# OK, So it's been 15 hours and my brisket is only at 165 degrees??? What gives???



## jstanford (Sep 10, 2010)

New Propane smoker, dead set at 225, yes, I checked with three different thermometers. First off, I'm not complaining here, low and slow is the key but I have NEVER had one take this long, Could it be because of the accurate 225 throughout the smoke?? In the past, I have done my best to get to 225 for a prolonged time with my charcoal smoker but had a tuff time usually. I can't think its the plateau, Maybe it is. Should I just let her sit till the magic 185?? Thanks in advance


----------



## jirodriguez (Sep 10, 2010)

Try re-probing the meat, you might be in a fat or gristle pocket, it that checks out, then I would just let it go till it hits your 185° target.


----------



## 2bears (Sep 10, 2010)

Did you foil it?


----------



## athabaskar (Sep 10, 2010)

Patience. It will get there. How much does it weigh? Was it room temp when you put it in, or still chilled? Has the smoker been opened often? What model of smoker is it?

15 hours is a long time, but 165 is a typical plateau temp. Hang in there. When it breaks it will go pretty quickly.

Don't forget to go to the roll call thread and introduce yourself.


----------



## jstanford (Sep 10, 2010)

Never thought of that! Yikes, I'm at work and the meats at home, Hopefully it's not that, This brisket looks so darn good. Is it possible for it to take this long? Now i'm scared about the pocket thing, I don't want to ruin this pristine piece of beef....Thanks for the heads up, I'm a newbie but want to really do this right.


----------



## jstanford (Sep 10, 2010)

No foil, Yikes


----------



## jirodriguez (Sep 10, 2010)

Most briskets run between 12-16 hrs., but there are some that can go much longer if you hit a really wicked stall. Where is the meat probe located - in the flat or in the point?


----------



## jstanford (Sep 10, 2010)

I was going to pull it off at 185 and wrap in foil and put in my cooler to sit for a couple hours, seems to be the concensus among my peers.


----------



## jstanford (Sep 10, 2010)

probe is in the flat, was slightly chilled when put in smoker, doors not opened often


----------



## mballi3011 (Sep 10, 2010)

I would also recommand to re-locate the probe and if you can have someone check the thermo-meters for correctness too. I have had them take a really longtime but it should be higher then 165°.


----------



## meateater (Sep 10, 2010)

Sounds like you have the therms on track. I don't know how big that brisket is but sounds like the stall to me. I say grab a cold beverage and ride it out. Keep notes of your smoke jobs and you will be able to predict smoking times with various meats with your smoker. Don't forget the qview, we like that around here.


----------



## dforbes (Sep 10, 2010)

7 hours ago, lets here the rest of the story?


----------



## jstanford (Sep 11, 2010)

took it off the smoker at 9:00pm (central) so it had a 25 hour smoke! The propane smoker kept dead on 225 and only varied as the wood was really smoking and on fire....Pulling it off the rack it broke right in half, don't know if I dried it out or that's what it should do so I tight wrapped it in foil, placed it in the cooler for another 2 hours and after work today will be the big test. After I pulled it off the rack and it broke, I tried a little piece and it was VERY tender and had a great thick bark on it (I used Jeff's rub) I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one. I have to say that if it wasn't for this site and people like you guys, I would have never thought someone like me could put out good BBQ. The enjoyment on peoples faces and the "wow's" and "yummms" you hear make it all worth it. No more store bought Q for me....


----------



## dick foster (Sep 11, 2010)

It happens. Sometimes, like maybe even next time, it could go just the other way and get done way before you expect it to.

It's the luck of the draw more than anything else. Like one other person said you might try reprobing it if you're getting that impatient. Just be aware that every time you open the smoker to mess with it, it will take just that much more time to get to where you want it to be. When you're lookin you ain't cookin.


----------



## jstanford (Sep 13, 2010)

Well, took it out of the cooler, eyes bright with excitement....... DRY! It pulled like a 215 degree pork..... Tasted good but very dry, I cut with the grain and did the best I could, fell apart right in front of me


----------



## dick foster (Sep 13, 2010)

You're supposed to slice against the grain like sliceing the end off of a log.


----------



## pignit (Sep 13, 2010)

I can't imagine smoking something for 25 hours and it not being dry or the texture turn to grain. I'll probably catch flack here and I don't fault anyone for the method they choose... but if I have a piece of meat in the smoker for 12 to 14 hours and it's not done... it's going in the oven wrapped in foil at 325 until it hits the internal temp I'm lookin for. I've done this and I didn't have a bit of problem with the taste or tenderness and everyone ate on time. If I were you I would be triple checkin all my therms... the one your using for smoker temp and the one your using for internal. If that all checks out..... you may have got one of those pieces of meat that just won't get done. Seen them before. Sounds like your gonna need to do another one now.


----------



## finch12 (Sep 13, 2010)

I just did a 10 lb pork butt roast that took 23 hrs. Was it ever great ! Just hang in there.... if everything is verified ok then just keep smok'n


----------



## jstanford (Sep 13, 2010)

I thought if it was dry that you were supposed to cut with the grain instead ??


----------



## pignit (Sep 13, 2010)

JStanford said:


> I thought if it was dry that you were supposed to cut with the grain instead ??


I never heard of that... I always cut a piece of meat against the grain except when I make jerky. Tough meat should always be cut across the grain... and it just makes tender meat more tender to cut across the grain.


----------



## dick foster (Sep 13, 2010)

Dayum now that is indeed a long long time. What temp were you cooking at?


----------



## jstanford (Sep 15, 2010)

dead set at 225-230


----------



## dick foster (Sep 15, 2010)

It was indeed a tough piece of meat. Was it cut from beef cattle or from a dinosaur?


----------



## artgei1 (Sep 15, 2010)

what is the temp in your smoker?  I did a 10# last weekend and in 8 hours  was at 165, then wrapped it in foil, and went another 3 until it got till 195 degrees  - I use a trager wood pellet and both the trager and the Maverick showed 225 the whole way - Maybe your temperature is alot lower than you think!


----------



## jstanford (Sep 15, 2010)

The culprit I think is maybe the fact that I did not wrap it in foil! I checked the temp with different thermometers and they all read with a degree or two at 225, I am going to try another one with all the ideas I got from this site and hope for the best, it took me a few tries on my pulled pork also but I have it down now..... It's the newbie in me


----------



## pignit (Sep 15, 2010)

The foil wouldn't make it come to temp any faster. It could have something to do with your dryness. Make sure and check your grate temp... the temp right where the meat is sitting. Something is tellin me your not smoking as hot as you think you are. Especially if you do it again with the same results... you may pick up a piece of meat everynow and then that refuses to reach an internal temp you want but not that often. I ran into one of those one time and it was wierd. Just wouldn't get done. Just make sure your checking your smoking temp at the grate where the meat is. Good luck.


----------



## jstanford (Sep 15, 2010)

Thanks! I will crack a cold beer, pull up a chair and try it again, at least I got to eat off it for a while..... Dry or not, Still tasted good


----------



## jirodriguez (Sep 15, 2010)

Dick Foster said:


> It was indeed a tough piece of meat. Was it cut from beef cattle or from a dinosaur?


..... more like shoe leather! lol


 


JStanford said:


> Thanks! I will crack a cold beer, pull up a chair and try it again, at least I got to eat off it for a while..... Dry or not, Still tasted good


That is the beuty of this "addiction", you can eat your failures, and each failure gives you an excuse to try it again! (talk about self fulfilling prophecy... lol)


----------

