BRADLEY SMOKER | "Taste the Great Outdoors"

Smoking Techniques => Hot Smoking and Barbecuing => Topic started by: ThorJeep on September 23, 2009, 09:15:58 AM

Title: Help!!
Post by: ThorJeep on September 23, 2009, 09:15:58 AM
Ok, put in a brisket and 2 butts in last night at 9pm, smoke for 6hrs, 220deg. At 5am, the brisket was 140, I changed the water and went back to sleep and forgot to extend the heater time. Well the heater turned off at some time. My brisket says 140 now and the pork is at 120the oven was at 90. I assume the heater was off for 2 hrs. I have the heater at 230 now, am I going to have tough meat? the pork and brisket do not seem cooked at all.

Can it be saved?

Thanks!!
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: KyNola on September 23, 2009, 09:36:07 AM
Thor,
I think you're OK.  My primary concern would have been the "uncooked" meat exposed to low temps and the things that can grow but the saving factor there is the smoke itself is a slight deterrent to things growing and you said you put 6 hours of smoke on them.

One thing you might try is to wrap the butt and the brisket in foil, thereby letting them use their own steam to tenderize if you're concerned about toughness but I think you'll be OK.

Folks more knowledgeable will be along soon to correct my errors.

KyNola
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: ArnieM on September 23, 2009, 10:31:30 AM
TJ,

I agree with Ky.  You could also wrap them in foil and finish them in a slow oven.  Just because you smoked 'em in the Bradley, you don't have to keep cooking 'em there.  If your oven doesn't like to control well at 220 or so, then just keep 'em in the Bradley to get the IT you're looking for.
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: NePaSmoKer on September 23, 2009, 10:39:59 AM
Your fine. Boat and cover with foil, bump the heat up and let em get to temp.


nepas
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: ThorJeep on September 23, 2009, 10:42:08 AM
Thanks Guys. I think I am just going to keep some boiling water in the pan, get both to 170-180 and try to keep them there for a little while until about 185, then FTC for at least 2 hrs.
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: Ka Honu on September 23, 2009, 10:55:36 AM
Quick!  Before it gets any worse, overnight the meat to me and I'll save it!
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: Caneyscud on September 23, 2009, 11:30:15 AM
All that happened is that your cook will be 2 hours longer.  Remember, when its done, we like pics!
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: ThorJeep on September 23, 2009, 04:43:16 PM
Actually it was more like 6 additional hours, the brisket was at 185 and pork at 160, seems a little tough, hopefully a little FTC will help.
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: HawkeyeSmokes on September 23, 2009, 04:56:47 PM
Thor, the temp on the pork is pretty low. Should be closer to 190. As for the brisket, make sure it's sliced across the grain. Sliced with the grain will cause it to be tough and stringy.
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: ArnieM on September 23, 2009, 05:09:17 PM
I agree with HS; I find myself doing that a lot.  :)

Yup, up the temp on the pork.  If it's beginning to look like a very large lump of charcoal, pull it, foil it and put it back in.

Brisket never dies.  As HS said, make sure you're cutting across the grain.  But, if it's still stringy and falls apart, chop it all up, add your favorite BBQ sauce, put it on a bun.  There you have BBQ beef sandwiches. :P
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: ThorJeep on September 23, 2009, 05:11:52 PM
you are right, cut open one of the shoulders and it was a little undercooked, so going to put them in foil in the convection at 300 for a 1.5hrs and see whare we are at then. Ughh!
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: ArnieM on September 23, 2009, 05:20:28 PM
TJ,

Personally, I'd kill the convection and just go with 'bake' and even go lower than 300 if you can.  Convection is good for roasts.  Remember, this is supposed to be Low and Slow.
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: HawkeyeSmokes on September 23, 2009, 05:29:20 PM
Arnie is right Thor. Drop that temp down, I would go to 220 or 230 if you can. The waiting is tough, but the results are so good. Good luck with it.
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: Ka Honu on September 23, 2009, 07:14:26 PM
Quote from: Ka Honu on September 23, 2009, 10:55:36 AMQuick!  Before it gets any worse, overnight the meat to me and I'll save it!

