# Brisket getting hot too quickly



## bcuda2002 (May 11, 2014)

I have the weber smokey mountain smoker 18.5 in. I put a brisket on for the first time this morning, it is about an 8 pound brisket. It has only been on about an hour and a half and I'm already reading 145 degrees on my meat thermometer. The grill temperature is at 225 degrees right now but was up to about 250 for a bit before I closed some vents. I have a brand new meat thermometer so I don't think that is it. Any ideas on why it is getting hot so quickly or what to do to save it?


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## dirtsailor2003 (May 11, 2014)

Did you test your new therm in boiling water to make sure it was accurate? Should read 212* or close to 212* in boiling water. If your smoker is running 225-250 that seems a bit fast. I'd test both therms if you can. At least move the meat probe and check the temp in a few spots.


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## wood river bbq (May 11, 2014)

The last brisket I cooked was 6.5lbs and it took 3.5 hours to get to 145F internal. Your grill temp gauge has to be way off. Bi metal gauges are 1800's technology and these types of gauges could be off by 50 degrees plus their location near the top of the dome is incorrect -- you want to know the temperature at grate level not at the top of the dome. I assume your meat thermometer is digital --- if it isn't that's another problem.

You're still OK where you're at as your target temp is about 180F  - 190F so just back off on the heat and try to get to about 225F but unfortunately you have no way of knowing what the real cooking temperature is. I don't cook by time but by internal temperature but cooking by time would average about 1 hour per pound at 250F so if your meat is at 145F, which it probably isn't, it should be about ready to stall. When it stalls you could power through by wrapping it but in your case I wouldn't -- again just keep the fire low and cook it for about 7 hours. Take a slice at the beginning of the 7th hour and see how it looks.

The above is just my opinion and what I'd do if I were in your shoes.


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## timberjet (May 11, 2014)

One trick you might try is using a water pan.since water boils at 212 or so depending on altitude. It is a thermal mass and keeps your temperature more stable and down a bit. And yes check your thermometers.I don't find that it adds any moisture to what you are smoking. But that is subject to debate around here. If you do start with boiling water in there. Then you won't lose time making up lost heat. good luck. timber


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## daveomak (May 11, 2014)

BCuda2002 said:


> I have the weber smokey mountain smoker 18.5 in. I put a brisket on for the first time this morning, it is about an 8 pound brisket. It has only been on about an hour and a half and I'm already reading 145 degrees on my meat thermometer.* The grill temperature is at 225 degrees right now but was up to about 250 for a bit before I closed some vents*. I have a brand new meat thermometer so I don't think that is it. Any ideas on why it is getting hot so quickly or what to do to save it?




The therm that comes with the cooker is not calibrated....  Your cooker could be at 400 deg. F.....   get a new calibrated therm installed in the cooker.....


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## bcuda2002 (May 11, 2014)

I guess I really just needed some a lesson in patience.  I'm running a Maverick 733 with one probe in the brisket and another for the smoker temp and a full water pan.  Its been 4 hours, sitting at 167 internal with the smoker temps staying steady between 219 and 235.  Now that I've got my freak out under control the bark is starting to look nice and I'm thinking about wrapping with foil and spritzing with apple cider vinegar.


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## wood river bbq (May 11, 2014)

Glad it worked out plus you've got the tools (Mavericks) to control your temp. When I wrap I add some beef stock, apple juice, a little dry rub and some white wine. Sometimes I skip the wine and drink it instead!! At 190F to 195F internal I take the meat off and wrap it in a towel which I place in a cooler that I heated with hot water. I let it rest in the cooler for about 1 hour and then slice perpendicular to the grain. Probably other cookers do it differently but that way works for me.

Are you doing burnt ends??


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## bcuda2002 (May 11, 2014)

No burnt ends this time, it was only a half brisket and that piece was already trimmed off at the store.  I ended up pulling it from the smoker at 205 internal (7 hours)  and resting for 2 in its juices.  Good bark (50/50 cracked black pepper and kosher salt), moist meat with a decent smoke ring.  Moral of the story: trust the process.  If the smoker temp is good then the process is working and have faith.  Good dry run for an upcoming party memorial day weekend.


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## miller51 (May 27, 2014)

Had the same problem for my Memorial Day Brisket. Meat temp climbed up on me real quick, to the point I dialed down the smoker temp for fear it was going to be done too soon. I was banking on 7hrs too. Lesson learned, cost me an extra hour due to me messing with the temp. Time and temps are only good for a guide, the feel of the meat is the ultimate test...


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## dreadylock (May 27, 2014)

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## charliebravo (Aug 21, 2014)

Been having the same Issue lately, I use 2 igrill mini's one for ambient and one in the meat....   was smoking a full 14 pound brisket, smoker was running between 200-250 (confirmed temp on the ambient igrill and the smokers gauge),  the meat probe(in the center of the thickest part) read 190d in 5 hours, moved the probe it was basically the same... tried a different thermometer, same thing....  My intuition told me to leave it on...  so I decided to just cook it to time, figuring 1:10 per pound glad I did it came out great, the meat probe got up to 220d and leveled off I just watched it for reference and something similar to this has happened to me the 3 briskets I cooked, I'm stumped.


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## padronman (Aug 22, 2014)




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## daveomak (Aug 22, 2014)

Temperature is not necessarily the guideline for "tender pull apart meat"....   Time is an important consideration....    I have cooked pull apart briskets and butts at 185 deg Internal Temps....   takes up to 24 hours....  they come out moist and very tender....  Oven temps run 210-220 deg...

Sooooo.....  consider time and temp in getting meats to the tenderness you are looking for.....


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## padronman (Aug 22, 2014)

DaveOmak said:


> Temperature is not necessarily the guideline for "tender pull apart meat".... Time is an important consideration.... I have cooked pull apart briskets and butts at 185 deg Internal Temps.... takes up to 24 hours.... they come out moist and very tender.... Oven temps run 210-220 deg...
> 
> Sooooo..... consider time and temp in getting meats to the tenderness you are looking for.....


Right.....and of course the probe test on those briskets!!! 

Scott


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