World's longest brisket cook?

[kfenster]

Inspired by Meathead's Meathead book, I thought I'd try my hand at my first brisket. I set up my Weber Genesis with a couple water pans and a smoke tray and started the a full packer brisket (~14.5lbs, pre-trimming) last night at 9:30pm (after 24 hours of dry brining in the fridge), so the brisket starting temp was about 38 degrees in the thickest part. I didn't use the crutch because I had plenty of time (or so I thought), but it's now 21 hours later and 167 in the thickest part of the point (assuming I've got the flat & point right -- it's 167 in the thickest part of the whole brisket) and 174 in the thickest part of the flat (again, assuming I don't have those backwards).

I've been running at 225 in the grill (you can see the ambient thermometer in the top of the pic below), although I've started to let it drift upward in the 240s/250s in hopes of speeding things up. At this rate, I don't think I'll be at 203 degrees until the wee hours (something like 30 hours in)-- a few more temps below. The meat looks great and smells fabulous, but I think I'm missing something.... I'd appreciate any suggestions.

8:50am: 148
2:11pm: 159
2:51pm: 161
6:30pm: 167

Here's my setup

[LA Pork Butt]

It probably isn't at this point, but start checking for probe tender with something like a thin thermometer probe. It should feel like it is going into a soft stick of butter. You may not need to take it to 203. After you pull it from the grill double wrap in foil and put it in a faux cambro for an hour or two.

[kfenster]

Thanks for the tip. Any opinion on using an (off) oven as a faux cambro?

[tbob4]

I don't see a thermometer at the grate level. Are you sure it's really 225? I'm not seeing any bubbles in the water. When I run my units at a true 225 my water is steaming, bubbling and/or slow rolling. With it going up that slowly but surely, you may not run into a stall. Some would advise you to wrap it now - I would definitely go up in temp on the BBQ. It's looking nice if that's any comfort. Out of curiosity - what is the grade of the meat?

[Steve B]

There is a grate thermometer at the back right, just behind the brisket. But I also don't see any activity in the water tray or any smoke from the wood chips. Maybe It's just the pic not sure. But it does seem like your temps might be to low.
Keep us posted as you can.

[kfenster]

Steve's got it -- the thermometer is in the back right, and it's read 225 (or higher) for the whole cook (but I cranked it higher.)

The meat's USDA Choice, which I got from a local butcher. Since this was a test run, I didn't want to splurge in case the whole thing went off the rails.

[RonB]

That's an awefully long time. I suggest taking the probe out of the meat to check the air probe's accuracy. Have you checked your probes in boiling water and an ice bath? Don't forget that the boiling point decreases with altitude.

[kfenster]

That's a good idea--I just checked that the probes gave right ambient temperature, but after this, I'll try freezing and boiling. Thanks for the tip. (Easy for me, 'cuz I'm right off the coast, so only a couple hundred feet in elevation.)

[lschweig]

You definitely have a low cooker temp issue.

Is the grate thermometer digital or like a oven thermometer? I cannot see any thermometer in the picture.

I suspect you are using the lid thermometer and those are notoriously off by 50 degrees or more and if so will screw your cook time up by a sever amount.

We just need more specific detailed info to help.

[kfenster]

There are a couple digital probes (one ambient, in the top right of the pic) and two others in the meat.

[scottranda]

12 or 21 hours in? Looking at your times, it's not but ~12 hours.

[kfenster]

Started at 9:30 Friday night, so I'm almost at 24 hours.

[LA Pork Butt]

kfenster your oven probably runs at 170 as the lowest temp possible . If you have a probe to test it you can check that, but if you wanted to use the oven I would preheat it to the lowest temp possible, and put you meat in. If you can keep a probe in your meat I would reheat the oven if necessary when the meat temp dropped to 145. Otherwise I would reheat every 45 minutes to an hour.

[kfenster]

Thanks, that's helpful.

[tbob4]

How is it coming along now?

[kfenster]

Just to share a quick update: I cranked up the heat (aiming for 300 now) and I think the setup was okay, but I'm guessing I was measuring the grate temp near what was probably a hot spot on the grill. So, the thickest part of the brisket may have been sittin on a part of the grill 15 (20?) degrees cooler.

I'll also do a more careful calibration of the temp probes before my next cook. (Thanks RonB!)

I've got a couple quick questions if anyone's game for more:
1) Can I use an oven as a faux cambro (assuming it's off)? LA Pork Butt answered this one above, so I'm good here.
2) Steve B commented that he didn't see smoke -- I kinda thought after reading Meathead that maybe I shouldn't expect the smoke to be continuous, but maybe that's wrong? Should I expect to see (some) smoke whenever I open the lid?

Thanks everyone for your help suggestions!

[LA Pork Butt]

I think once you wood has finished smoldering, you won't be seeing very much visible smoke. I am assuming you are using chip in some kind of smoker box or pouch. They don't smoke very long. That's why it is difficult to get much smoke on food with a gasser

[kfenster]

I have a mix of chips in a small foil box (bottom left in the picture) and some chunks I put on the Flavorizer bars. I'd prefer charcoal to gas, but it's soo much easier on cold days to just set it and forget it.

[lschweig]

Yes, to question 1 you can use your oven as a faux cambro, but it is recommended that you have it on at the lowest temp possible. Usually around 170 and leave the meat there after wrapping for 1-2 hours or more after your brisket is probe tender, which is typically around 190-203 or above

[kfenster]

Thanks, lschweig, I'll do that. (My oven claims to go down to 135, so I've got it set for 150, but I'll check the temp with the digital too,

[RonB]

kfenster - keep a probe in the meat and don't let it go below 140* F for safety.

[Steve B]

I see that it looks like you have some grill grates there . Is it possible that they are messing with your temps. If so that would be a big hit to their claims. I just don't know???

[Steve B]

About question #2.
From what I can see your wood chips/chunks were not smoldering (giving off smoke). But you don't want any kind of heavy smoke,just a thin white bluish almost clear kinda smoke. And you don't always need to see tons of smoke every you open the door. Sometimes less is better.