Smoking Brisket Question

[BIGSARGE]

Can anyone fill me in on this?

I smoked a 5-6 pound brisket for 12 hours in my CXLD today. I was trying to get it up to 195 degrees but it never got past 165.

I was using one burner and 2oz of Hickory wood on a middle rack inside of the Smokin Tex. I inserted a thermometer probe through the smoke-hole and inserted it into the meat at the beginning. The brisket got up to 120 in about 2hrs or so. At 6 hrs it reached 120. At 10 hrs it was at about 160 and it simply went up and down a degree or two from that point on.

At 12 hrs I got concerned and pulled it and checked it with another rapid read probe thermometer and it read the same temp. I poked it in several different directions using the same hole.

I figured it wasn't going to get any higher so I cut it in half (got a pic but can't get it to post) and it looked great. No Ring since I didn't put any charcoal in it but good nonetheless.

Taste was great!!! Wasn't tough either. Not melt in your mouth like I wanted since that's one of my signature meats, but great anyway.

Is the meat capable of reaching 200 degrees in the CXLD or will it simply plateau and remain at a constant temp for hours at a time.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks. . .

BIG Sarge

[Wheelz]

Sarge -- This is common on every brisket smoke. It's called "entering the plateau." From about 160* thru 175*-180* or so is a point where the fat and collagen begin to break down. It's not uncommon for it to take 3-5 hours to break thru the plateau. Not to worry as this is where tenderness comes in. Let your smoker do its thing while you relax.

Let it ride up to about 195*. At some point near this temp, take your probe and poke around your brisket (BTW - a "brisket at that weight was not a "brisket" - it was a brisket flat). Your probe should go thru like a knife thru butter.

Take it out, wrap in foil, then wrap in a towel or two and toss it in a cooler for an hour or two & let it rest. It will still be hot when you get it out to slice.

Slice that puppy across the grain with your sharp knife at a 45* angle to your cutting surface. Good eats!

One more thing that makes for good brisket: If at all possible purchase a "choice" graded brisket. "Select" grade are much tougher and difficult to get tender.

Hope this helps a little...:D

PS Because briskets usually take so long, I usually start mine the night before. Set the temp to about 180*-200* and crank it up to 225* when you get up the next morning.

[Herman]

Bigsarge
I only use the one burner function if I am holding meat at temp for later use.When cooking I always use both burners to make sure it gets up to box temp I need.
I put packer briskets on at 9PM at 225 and check back at 7 AM and raise temp to 250 and foil the brisket and place in pan to catch juices. Usually around 195 meat temp at 10 AM- tender and delicious. I'm cooking on a 1500 cxld.

Herman

[BIGSARGE]

Thanks for the reply!

I was beginning to think nobody read my post except the Admin. I've never had one plateau like that for so long and it was my first time using the cxld. However, I'm gonna throw two flats on there this weekend and try both ways suggested here (wrap in foil, towel, and cooler after cooking: and wrap in foil about midway through cooking and finish off in a pan to catch juices). Having those juices is critical for my briskets since they get to marinate in them while sitting in the warming unit waiting to be sold.

Appreciate the response guys and I will let you all know how they come out.

I'm also going to attempt a smoker full of babybacks soon. I've seen responses say I should rotate top and bottom racks, while others say just leave em be. Worried about this one since I don't want to have them oversmoked.

Got my fingers crossed.

BIG Sarge