

[jaxgatorz]

Try moving the temp probe to another spot..Sometimes that makes a difference in the reading..

 

[gmh313]

I'd move the probe. It's possible you hit a void made by the injector and getting a false read.

 

[oldsmokerdude]

As suggested, move the probe. When cooking brisket I always put two probes in there because it is such a large piece of meat, then go with the lowest reading. Are you sure you're cooking at 250? Hopefully you're using another probe at grate level and not depending on the built in thermometer. You also mentioned that you split the flat and point; that will greatly reduce your cook time. Are you measuring the IT in the point or flat? Because of fat content, they will cook at different rates.

 

[smokinq13]

I probed it in different spots in both the flat and the point... I just checked them again and they both dropped to 170ish. Is it possible that somehow the stall didn't happen and then it did? I'll probably be investing in a newer thermometer anyway. I did wrap them in foil after seeing them go up so high (so they wouldn't dry out at least) but decided to take the flat out to let it build a little more bark on it before I wrap it again. I'm feeling better now since they dropped back down

 

[gmc2003]

Make sure your therms are accurate. It may have gone bad.

Chris

 

[smokinq13]

Chris,

That's what I'm thinking but after that happened, I had some water boiling so I stuck it down in into it and sure enough it was right up near 200F but I do need to get a better meat pen

 

[gmc2003]

The only other thing I can think of is maybe your probe placement was too deep into the meat and near the grate.

Let us know how it turns out.

Chris.

 

[smokinq13]

I found the problem... the smoker, I think she was on her last leg and now she's not heating at all :( Transferred brisket to pan with some beef broth... might not be a bbq brisket but at least I'll be able to get a tender one!

 

[banderson7474]

so how did you get an IT that quick? Did it cook a lot hotter than you thought it was?

 

[smokinq13]

so how did you get an IT that quick? Did it cook a lot hotter than you thought it was?

beats me... all I can think of is the element was burning out and was way hotter than normal... I checked the temperature and now its down to 160... I hope it didn't ruin my meat!... the burnt ends are delicious though! tried one

 

[banderson7474]

I'm guessing your flat will be dryish but yea when I read your first message, I said it's impossible to get an IT that quick.

 

[tallbm]

If you MES30 has died on you it is likely that one of the electrical spade connectors on the wiring to the heating element or the safety rollout limit switch has finally corroded away or enough to stop reliably working. The electrical connectors in two different spots are a major failure point with the MES and I would almost bet money that is the issue :)

Electrical connectors are not hard to repair and if you need some help figuring it out and repairing be sure to speak up here. There are a number of us that can surely help :)

 

[smokinq13]

So would this type of failure let the unit say its still heating with the red light indicating that? The smoker is 6 years old and this is the first time anything has happened... I think its just a sign a new toy is in the future

 

[tallbm]

So would this type of failure let the unit say its still heating with the red light indicating that? The smoker is 6 years old and this is the first time anything has happened... I think its just a sign a new toy is in the future

I believe so. I believe the control unit and it's power source are managed separately from the power and wiring of the heating element. All of the wiring for the control unit and the heating element meat up in controller board underneath the MES but again I believe a failure in the heating circuit would not affect the control unit.

You could go for a new toy but it seems that all MES units suffer this issue due to the cheapo connectors being used when they should use hi temp stainless connectors. When I rewired mine after 3 months of owning it, there was already considerable corrosion on the connectors and I kept mine out of the weather with a masterbuilt cover on it. It's just the nature of using cheap components.

It's all up to you but if you lived in North TX I would buy your failing one off you for a good cheap price in a heartbeat to fix it and gift it away :D