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Does elevation and humidity matter for a pellet grill? VERY hard fat cap (brisket).

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    Does elevation and humidity matter for a pellet grill? VERY hard fat cap (brisket).

    So this is my 2nd time doing a brisket on a pellet grill.

    12 lb choice before trim

    This is on a grilla silverbac

    Here is my tappecue chart:




    I had it at 225, then wrapped it in butcher paper, bumped it to 275

    Fat cap was down the whole time.

    When it hit the stall at 150ish (6 hours into it?), the fat cap already felt like it was starting to get pretty hard.

    After I wrapped it and put it back on and pulled it around 196-197, the butcher paper was basically melted onto the fat cap and was very hard. Could not separate some of the paper and the fat cap and most of the fat cap just got stuck to the paper and the rest of the beef got pulled off from the fat cap when trying to separate it.

    My elevation is very high (7200 ft, Santa Fe, NM) and the humidity is VERY low. Would this be causing the problem? Would a water pan inside help it? Also, it seems to go VERY slowly after hitting 195; i feel that bringing it up to even 203 would be an extra 6 hours. There has to be some trick to this because I believe I am doing everything else correctly.

    Thank you.
    Last edited by FlipprDolphin; February 6, 2019, 08:49 AM.

    #2
    I have no experience at your elevation, nor do I have experience using butcher's paper. But pulling it at ~ 195* was probably too soon unless it was a wagyu. Protein is done when it's done. For a brisket, that's normally around 203*, but can vary a bit. You did not mention the total cook time or the size of the brisket, (was it whole, a flat or a point?). A whole packer can easily take 10 to 15 hours or more at lower elevations

    Have you checked your thermometer's probes in boiling water, and where was the ambient probe in relation to the brisket? They should read very close to the boiling point for water at your elevation. It should be at grate level and several inches from the meat.

    Others with high elevation experience will check in soon.

    Comment


    • FlipprDolphin
      FlipprDolphin commented
      Editing a comment
      Ah, it was a 12 lb choice packer before trim. I thought the image I posted had the times, but it was around a 13 hr cook. Probes are on point with boiling water and was probed in a thick part of the flat. Last time I did a brisket it seemed to also get almost a flat line after 197ish

    #3
    I'm at 4000' and briskets rarely go over 10 hrs, often less, in my pellet pooper. I run 250-275, unwrapped, un-spritzed, and no water pan the whole way. I don't peek until IT hits 195 then I start checking for probe tender (regardless of IT) until done. You got some pretty rare air up there, but I think the effects are marginal when it comes to cooking meat. Time, temperature and the idiosyncrasies of the hunk 'o flesh are the main components.

    Comment


    • Troutman
      Troutman commented
      Editing a comment
      So my question then to you Captain, do you get dizzy at those heights? Is that what's wrong with you?

    • FireMan
      FireMan commented
      Editing a comment
      No, he doesn’t get dizzy. He has that big blue glass to steady him.

    #4
    I have no idea or comment, sorry. I live about 50' above sea level.

    Comment


    • CaptainMike
      CaptainMike commented
      Editing a comment
      Man, how are you guys even able to move around with all of that air sitting on top of you? Ya'll must have sooper hooman strenth!

    • Troutman
      Troutman commented
      Editing a comment
      You know when I was a kid, my folks brought us camping in Colorado. First night we camped at the base of the foothills around Boulder. The next day I get up and cried, "I'm going mountain climbing" and I ran up the first hill in sight full speed. Little did I realize I was at about 7000' and literally did a face plant and passed out. You're right, I'm used to oxygen saturation for sure !!

    #5
    I use a pellet smoker (Original Grilla) near Denver (6300 ft and very low humidity) and spritz with water (no water pan) every 30 minutes. Water boils here at 200 F (and at around 198.5 where you are) and there are some folks here in the Pit that believe you can't get meat up to a temperature greater than water's boiling point until it's fully dried out. Since the water in meat isn't pure, I'm not sure that's correct ... but because we're not too fond of brisket in my household, it's kind of a moot point for me because I just don't cook them.

    Even if it is correct, you should be able to eventually get the collagen, fat, and connective tissue to render by holding your brisket at a temperature below the sea level boiling point for a longer time than "normal" ... much like the way sous-vide works. Personally, I'd suggest wrapping with foil instead of paper to minimize evaporation during the longer time ... perhaps even adding a bit of liquid, too.

    Comment


    • FlipprDolphin
      FlipprDolphin commented
      Editing a comment
      That's my next test, with foil. Brisket was on sale for 1.86 a lb, so I grabbed one more to freeze yesterday

    • bten
      bten commented
      Editing a comment
      Even way down here in the Houston area at about 60 ft above seal level, I inject my brisket with beef broth (and some garlic and onion juice). I think it helps to keep it moist. When I wrap, I put any left over spritz solution in the foil as well.

    • Fire Art
      Fire Art commented
      Editing a comment
      Not a brisket lover either but then I have never ate a good one

    #6
    Can’t help with high altitudes. Will also admit to having cooked only a handful of briskets, however, I have found a few truisms.

    1. Prime seems to hold up much better than choice and the flats have been significantly more moist even with injections on the Primes.

    2. I inject all my briskets as they are more moist by far than the non-injected.

    3. I will trade bark for a more juicy brisket every time so I wrap in foil after they hit the stall.

    4. Resting in a faux cambro/real cambro is essential.

    Keep grinding - you’ll figure it out.

    Comment


      #7
      Weird that the paper and meat bonded. Maybe you grabbed fly paper by accident?

      Comment


        #8
        I think you didn't trim enough hard fat in the beginning, and possibly wrapped too soon. Don't feel like you have to leave so much exterior fat to preserve moisture. The intramuscular fat is where it's at.

        Comment


          #9
          This low country gal cooked a contest in Alamosa, CO last year. I studied upon altitude cooking quite a bit -- it didn't help! Someday, I'll do it again. I adjusted my cooking times up and my temp down on the Cimarron Pellet. I should have stuck with my normal (pre lowering exhaust stack) temp. Even with longer cook times, brisket just wasn't done. I don't understand the fat sticking to paper, but foil may be a better choice for you. I trim all fat off the top of the flat and leave 1/4 inch on the bottom. I also remove the point completely.

          Comment

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