Why is my internal temp of meat so low but the meat is cooked?

[beninja]

Hi guys,

I'm very new to smoking and tried searching for this answer but I recently bought a smoker and tried smoking some chicken breast, then later some thighs. I'm having problems with the internal temperature of the meat not getting up to temp when I use a digital probe thermometer. I'm using two d.line, both of which I tested and reads the same temp (in a bowl of hot water). I have my gauge on my hark smoker which reads 120c, one of my d.lines hanging inside which also reads 120c.

I smoked my chicken breast for 2hours and it was sitting at 51c, I then pumped the temp to 130c and I got it to 62c internally for another hour. The meat looked like it was definitely cooked and when I cut it open it looked a little on the dry side. Ate it all, didn't get sick.

I smoked thighs yesterday, 1hours it was sitting at 50c. I then pumped it to 130c and got to 61c internal temp for another hour then checked on it and it looked definitely cooked. Cut it open and was still juicy but definitely cooked.

Both times the meat seems to steadily rise until it hits 50c, then feels like it hits a dead end until I raise the temp. I leave one probe in the meat from start to finish and one probe sitting in the centre of my smoker. I get the smoker to correct temp and smoking before I put the meat in. Is there a reason why the meat isn't reaching 74c for the internal temp? It looks like the temp won't go any higher unless I keep bumping the temp up. For example if I want to get the internal temp to 74c I will have to set the smoker to 145c.

Thanks guys

 

[thsmormonsmokes]

2 things.  One, did you use boiling water, or just hot water?  It needs to be boiling, and you need to see 100c on your thermo (100c is the boiling point, isn't it?)  So your assumptions could be off.

Second, a stall is pretty common.  I have mostly seen it on pork butts.  It happens a lot with briskets too, I'm told.  My last smoke, I hit the mother of all stalls, leaving my 12 lb butt at 190 f for about 4 hours.  I finally cranked my cooking temps up to 375 f. to force it through the stall.  Sometimes you just gotta get a bigger hammer.

I don't know how common a big stall is with poultry, but I don't know why it wouldn't happen, particularly if you're cooking at a low temp.  Some people ride it out.  Some people up the temperature to force their way through it.  There are benefits to both.  YMMV.

Oh, one more thing.  Chicken breasts are really easy to dry out.  Especially if they aren't injected or brined.  Thighs have a lot more fat, so you get a wider margin of error there.  That could have something to do with it as well.

 

[beninja]

Hi ThsMormonSmokes,

I just used hot water. both read the same though. I brined my chicken breast with 1/4 brown sugar, 1/4 salt, 1L of water for 2.5hours. The thighs I did with same combo for 1.25hours. I kind of find it hard to believe both probe temp are off and the one on the door.

I don't get why the temp sits so low but it's cooked? 

I am using one of these,

http://www.hark.com.au/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=79

I have all the vent as closed.

 

[beninja]

just boiled a kettle of water, temp got up to 97degrees Celcius. The temp on the kettle was just below 100C. So I'm pretty sure the gauges are ok..

 

[chef jimmyj]

It does not make much sense and I would definitely test the thermos at 100*C. Don't know if it will make a difference with the chicken temps but Always leave the top vents open. You want good heat convection and fresh smoke hitting the meat. Leaving the vents closed will increase cook time and can give the meat a bitter stale smoke flavor...JJ

 

[beninja]

Hey Chef JimmyJ,

So you mean open all 3 vents all the way? I saw the water pretty much boiling when I did it. I can understand the thermometers being out by a few percent/degrees. But to be close to 20degrees C off I can't see that happening. I will give that a go on the weekend with the vents. I've already used my smoker twice in the last 4 days. I love it!!! Will hopefully be trying a slab of pork belly, if not, I'll go back to chicken breast. 

 

[chef jimmyj]

Open at least the one in the back open all the time. The other 2 can help with temperature adjustment, opening as needed...JJ

 

[DanMcG]

You also want the smokers temp probe at the same level as the meat. There can be big differences in temps even in a small smoker.
HTH

 

[cliffcarter]

Your problem may be the placement of the temp probe in the meat when taking the internal temp of the meat. If you get the probe too close to a bone your reading will be low. Always insert the probe in the thickest part of the breast and you only need to go 4-5 cm deep. The thighs are more problematic because the meat is so close to the bones, I find it more difficult to get an accurate temp reading with bone in thighs.

As to the cooking temps, I cook poultry in 135°C-150°C range, just my preference.

 

[beninja]

@DanMcG, Yeah I had the thigh hanging at the same height as my probe.

@cliffcarter, I just used breast and thighs, no bones and I made sure to trim the fat off the thighs. I think I will have to cook at 135-150 otherwise I know it won't get up to temp. 

Thanks for the advice guys.