Help Me Not Screw This Up.

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Goyo626

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With the brethren's help my pork butt was a big success with the family. Im now trying to tackle brisket. I dropped it in the WSM 3hrs ago hoping it will be done in 19-22hrs +2hrs resting time. So far its been smooth sailing the food probe is reading around 140, while the bbq probe is reading 241F. Im planning to start mopping after 10hrs. Is it cooking too fast? Im hoping for a long stall. Will I make my target time? Any tips to not screw this up is appreciated.
 
Mopping don't do Chit except extend the cook time. Don't go by meat temp probe tender in the thickest part of the flat never fails. I would bump it to 275 JM2C
 
I'm not a huge pro on brisket but I have had quite a few successful brisket cooks now but even with a bunch of good cooks under my belt I still post up looking for some brisket help its pretty tricky. I don't think you will be cooking for 20 hours I think it will be done before that I cooked a 6 pounder at 270 last week took about 8 hours maybe a bit more plus rest time I think you are most likely looking at 16 hours cook possibly more possibly less each brisket probes tender at different temps so you really have to tend it when it comes around internal of 190 is when I start probing until my probe goes in like butter also fast temps is someone that stressed me but you also have to keep in mind that the meat will stall around 165 degrees for a while before he internal continues to come up but it sounds like you are on the right track don't forget to get your cooler nice and warm don't forget depending on cooler and the temps in cooler you can rest in there for quite a few hours

Hope this helped some and hope cook goes well post some pron and keep us all updated
 
Bludawg said:
Mopping don't do Chit except extend the cook time. Don't go by meat temp probe tender in the thickest part of the flat never fails. I would bump it to 275 JM2C
Click to expand...


Will bumping it to 275 cause the meat to be done alot quicker than I anticipate im aiming for it to be ready to serve at 3 at the earliest?
 
Tony A said:
I'm not a huge pro on brisket but I have had quite a few successful brisket cooks now but even with a bunch of good cooks under my belt I still post up looking for some brisket help its pretty tricky. I don't think you will be cooking for 20 hours I think it will be done before that I cooked a 6 pounder at 270 last week took about 8 hours maybe a bit more plus rest time I think you are most likely looking at 16 hours cook possibly more possibly less each brisket probes tender at different temps so you really have to tend it when it comes around internal of 190 is when I start probing until my probe goes in like butter also fast temps is someone that stressed me but you also have to keep in mind that the meat will stall around 165 degrees for a while before he internal continues to come up but it sounds like you are on the right track don't forget to get your cooler nice and warm don't forget depending on cooler and the temps in cooler you can rest in there for quite a few hours

Hope this helped some and hope cook goes well post some pron and keep us all updated
Click to expand...

I dont have a cooler available so i triple wrap in foil and cover with towels. My tablet is not letting me post url for pron :mad:
 
At 240 you will be done several hours before your target time. I prefer cooking at 250 (nit) now because I blow through the stall. Before I would spend hours stuck at one temp.. maybe even go down 5-10 degrees. Way better to be done early. Foiled, wrapped in towels and placed in a big Coleman ice chest (no ice) and it will stay hot for at least 4 hours.

But.... I always foil after the bark is firmly developed and the color I want. About 165-175 IT. Hard to the touch and pretty. Tightly wrap in foil with some fluid (beef broth, whatever) in the bottom until probe tender.
 
martyleach said:
At 240 you will be done several hours before your target time. I prefer cooking at 250 (nit) now because I blow through the stall. Before I would spend hours stuck at one temp.. maybe even go down 5-10 degrees. Way better to be done early. Foiled, wrapped in towels and placed in a big Coleman ice chest (no ice) and it will stay hot for at least 4 hours.
Click to expand...

I've experienced that as well. Any reason behind the temp dropping?
 
Update: I think the wsm has a leak or something. around 7hrs in ethe temp spiked like 30 degrees in 5min. I closed all bottom vents yet the temp remained stable. I closed top vent 2/3 and thr temp went down yet its held to 240 for the last hour. Is it normal?
 
