# Brisket did NOT plateau



## 107 234 guy (Jan 22, 2017)

Good Day All,

Looks like you guys have a great forum community here.

I apologize ahead of time for the redundant question, but I can't seem to find an applicable answer.

2 times now, including Christmas Day 2016, when cooking a brisket, the cook time was significantly quicker the anticipated.  Watching the graphed temperature afterwards, there was not a plateauing while cooking.  Any reason as to why this happened?

Here are the elements to consider:

1)  11.5 lbs of brisket

2)  Traeger Lil' Tex grill @ 250 degrees F (Digital Thermostat Installed) for a grill temp

3)  Tappecue digital thermometer used with 2 probes

4)  I had planned on taking the internal to 203 degrees F and checking for tenderness

5)  Started the process at 1900 in the evening to cook all through the night and into the next day (planned 1.25 hours per pound)

6)  0600 the following morning the temperatures read 209 degrees F

7)  OAT that evening was 7 degrees F

8)  I utilized the Traeger Insulation Blanket for the colder night

9)  I did not wrap the meat in foil or butcher paper doing the cooking process

10)  I did apply mop sauce every hour for the first three hours  

11)  I did not open the lid again between last mop sauce application and waking up to take the meat off the grill at 0600

Any other information that I missed and is needed to help in this would I can provide...if known.  :-)

Thank All!


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## b-one (Jan 22, 2017)

It just happens sometimes. My brisket today was a PITA,never really had it happen before.


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## SmokinAl (Jan 23, 2017)

As said above, sometimes that happens.

The next one may stall for hours!

I run my pit at 270-280 & never really get any stalls at that temp.

Al


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## crummyboy (Jan 23, 2017)

I'm also new to the smoking game. I have a Traeger Pro 22 and have made two packer briskets so far, with similar procedure to what you listed minus the mopping. First time I went naked the whole way and the second time I foiled it with some liquid at 170. I didn't hit a plateau on either occasion resulting in a faster cook time than anticipated. Easily under an hour a pound each time. I'm starting to think that its just the way the traeger cooks. Will know better after a few more cooks.


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## 107 234 guy (Feb 1, 2017)

Thanks for all of the insight guys. Right now I've completed 4 briskets right now on the Traeger and 50% of them did not plateau.

I tend to be a systematic thinker, not very intuitive, so when I get home next time, I'll try and see if there are any variables that I missed.

A consideration, would fat content play a significant factor in the lack of plateau?

Thanks again guys!  I'm really enjoying the feedback.


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## rogerwilco (Feb 1, 2017)

Fat content can be a factor because the meat will only experience a plateau if in-environment BTUs are having to convert moisture (of which fat is a constituent element) to vapor. If the available BTUs are being mostly used during this conversion process, they won't be available to continue elevating the temperature of the meat.

 This process occurs much more at lower, rather than higher, temperatures. Throw that brisket into a 500°F cook chamber and there will never be a stall lasting more than two seconds!


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## 107 234 guy (Feb 1, 2017)

Outstanding!!!  Thanks for this.  Pardon the pun, but I'll chew on the for awhile.

Thank You Very Much!


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## crankybuzzard (Feb 1, 2017)

I've found that briskets are like people, about the time you think you have them figured out, they do something crazy!

Most all meats will throw you a curve at some point, your next 3 briskets may stall for 3 hours.  As stated above, they are all different.


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## donr (Feb 2, 2017)

What do you do to the meat before it goes onto the smoker?


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## 107 234 guy (Feb 2, 2017)

I took the raw meat out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to putting it on the grill and applied the follow ingredients as a rub:

Traeger Prime Rib Rub (I know, not very custom...but tastes good!)

Ground Coffee

Thanks


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## tctoland (Feb 18, 2017)

​I've cooked maybe 1/2 dozen briskets over the last several months, everything from an 16 lb full packer to a 8lb flat and NOT ONE of them hit a stall or took the amount of time I thought they would. Like you, drives me nuts!! Only thing I have come up with is the better the marbeling the faster the cook, and every brisket is different!!


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