Offer still in effect.  No tax dollars involved in this "stimulus plan!"
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: ArnieM on September 23, 2009, 07:17:32 PM
Gee KH, maybe if you offered to pay shipping on a slow boat ...
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: Ka Honu on September 23, 2009, 07:20:48 PM
C'mon Arnie - Don't make me look bad; I'm working here.
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: ThorJeep on September 24, 2009, 12:39:58 AM
It came out great (180deg), thanks for the save guys. As I cannot afford to ship samples to all of you, I will just have to share pic goodness!

(http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs206.snc1/7332_101030603248938_100000259954417_25523_2968253_n.jpg)

(http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs206.snc1/7332_101030463248952_100000259954417_25516_7416453_n.jpg)

(http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs226.snc1/7332_101030469915618_100000259954417_25518_7615795_n.jpg)

(http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs206.snc1/7332_101030456582286_100000259954417_25514_5149427_n.jpg)

(http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs206.snc1/7332_101030466582285_100000259954417_25517_6452633_n.jpg)

BTW: The Balsamic BBQ sauce is 'da bomb' with pulled pork, hands down.

Thanks again for the help!!
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: classicrockgriller on September 24, 2009, 01:21:02 AM
ThorJeep, great recovery and nice finished meats. We all learn something every smoke. Wecome to the forum and thanks for pic post.
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: HawkeyeSmokes on September 24, 2009, 02:52:23 AM
Glad to hear it came out great for you Thor. Looks excellent!!  ;D
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: ArnieM on September 24, 2009, 07:14:16 AM
Looks good Thor.  Keep a log of what you did.  It's good to document the successes and the failures.
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: OU812 on September 24, 2009, 07:27:52 AM
I bet you will never forget to reset your timer again  ;D

Glad to here that you got every thing to work out in the end, nice thing about smoking is that even our mistakes taste good, may be not what we wanted but still good.

As Arnie has said, "Keep a log" good or bad that way next time you can adjust what ever is off and you will be a master in no time.

The next time will be perfect
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: Ka Honu on September 24, 2009, 07:33:15 AM
Quote from: ThorJeep on September 24, 2009, 12:39:58 AM... I cannot afford to ship samples to all of you...

It looks great, Thor, but we can't really tell.  As a service to you and the forum, I volunteer to be the one person to whom you can afford to ship samples and, within hours of receipt, will post an unbiased opinion (oxymoron intended) for the other members.  No need to thank me; it's a sacrifice I gladly make.
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: ThorJeep on September 24, 2009, 08:31:51 AM
Yeah I used to keep a log when making beer, after awhile it just gets ingrained, I never looked back at the logs :)

I have always been a bit of this and that, this looks good, that looks good, and never followed recipies to closely.

But that is me ;)
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: OU812 on September 24, 2009, 08:56:01 AM
Quote from: ThorJeep on September 24, 2009, 08:31:51 AM
Yeah I used to keep a log when making beer, after awhile it just gets ingrained, I never looked back at the logs :)

I have always been a bit of this and that, this looks good, that looks good, and never followed recipies to closely.

But that is me ;)

You dont need to log everything just the new stuff kinda like you stated when making BEER. Then after a wile you have it ingrained and if some one wants something you made for there last birthday you can go back and make the exact same thing. My son called last night and wanted some of the brats we had on his bday, now i just need to find my book  ::)
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: classicrockgriller on September 24, 2009, 10:24:51 AM
Send Ka Hona the food samples and me the Beer sample. Him just a little and me a lot!
Title: Re: Help!!
Post by: joerom on September 25, 2009, 06:17:31 PM
That is some good looking stuff there.Now I am hungry again.

                                                                       Joe.