serious problem and need some advice......mid smoke!

[jerseydrew]

bought a 10.5 lb brisket. opened it up and cut off about a pound of fat. so about 9-9.5 lb brisket. i estimated about 2 hours per lb smoking at 225*. was planning to pull at about noon tomorrow and rest it for 4 hours till ready to serve for dinner tomorrow. i put the brisket on the smoker at 6pm tonight and now it's midnight and the damn thing was beeping done. so i use my instaread and found that the probe i had in it was in a fat pocket and moved the therm to a better spot and i am reading 170* already after only 6 hours of smoking i was going to pull at 180* for slicing. 

how is a 9 lb brisket cooking so damn fast? i've had 4 lb briskets take 9 hours. what do i do? and how long will it take for it to come up the last 10*?

and if it is ready this early what do i do with it till 4 pm tomorrow?

 

[hitechredneck]

I had this happen to me before...  Last time it did, I just pulled it when it was ready, let it rest for 30 minutes and then stuck it in the fridge.

I sliced mine the next day while it was cold then reheated in the oven about an hour before I needed it.  I used the fat cap I'd held in reserve from slicing and covered the slices so they didn't dry out.  I also foiled the container to trap in all the moisture.  

It was a heck of a lot easier to slice while cool like that too.

 

[jerseydrew]

looks like i am not sleeping well tonight.

 

[goingcamping]

Patience Mr. Drew...patience,

Brisket are 'done when they are done' For the record I pull mine from the smoker when they reach an IT of 203*, but more importantly, when I can stick a toothpick into it and it feels like room temperature butter (resistance). Often, what we plan and what happen are a world apart!

The good news is you have some time to 'play' meaning, at 180* she's just getting ready...think of the brisket as a lady...some can be ready within an hour, others take many hours...some are homecoming queens while others are in band! (we can all agree that there's a big difference between the two?). The POINT is don't rush and you'll most likely be awarded with this succulent, juicy meat that is neither too dry, nor too tough. The temperature is merely a guide (think of it as google maps...it'll get you close, but NEVER to the front door). Let the toothpick guide your pulling out!

Hope this helps (in a suggestive way)?

~Brett

 

[goingcamping]

oh...when she decides she's done? Wrap in foil, place in cooler wrapped in towels and let her 'rest' until you're ready too serve...remember who's Q-ing who?!

 

[chef jimmyj]

Let it ride until done then if possible do what Restaurants and I did the other day with a Butt that got done a couple of hours early...Get it to where the therm probe penetrates easily. Foil and turn the smoker down to 140-150*F, oven works too, and leave it there until ready to eat. At that temp the meat will stay hot, safe, and will not dry out because you are well below the boiling point. Keep in mind that meat can stall anywhere between 150 and 180*F and 180* is the point Collagen rapidly converts to Gelatin so that Brisket will most likely be Nowhere near tender at 180*F. Let it ride and go by Tenderness not Temp...JJ