Long time Porker, first time brisket, Q about Temps

[thelists]

Tried my hand at a brisket earlier this morning.  I picked up a ~20 lb. brisket, pulled it from the bridge, added a dry-rub and tossed it on the smoker (I'm using the char-grill model from a prominent hardware store that I've seen a number of folks here using).

The heat never dropped below 200F in the coolest part of the smoker (hacked up wireless digital thermometer read and recorded by a PC), however it took almost 7 hours for the thickest part of the brisket to reach a temperature above 140F.  It wasn't frozen, but was taken directly from the fridge to the smoker.

So, my question is this:  Is it safe to eat at this point?  I haven't given up on it -- at least, not until all of you fine folks tell me I'd be crazy to try it. ;-)  It's in the oven at 225F awaiting its fate...

 

[eman]

I havn't taken the FDA food course But The way i understand it is that if the brisket is intact . Then only the outside 1/2" has to make it to 140°.

 Hopefully someone w/ a little more knowledge than i have will chime in.

 

[thelists]

The internet doesn't seem to have decisive information one way or the other -- which was why I was hoping to find out from fellow Q'ers if they would still eat it.

If your brisket took nearly 7 hours to reach the 140 threshold, SMF, would YOU eat it?

 

[Bearcarver]

When did you put the meat probe in it?

If it was right when you put the meat in, I would not want to eat it, because that would default you back to getting from 40˚ to 140˚ in no more than 4 hours (Danger Zone).

If it was at 230˚ for at least an hour before you punctured it with a temp probe, injection needle, or anything else, you may be OK.

Any more I wait until at least 3 hours at 225˚ of  230˚ before probing, and I don't inject.

Bear

 

[thelists]

I didn't puncture the meat until 5 hours in.  No injection, just dry rub, and when I put the meat in, I opened the air intake to 100% and added some extra charcoal to compensate for the cold meat.

I just don't recall the pork butts ever taking that long... Usually after 5 hrs, which is when I usually put the probe in, I'm 150-160ish.

 

[bmudd14474]

They are different beast. As long as you didnt probe it then only the outside 1/2" has to be above 140 and at 5 hours I would be that it was.

 

[thelists]

Thanks again everyone for the input.  It just hit 199 in the oven.  Pulled, wrapped, and waiting.  Smells awesome.

 

[Bearcarver]

Sounds like you did almost everything right !

However they are not really safe to eat until after you take the pictures that you post on this forum later. 

Bear

 

[mballi3011]

Now the Bear Dude has a point. You really shouldn't eat any meat off the smoker or grill till you let it rest for at least 20 minutes or so. Plenty of time for the proper photos to be taken. That will give the juices plenty of time to recirculate back into the meat. How's that for an explanation.