# Brisket problem: temp drop



## dap9 (Oct 21, 2017)

Using a WSM 22.5”. Cooking at 250  Fahrenheit 

I got a 14lb packer and separated the point and flat prior to cooking. Never did that before, but I think I did a decent job. I’m done my burnt ends based on a recipe from HowtoBBQright and I think that will be perfect. 

My issue is with the flat... I put both on at 3am. (The point is done and burnt ends came out great). Wrapped the flat at 8am. It was about 170 before wrapping. Wanted to get it to 200. I wrapped it in parchment paper. It got to about 191 internal temp around 10:30/11:00 when the WSM dropped temps to 200. Took a bit to get more fuel going and the brisket dropped down to 180 in the process. At noon I added ribs and the brisket went down to 170. It’s now 1:15 and the flat is at 178. 

Did I screw this up?


----------



## bregent (Oct 21, 2017)

Don't worry about the internal temp. Just cook until it is probe tender. When you cook cuts like brisket at low temp, they take longer and will finish at a lower temp than if cooked at higher temp. It may even be done now.


----------



## noboundaries (Oct 21, 2017)

There are two basic things folks need to understand on the long smoke meats (butts, briskets, clods, etc).

1. Meat is a muscle, and even though it is no longer attached to the animal, it still acts like a muscle.  It will "sweat" in a high temp environment, called the stall, and it can stall several times as the internal temp of the meat rises.  
2. Meat also acts like a heat sponge.  You'll see the term "heat sink" applied to meat, water, sand, anything you put in a smoker that absorbs heat.  35F cold meat will absorb a lot more heat in a 250F smoker than 180F meat will absorb in a 250F smoker.  Stalls and chemical processes aside, to keep meat absorbing heat and cooking more quickly, it usually works best if you increase the chamber temp after the stall to increase the temp difference between the meat and the chamber so the meat can continue to absorb heat.

In the OP's post, the chamber temp dropped to 200F when the meat was at 191F. Even though the meat was still below the 200F chamber temp, the meat is going to seek equilibrium due to the chemical processes that are happening in the muscle as water is expired and collagen melts.  It takes heat energy for those processes to occur. When there's not enough heat energy available, the meat temp is going to drop as it uses up available energy melting the collagen and sweating.

Now, slap on more heat sinks (cold ribs), and the energy available to the brisket just dropped.  As the ribs absorb heat, and their temp rises, the brisket can begin absorbing heat again as the chamber temp rises.

Collagen, the stuff that makes brisket both tough and dry when not melted, then tender and juicy when it melts, melts in a smoker above 160-170F chamber temp.  The longer the meat is above this temp, the greater chance it has of being juicy and tender.  Your 200F target temp for the brisket is probably out the window at this point.  Probe the meat for tenderness.  When the probe slides in easily, it is done.


----------



## dap9 (Oct 22, 2017)

Thanks guys. I appreciate the responses and noboundaries’ dissertation. The brisket did get to 200 so I pulled it. It was pretty tender, but it could have been slightly more so. It seemed to pass the fold and pull test. This was the first time I wrapped in parchment paper (used foil last two times). The meat seemed a little less moist this time - possibly due to the parchment paper?  I think I should have wrapped it at 4 hours, not 5 b/c the bark got pretty dark as you’ll see in the pics. Overall, though, it was a success and everyone was pleased. Especially with the burnt ends.  Thanks again.


----------

