What happened

[smokedady]

Put brisket on for a 16 hr smoke brisket was 14 lbs for smoking came of the smoker after 16.5 hrs
Pit temp stayed right at 225 surged to 270 once dropped back to 225
after the 16.5 internal temp reached 195
What happened was brisket came out dry and over cooked held in cooler for an hr smoker on wsm with cyberq temp controller and there insulator blanket

smoking for years worst peace of meat ever to come of my smoker

[Huskee]

Could just be a bad hunk of tough ol' cow. What grade was it? 16 hrs seems a long time to me. I'm usually 10hrs at 225-240 (12 hrs if it's over 16lbs) , plus a 2hr faux cambro hold. Might be a chance that one was fatty enough that it just didn't need that much time, or the opposite- it was low grade and needed more time and a higher temp.

Every once in a while I get a brisket that's just not as good as the others...usually it's when I have guests over.... chalk it up to random tough beef.

[RonB]

Did you cook for a specific time? Every hunk o' meat is different and cooks differently, so you need to cook until it's probe tender. That can happen anywhere from the low 190s to well over 200*. I normally start probing around 195*, but if your's was overcooked at 195*, I may have to start probing around 190*.

Of course, it could have just been the meat itself...

[DWCowles]

I’m like Huskee I’ve never smoked a brisket over 12 hrs.

[LA Pork Butt]

Question? If it wasn’t prime or choice, but select, that explains it.