Very Puzzled...Please share thoughts....Brisket

[WISmoker]

So I decided to smoke a 10.5lb packer for Saturday dinner.  I thought it would take about 12-15 hours at 225 to reach an IT of 185 in the middle of the flat.  I would then FTC for a couple hours and serve at 6....

That was my plan.

Put the brisket in the smoker at 12:45AM.  Woke up at 5am to see what was going on and to change the water.  The cabinet temperature was only at 182 and the IT was 155.  I have an Auber, so I was very confused why the cabinet temp was so low.  Turned the Auber on and off and that seemed to fix the "issue" of the cabinet temp not going to 225.  At 8am when I woke back up, we were sitting at the desired cabinet temp of 225, but the IT of my brisket was already 180 in the middle of the flat! 

7 1/2 hours of cooking and I am only 5 degrees away from FTC'ing.  Would the lower cabinet temperature have costed my brisket the stall needed to break down the collagen, thus making the IT rise faster than normal? 

Somebody please help me solve my mystery. 

WISmoker

[watchdog56]

Have only done 1 brisket so not sure but if it is done already just wrap it in foil and then a towel and put in a cooler. It will keep warm for at least 4 hours and it will also bring the juices back into the meat making it nice and tender. This is known as FTC. Foil-towel-cooler

[WISmoker]

Well 2 1/2 hours have past and I am still sitting at 180.  Anybody ever seen a stall at this high of IT? 

Seems odd to me, but then again, it is my first brisket.  Maybe beef stall is higher than pork stall?

Either way, mopping every hour or so, and will post some pics when it is done.

WISmoker

[NePaSmoKer]

Try not mopping so much, it brings the temp down like when you open the door every hour or so.

[GusRobin]

have you move the probe around and get the temp at a different part? Also, try the fork tender test. Put a fork in it and see if it just slides in and is tender.

[DTAggie]

I never mop a brisket.  Opening the door every hour on a brisket is not a good idea.

[ghost9mm]

Well I wonder how he made out, hope he got passed the stall, but yes opening the door too many times the last bit that you are trying to get is sometimes tough, this is a cause for adding the second element...

[WISmoker]

Sorry guys.  Forgot to take pics as there were 9 hungry mouths to feed...

Brisket turned out pretty good.  Pulled it at 185.  FTC'd for 3 hours.  The flat was too dry for my liking, but the point...and non flat???...was amazing. 

Great bark, great smoke, and super juicy. 

Big hit with the family, and I have many requests to do it again. 

Any tips on how to keep the flat moist on my next smoke?