Help please / Advice

[Meateor Man 5000]

Hey all,
At 8pm last night, I started a 15lb brisket on my Traeger electric pellet smoker @ 190° (first time smoking on this Traeger) at 3:30am it was roughly 157° internal in the flat (digital thermometer inserted throughout smoking cycle) I refilled the pellets and cranked her up to 225° and passed out. I woke up around 10am, had BEAUTIFUL BARK, but the smoker had lost all heat and error (LEF). The flat read internal temp 117°. I have no idea how long smoker was not running, or how long the brisket sat at 117°. I refilled the pellets, wrapped her up in tinfoil and set it back to 225°. 2 ¹/² hours later the thickest part of the Brisket is now at 204°.

My question is, did I ruin it falling asleep and letting temp fall that low for, who KNOWS how long? Is the brisket trash from the danger zone, is it spoiled, or should I risk it and have an amazing dinner with my family? Any thoughts would be appreciated! I'm getting mixed reviews on wither to trash it or not on reddit... HELP, I'M DESPERATE

 

[Brokenhandle]

It's fine to eat.

Ryan

 

[912smoker]

^^^^^All good I agree with Ryan.
Just remember to cook to tenderness not temp.
And get a multi probe thermo and set a low temp alarm next time.

Keith

 

[schlotz]

Agreed, it's fine to eat. You've just experienced an all too frequent mistake that continues to be reported here. Do not smoke overnight unless you have a verified digital reporting thermometer to monitor the grate temp and set off an alarm on the phone by the night stand when the temp drops. Many to choose from out there. You might take a look a those from Thermoworks.

 

[Meateor Man 5000]

Thanks guys for the quick response. I'm still somewhat new to smoking. I've done a couple turkeys, a tri-tip, and a brisket on a good Ole bullet charcoal smoker, but this is my first time using a pellet Traeger. I have an amazing dual probe thermometer, but I slept right thru all alarms... I got it back up to 204-206, pulled it, and now it's currently resting in my oven, foil wrapped, with a towel over it... Praying it doesn't make anyone violently sick lol

 

[Brokenhandle]

Looks good! I'd also suggest smoking at higher temps like 250 to 275... take way less time.

Ryan

 

[Meateor Man 5000]

Looks good! I'd also suggest smoking at higher temps like 250 to 275... take way less time.

Ryan

Yea... I read a lot and decided to try the super low and slow overnight method. As I said before, first time using this Traeger and didn't really have a plan (my bad) but I am super happy to have found this forum. Everyone seems super nice and helpful! Proud to be a new member!

 

[Schwarzwald Metzger]

Hey all,
At 8pm last night, I started a 15lb brisket on my Traeger electric pellet smoker @ 190° (first time smoking on this Traeger) at 3:30am it was roughly 157° internal in the flat (digital thermometer inserted throughout smoking cycle) I refilled the pellets and cranked her up to 225° and passed out. I woke up around 10am, had BEAUTIFUL BARK, but the smoker had lost all heat and error (LEF). The flat read internal temp 117°. I have no idea how long smoker was not running, or how long the brisket sat at 117°. I refilled the pellets, wrapped her up in tinfoil and set it back to 225°. 2 ¹/² hours later the thickest part of the Brisket is now at 204°.

My question is, did I ruin it falling asleep and letting temp fall that low for, who KNOWS how long? Is the brisket trash from the danger zone, is it spoiled, or should I risk it and have an amazing dinner with my family? Any thoughts would be appreciated! I'm getting mixed reviews on wither to trash it or not on reddit... HELP, I'M DESPERATE

I wouldn't have any issues eating it.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Yea... I read a lot and decided to try the super low and slow overnight method. As I said before, first time using this Traeger and didn't really have a plan (my bad) but I am super happy to have found this forum. Everyone seems super nice and helpful! Proud to be a new member!

We were all newbies at some point and time. Lot's of knowledgeable people here willing to help.

Ryan

 

[Schwarzwald Metzger]

Yea... I read a lot and decided to try the super low and slow overnight method. As I said before, first time using this Traeger and didn't really have a plan (my bad) but I am super happy to have found this forum. Everyone seems super nice and helpful! Proud to be a new member!

A method I use for smoking in my Yoder YS640 pellet grill is.

-4 hours unwrapped over a water pan at 180
-3 hours unwrapped over a water pan at 300 with smoke tube
-4 hours foil boated over water pan at 300
-2 (+) wrapped in foil resting in 150 food warmer

The pastrami I just posted used that exact setup.

Brad

 

[DougE]

Looks good! I'd also suggest smoking at higher temps like 250 to 275... take way less time.

Ryan

This. Unless you are trying to maximize smoke by running a pellet smoker low. Do that for the first part of the cook, (hour or two, maybe 3) then ramp the temp up in the 275~300° range like Ryan said.

 

[schlotz]

Does look good, how'd it turn out? If you plan to continue to do overnight smokes looks like you need to find a different dual probe that can actually wake you. Other wise it's Russian Roulette and at some point it will bite ya.

 

[Winterrider]

^^^^ this^^^^

 

[sandyut]

Looks good! I'd also suggest smoking at higher temps like 250 to 275... take way less time.

Ryan

This!!!

Do yourself a favor and cook all butts and briskets at 275 for the duration. This should eliminate all overnight cooks and usually you will be bale to start them early and eat them the same day. Safer, faster, easier and delicious!