HELP! in the middle of my first brisket and i need help...

[stroud]

i am in the middle of my first brisket, and i need some major help i think...

its a 4lb brisket and i'm about 3.5 hours in. chamber temp has been between 220-230 the entire smoke so far...

the problem i'm having is the internal temp of the brisket got to 134...then started to drop. its now at 130 and just sitting there.

i am using a brand new (and tested) taylor digital thermometer...

does anyone have any explanation as to why the brisket temp isnt rising but falling? im so confused and dont know what to do..

thanks,

Stroud

 

[bbally]

I think they reach a balance hysterisis.  I would foil it for a while.  Or you can wait for the stall to end.

 

[les3176]

have you been opening the smoker up to look alot? sometimes that will do it. your getting close to the 140 in 4 so give the brisket a good smack and close the lid/

 

[smokingohiobutcher]

Hold the wheel steady and let er' run!  you'll be fine. Just gotta wait out the stall! Even if it drops a few degrees you are still cooking...just make sure the fire is still going!

SOB

 

[rw willy]

Like they say!  All good, grin and bear it.  She'll start moving up in a while.  Maintain a good temp and wait it out.

good luck

 

[stroud]

ok thanks for the reassurance. i wasnt sure when the stall would hit but i thought it usually hit at a little higher temp...

i have only been opening the smoker every hour and 15 to mop and add a wood chunk or two if needed, been keeping the chamber closed as much as possible.

i will just let her cook for a while, drink some beer and watch some football and quit stressing. i'll check on her in another hour to see where the temp is at.

again thanks for the help everyone.

 

[les3176]

yep sometimes ya just gotta wait it out!!

 

[stroud]

ok...so i'm 5.5 hours in on my 4lb brisket...and the internal temp is now up to only 137. again, is this something i should be concerned about? chamber temp has been consistently 220-230 and i have opened the door only a few times to mop...

i know every smoke is different and you smoke to a temp not to a time, but this being my first brisket i figured it'd be above 137 by this point...

 

[bbally]

ok...so i'm 5.5 hours in on my 4lb brisket...and the internal temp is now up to only 137. again, is this something i should be concerned about? chamber temp has been consistently 220-230 and i have opened the door only a few times to mop...

i know every smoke is different and you smoke to a temp not to a time, but this being my first brisket i figured it'd be above 137 by this point...

You have more than enough minutes at the 130 F level to have pastuerized it from a food safety point.

I usually plan on 10 hours depending on the weight prior to starting to temp probe them.  But I pan mine so I do things a little different then most.
 

 

[Bearcarver]

ok...so i'm 5.5 hours in on my 4lb brisket...and the internal temp is now up to only 137. again, is this something i should be concerned about? chamber temp has been consistently 220-230 and i have opened the door only a few times to mop...

i know every smoke is different and you smoke to a temp not to a time, but this being my first brisket i figured it'd be above 137 by this point...

You got the best watch-dog we got on this one.

If Bob (bbally) says it's OK----It Is OK.

Hang in there & have another cold one!

Bear

 

[stroud]

ok...but what should i do at this point? i mean i never expected a 4lb brisket to take 10 hours, and that's the way this is looking if im going to take it to 185. just dont want to mess this up...

 

[stroud]

ok...so just enjoy the game and wait for this to get to 185?

 

[Bearcarver]

ok...so just enjoy the game and wait for this to get to 185?

Yup, or 195˚.

I like 195˚ for slicing & 205˚ for pulling, but that's me---It aint the only way.

Bear

 

[bbally]

ok...so just enjoy the game and wait for this to get to 185?

 Never had a brisket take less then 9 and most go 12 to 16 depending on total size.  As long as you are holding cooking chamber temps at 225 to 250 F you will make it fine.  If you are worried and don't want to wait, foil it with two tablespoons of hot water.  The steam will kick it out of the stall in about 30 minutes and it will start to climb again.  Pull it out if foil and finish the bark.

 

[stroud]

ok thanks so much. guess i was kind of using the ol '1.5 hours per pound' as a guide for when it would be getting close, and since it was nowhere near i got concerned. live and learn, huh? thanks again for your help.

 

[stroud]

ok well call me crazy but here we go again...i did foil it and sure enough after about 20 minutes it started to take off...got up to 157 and i decided to take it out of the foil to finish the bark...since taking it out of the foil its dropped down to 142 in temp...and that's with me turning up the chamber temp to 235-240...again i dont know if this is normal. should i forgt the bark and just finish in foil since that's the only way its rising in temp?>

 

[bbally]

how many hours now?

 

[stroud]

at 8.5 hours and its creeped back up to 148...very very slowly tho...

 

[bbally]

at 8.5 hours and its creeped back up to 148...very very slowly tho...

Doin good stall is over quit looking at it.  Water Activity takes time to build energy.

 

[pit 4 brains]

Leave your temp alone also. Raising it now won't do much good for you. If anything, you want the temp to creep down while meat finnishes creeping up.