# Is a brisket that stalled at 145 for about eight hours safe?



## PerpetualNewb (Apr 9, 2022)

Hey all, newb here. Been using a kettle and barrel smokers for about  6 months.
So basically I got a new to me used Cookshack sm008. I tested it empty a few times seemed to run hotter than the knob says. Smoked some chicken tenderloins going by my thermpros, came out good. So I figured I'd give a brisket a go overnight. Wanted it real low and slow. I stay up until the cooker hits in the 230s and the meat hits 140. I wanted to try a really long cook at 200 and I figured meat temp would continue to climb.  So I watched it until smoker temp came down to around 203, meat had came up to 141. Seemed to be holding temp.. At this point I'm about 2 hours in, then I fell asleep. 

Woke up about 6 hours later smoker temp is 178 meat is 145.

So I kinda freak out assume something is wrong with my probes, it's not. I just screwed up.

So if I turn up the heat and finish it is this safe to eat? Or should I just use this as a life lesson and pitch it out?

Tldr: I screwed up and didn't get my brisket passed 145 for about 8 hours.  Is it safe to finish cooking?

Thanks for your kind understanding.


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## indaswamp (Apr 9, 2022)

Still safe to eat....as long as you did not puncture with an injection needle.

Whole cuts are assumed to be sterile inside as long as the animal was healthy at time of slaughter. The animals immune system kept the meat clean. The surface will have bacteria, but once you get the surface temp. over about 140 for an hour, the meat surface is pasteurized. Bump the heat and roll on....but if you cook 200-225*F it might take 20 hours to finish.


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## indaswamp (Apr 9, 2022)

And yes, bump the heat 250-260*F....that is what I would do.


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## PerpetualNewb (Apr 9, 2022)

Hey thanks. Only puncture is the temp probe so I guess I'm good. 

 I actually found that pinned post about this right after I posted, tried to cancel my post but couldn't figure it out. I had Google to no avail for about 30 mins.

I have never smoked for that long and was going to see if it would be worth the effort, especially since these electric deals hold temp so easy compared to the kettle.

Thanks again for the reply.


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## SmokinEdge (Apr 9, 2022)

The rule of thumb for food safety and internal temperature is 40F to 140F in 4 hours or less. That is the danger zone. You made that so you are fine to continue cooking. 
Big pieces of meat like brisket or pork shoulder will hit a stall in internal temp rise, usually at around 160F at this point you can wrap the meat in peach paper or foil to push over the stall. If not wrapped it’s a function of time and temperature to get past the stall and get the meat to final IT. The lower the pit temp the longer this process takes. Also meat IT lags behind pit temp 10-20*F so cooking at 225* is the lowest you can go and still hit 205F IT. As has been recommended above, running a pit temp of 250-275*F eliminates a lot of problems and will help give you more consistent results.


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## SmokinAl (Apr 9, 2022)

And take some photo’s so we can see how it turns out!
Al


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## Ringer (Apr 9, 2022)

Pictures please!


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## PerpetualNewb (Apr 10, 2022)

So for a newb experiment in my new to me smokete it came out pretty good.

My wife even said it was one of the best briskets I've done. It's the fifth one, first in the smokette

Details:
Walmart hole brisket, trimmed, mostly the flat
Seasoned with Badia Tropical
Pear wood
Smoked for 20hrs in Cookshack smokette sm008 unwrapped.

After my initial panic this morning I set the cooker in-between 200-225. Is seemed to swing from 207-255 is that normal?

Anyway meat got to 197 probed tender, so turned it down to 175 to let it rest for about an hour.

Everyone said it was good.

I didn't intend to post anything about this experiment, in no way do I claim to be a pitmaster.
And I would have sharpened my knife to present better slices.
I usually use the green sazon Tropical but I ran out, the orange is just as good to me.
I did notice not as much if a smoke ring as with the webber kettle. 










Thanks for all the help and advice.


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## MJB05615 (Apr 10, 2022)

Looks good from here and nice bark.


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## PerpetualNewb (Apr 10, 2022)

Hey thanks. I was surprised about the bark. At least I have a baseline on this smoker now so I can start tweaking my process, using the great advice from yall. Significantly different from the charcoal experience. 


MJB05615 said:


> Looks good from here and nice bark.


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## MJB05615 (Apr 10, 2022)

Brisket is tricky, once you get your methods dialed in, you'll be very happy.  I'd be very happy with yours above already.  So you're way ahead of the curve, if there is a curve, lol.


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## Hijack73 (Apr 10, 2022)

Yum!  It looks like it might have gone a little over but the bark looks absolutely amazing!  Nice job overall!

Tip for Walmart briskets - they sell choice and select.  The selects have BLACK printing on the cryovac (and says select) and the choice ones have BLUE printing (and say choice)

Mine always have them mixed in the meat counter and I have to sort through them.


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## normanaj (Apr 10, 2022)

Looks great from here.


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## bauchjw (Apr 10, 2022)

Great job! Looks awesome!


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