Brisket Question - It's On the Smoker Now

[Dewesq55]

Mates:

I have a prime full packer 9 lbs trimmed weight. It's been on the pit for not quite 2 hours with the pit temp holding fairly well between 250° and 260°F. According to my Fireboard probe, the IT in the center of the flat is already 145°F. Does that seem right to you? Is there possibly an issue with my probe placement? Thoughts? Suggestions?

[holehogg]

Sure are busy around the cookers this weekend working off the sushi☺

[Ahumadora]

Just keep chugging along. If it is done early just wrap and keep it at about 140f

[Dewesq55]

Thanks.

[jfmorris]

Be sure you are measuring the thickest part of the flat - I am not sure when you say mid point if that is vertical (thickness) or lengthwise. On a full packer, I always put the probe in the thickest part of the flat, and if I monitor there, everything comes out great.

[Skip]

IMO probe placement is huge. Any time I use more than one probe it's proven to me. I would try probing in a few different spots to be sure you're getting an accurate middle of the road reading. Good luck, it will be wonderful!

[Dewesq55]

Following your advice, Skip, I stuck a second probe in and it's about 5° cooler than the first one. Thanks.

[RonB]

I normally will insert the probe in the meat and let it cook until the internal temp has risen a bit. Then I will move the probe around until I find the lowest temp. That should be the center. And if I think something is cooking too fast, I will check probe placement again.

[Huskee]

I've had 2 briskets that I can remember ready for wrapping (nearly out of the stall) in ~3-4hrs. Usually for me it's ~7-8hrs. So yes, it happens. Don't fret. Take a deep breath, tell yourself "it's only meat, everyone cooks these and "too slow" or "too fast" is only in my head."

[Dewesq55]

Thanks Huskee. I am determined that this one will turn out good so everything is messing with my head.

[Huskee]

Dewesq55 I remember freaking out when it happened to me. All turned out well, just quicker than I'd imagined. And I swear my next brisket took 15hrs instead of my usual 12. Things seem to balance out.

[Red Man]

Before the stall different points in the meat can be very different temps. As it gets closer to being finished the temps will even out a bit. I don’t worry too much about getting the probe in the coolest spot unless I’m cooking to medium rare. For low and slow your cooking to probe tender, not temp. Think of the temp probe as just a guide on when to check if it’s ready to wrap and/or if it’s probe tender. If when you check it you discover that the probe is in a bad place you can always move it.

[grantgallagher]

I usually find the temp shoots up pretty quickly in the first 3 hours or so then it stalls and doesnt move for a millenia. I wouldnt worry.

[Mudkat]

What grantgallagher said. Oh and everone else too. It'll be great!

[Loren]

I agreed with everyone too, and when I have done have cooked smaller briskets they definitely will heat up to the stall much faster then I am used to (usually I get ~16# packers from work).


But...this thread needs more gratuitous pictures of said brisket, probes, and cooker

[Dewesq55]

Loren Pics are in this thread https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...isket-question