Briskets coming out tough

[txsmoker76]

Good day. Has anyone had issues with their cc not cooking properly after a top rack was installed? For some reason the point of my flat always dries out and about a quarter of the way in the brisket is cooked like it's supposed to be. I'm puzzled!

 

[nellyo]

I find helpful to wrap the brisket in foil somewhere at half point mark. Maybe after 6 hours of smoking... I think brisket tend to dry up especially especially the store bought trimmed once

 

[txsmoker76]

Thanks for tree responsen Nelly. I wrap all my briskets in butcher paper just after the stall. I am really picky with my briskets as in I try to stay work Angus or choice at the least. I look for good marbling throughout as well.
Briskets were coming out just 5ge wa6 they should, but recently the front of the point has been really dry and tough. I'm not sure of its coincidence or of the addition of a top rack could be causing this.

 

[smokesontuesday]

Thanks for tree responsen Nelly. I wrap all my briskets in butcher paper just after the stall. I am really picky with my briskets as in I try to stay work Angus or choice at the least. I look for good marbling throughout as well.
Briskets were coming out just 5ge wa6 they should, but recently the front of the point has been really dry and tough. I'm not sure of its coincidence or of the addition of a top rack could be causing this.

If the top rack is reflecting heat onto that part of the point it is quite likely. I don't know exactly how your cooker is set up but it is possible adding the top rack created a hot spot.

 

[txsmoker76]

If the top rack is reflecting heat onto that part of the point it is quite likely. I don't know exactly how your cooker is set up but it is possible adding the top rack created a hot spot.

Thanks for the info. That's what I was thinking. Is there a way to fix this? I know the top is going to be warmer since heat rises, so I'm not sure if I should put the briskets up there. I will try to post pics of the setup today.

 

[smokesontuesday]

Any chance you could post some pics of it? Hard to say much of anything only knowing generalities.

 

[txsmoker76]

Any chance you could post some pics of it? Hard to say much of anything only knowing generalities.

Here are some photos while I was cooking the last time. And a pic of the top rack when it was first built.

20170428_181324.jpg

• txsmoker76
• Apr 28, 2017

20170428_181244.jpg

• txsmoker76
• Apr 28, 2017

20170405_135917.jpg

• txsmoker76
• Apr 28, 2017

 

[smokesontuesday]

That all looks pretty standard to me. Does it matter where in the smoker you place the briskets? The only thing I can think is that the top shelf is creating a heat dam somehow and drying out the thinner part of the flat. There are guys a whole lot more knowledgeable about offsets than I am like @DaveOmak  that can break it down for you a lot better.

Have you tried cooking on the new shelf to see if brisket dries out cooked there?

 

[txsmoker76]

That all looks pretty standard to me. Does it matter where in the smoker you place the briskets? The only thing I can think is that the top shelf is creating a heat dam somehow and drying out the thinner part of the flat. There are guys a whole lot more knowledgeable about offsets than I am like @DaveOmak
 that can break it down for you a lot better.

Have you tried cooking on the new shelf to see if brisket dries out cooked there?

Thanks. My smoker actually is about 30 degrees hotter near tge fb. I am trying to get some tuning plates made to better disperse the heat and smoke.

I am actually cooking on the top rack right now. I will let you know how it goes.

 

[bbqdawg69]

If you have a wired thermometer, I would get my smoker up to temp and then take some temperature samples from different places in the smoker.  If you take an onion and shove the sensor through it until it sticks out about an inch, you can place it at different points in the smoker.  I would leave it for a bit to stabilize and then jot down where I took the sample and what the results were.  You might find some hot spots and it will help tell you what is going on throughout your smoker.

 

[smokesontuesday]

Thanks. My smoker actually is about 30 degrees hotter near tge fb. I am trying to get some tuning plates made to better disperse the heat and smoke.

I am actually cooking on the top rack right now. I will let you know how it goes.

Being hotter closer to the fire box is normal for an offset. That's why so many people use a baffle or tuning plates to even the heat out, which you're already trying to address.

 
If you have a wired thermometer, I would get my smoker up to temp and then take some temperature samples from different places in the smoker.  If you take an onion and shove the sensor through it until it sticks out about an inch, you can place it at different points in the smoker.  I would leave it for a bit to stabilize and then jot down where I took the sample and what the results were.  You might find some hot spots and it will help tell you what is going on throughout your smoker.

This is very good advice. It would be nice to have the same temp reading from before the top shelf was added for comparison but this would still be very good info for you to have.

 

[txsmoker76]

Thanks for a the advice guys.i actually cooked 2 briskets on the top rack yesterday and they came out perfect. The bottom rack was hitting 280 and the to was at around 250-260. I use a maverick et-732. I used a probe for the top center and one for bottom center.
I will definitely take y'alls advice and measure temps at different parts of the grate

 

[bbqdawg69]

 
If you have a wired thermometer, I would get my smoker up to temp and then take some temperature samples from different places in the smoker.  If you take an onion and shove the sensor through it until it sticks out about an inch, you can place it at different points in the smoker.  I would leave it for a bit to stabilize and then jot down where I took the sample and what the results were.  You might find some hot spots and it will help tell you what is going on throughout your smoker.

​I forgot to add...  Cut the onion in half so it will sit on the grate without rolling around.  It might seem obvious, but I figured it couldn't hurt.

 

[smokesontuesday]

Thanks for a the advice guys.i actually cooked 2 briskets on the top rack yesterday and they came out perfect. The bottom rack was hitting 280 and the to was at around 250-260. I use a maverick et-732. I used a probe for the top center and one for bottom center.
I will definitely take y'alls advice and measure temps at different parts of the grate

Definitely sounds like adding that top rack created a hot zone. 280 isn't bad though if it's even across the whole grate. I'd bet it is probably more like 340 - 320 - 300 - 280 - 260 as you move away from the firebox down the grate.

 

[deuc224]

Ill be the first to say it, if you have a costco, go get  membership and grab those joinks there.  Well worth the hassle cuz i wasnt a believer until i actually went and smoked one.