30 degrees is nothing to worry about. Don't do anything drastic. As long as temp is 325 or lower, I'd just roll with it.

If the brisket gets done too soon and you don't have an ice chest (who doesn't have an ice chest? lol) You can wrap it up and toss in the oven on "warm" setting till it's time to slice and serve.

I get a chuckle out of people who panic when their smoker temps go above 230 lol.

Oh and a tip I learned from Bludawg, when it probes tender, don't immediately wrap in foil. Let it rest open on the counter for 20-30 minutes then wrap it up. This helps stop carryover temps so it doesn't continue cooking in the foil.

Oh, and don't close down the exhaust too much, it'll ruin your draft and cause creosote buildup on your meat.
 
> I get a chuckle out of people who panic when their smoker temps go above 230 lol.

+1 !!! Me too. However, in the old daze before Al invented the internet, without guidance from an accomplished pitmaster many of us were left to books, and frankly back in them thar daze most books had you come away with "if it's above 225 you're Farking it up", when it's really just the opposite: Under 230+- is crazy low, too low IMHO, make it cook unnecessarily slow, and in some cases really REALLY make the meat dry.

230+; let er rock. As Ropo said, just put 'er in the oven wrapped up, on the lowest setting it'll go, or even off (after you've had it at it's lowest setting).
 
Is it done yet?! Hopefully he didn't fall asleep at the pit!:razz:
 
JS-TX said:
Is it done yet?! Hopefully he didn't fall asleep at the pit!:razz:
Click to expand...


:doh: I fell asleep at around 6 the brisket was 194 int temp at point. Forgot to set the alarm to 205. Woke up at around 8 with probe reading 210:shock:. Let it rest for 3 hrs. End result the ends crumble although I havent sliced the point. Im hoping it isnt dry. Live and learn.
 
I would completely reset your process. I rarely post that, but, you are going about this the hard way. Cook in the 250F range, or where ever your WSM want to cook. It will find it's own place. Don't fight a cooker to achieve a given temperature, find where it is happy and use that spot.

In a large smoker, with a lot of meat, 225F actually works great, and you can turn out some great meat. But, for those of use, cooking usually alone, on a small cooker with one cut of meat in there, 250F or even hotter is the real sweet spot. Plus, you can manage a cook far better for 8 hours than 20 hours.

If you are going to sleep on a long cook, sleep early in the process. I always marvel at the guys who run their cooker, micromanaging the temperatures and process for 12 hours when it doesn't matter, then falling asleep for the last 4 hours, when you really wanted to pay attention.
 
Goyo626 said:
:doh: I fell asleep at around 6 the brisket was 194 int temp at point. Forgot to set the alarm to 205. Woke up at around 8 with probe reading 210:shock:. Let it rest for 3 hrs. End result the ends crumble although I havent sliced the point. Im hoping it isnt dry. Live and learn.
Click to expand...

If the flat wasn't dry the point will not be dry.
 
Goyo626 said:
:doh: I fell asleep at around 6 the brisket was 194 int temp at point. Forgot to set the alarm to 205. Woke up at around 8 with probe reading 210:shock:. Let it rest for 3 hrs. End result the ends crumble although I havent sliced the point. Im hoping it isnt dry. Live and learn.
Click to expand...

If the flat wasn't dry the point will not be dry.

BTW, you could have cooked this hot and merely got up at a reasonable time in the morning and still had it done and resting before 3PM and would not have to worry about loosing sleep or oversleeping and not waking up on time during the cook.:wink:
 
1MoreFord said:
If the flat wasn't dry the point will not be dry.

BTW, you could have cooked this hot and merely got up at a reasonable time in the morning and still had it done and resting before 3PM and would not have to worry about loosing sleep or oversleeping and not waking up on time during the cook.:wink:
Click to expand...


The flat was dry but the point was not. I think ill do a couple more pork shoulders before trying brisket again.
 
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