Why is this brisket cooking so fast?

[IslePilot]

Hi all,

I am in the middle of my first brisket cook on a WSM 18. My plan was to hold 255°F to the stall, then increase a bit to get through it. Wrap in butcher paper around 180°F and pull it off around 205°F. Brisket is smaller than many, 9.5 lbs., but is USDA prime. I trimmed maybe a pound off in preparation for the cook.

On the smoker at 6:30am. Holding 255°F pretty well, but the meat is already up to 165°F and seemingly in the stall only 2.5 hours in. I was expecting it to get to the stall maybe 6 hours in. (temps by the way are grate temps using an iGrill)

When I took a quick peek at it, it has puffed up quite a bit and the length has shrunk somewhat already, so it really does look like it cooking fast.

Does anyone have suggestions on what to do here? Keep temps where they are and wrap at 180 as planned, whenever it gets there? Cool it down to 225°F to slow the process down? Or something else?

Thanks!

Keith

 

[IslePilot]

Update 3.5 hours in...WSM at 260°F, brisket at 167°F. Checked and spritzed...meat feels pretty firm lengthwise, and didn't appear to look any different than the check the hour prior. I am definitely in the stall now, I guess my question is do I just stay the course (maybe cooking faster since it is small?), or do I drop the temps to slow things down?

 

[chilerelleno]

Let it cook.

 

[mike243]

Keep trucking and follow your plan

 

[kilo charlie]

The last Prime brisket I cooked was done in 7.5 hours. Don't know why it went so fast but it was amazing! I say let it ride!

 

[6GRILLZNTN]

Are you going by the lid therm, or a probe at the grate. The lid therms are not known for their accuracy. Having said that, I'd do what everyone else has said, let her cook.

 

[radio]

Enjoy the ride and remember how this one acted for future reference. I have had briskets very close in weight finish in drastically different times, so there is no "standard cook time". Temp and time should be used only as a rough guess for when it is done. When a probe slides in the brisket like going in soft butter, you have a winner.

 

[motolife313]

Prime cooks way faster

 

[noboundaries]

Anyone want to explain or link my physics and temp explanation? Butts and briskets do not increase temp at a linear rate.

 

[IslePilot]

Are you going by the lid therm, or a probe at the grate. The lid therms are not known for their accuracy. Having said that, I'd do what everyone else has said, let her cook.

No, I have an iGrill probe on the grate for the temp. I have been tracking the lid temp, and it is unreliable...sometimes right on, sometimes off by 30 degrees.

 

[millerbuilds]

Let it go.
Smaller in size and prime, going to cook a bit faster....

Smoke ON!

- Jason