brisket help

mesmoked · January 31, 2011, 08:52:41 AM

I just bought a 13 # brisket, all still in one piece. I talked with the butcher who says she smokes them at 120 deg. with smoke for 6 hrs. then to 165 deg. until I.T. hits 142 deg. From what I have read on these forums all the temps. seem low. Somewhere I read about when the I.T. hits 160-170 there is a long stall as the tissues break down, obviously with 142 I.T. as a finish point this will not happen. I want to slice the finished product for sandwiches. I understand I will be looking a 20 plus hour project. My question is the 142 I.T. too low and too rare. I was leaning towards Pachanga recipe, as I would like a traditional Texas type brisket.

thanks in advance

FLBentRider · January 31, 2011, 08:56:50 AM

I would definitely lean toward the pachange recipe.

IMHO - those smoking temps and IT are way low.

I do 225F until the IT is 185F or so. You can tell a lot from how easy the probe slides in.

3rensho · January 31, 2011, 09:06:29 AM

Pachanga has it wired. He is a master.

SoCalBuilder · January 31, 2011, 09:19:08 AM

mesmoked - Yeah, you're headed in the right direction if you follow Pachanga's recipe. 142 degrees is rare/rare in my book. Don't know how much you have done in the Bradley so far, but it is all about low and slow. The amount of smoke is really a matter of taste and half the fun is experimenting. Make sure you keep notes on what you do.

mesmoked · January 31, 2011, 09:38:36 AM

Thanks, next two questions. What is IMHO (sorry not a texter, could ask my daughter) Also I checked my abin pid probes. Both seem to be off by 20 deg., they read higher than a meat thermometer. Is there a way to recalibrate or just compensate the diff.?

FLBentRider · January 31, 2011, 10:33:51 AM

Quote from: mesmoked on January 31, 2011, 09:38:36 AM
Thanks, next two questions. What is IMHO (sorry not a texter, could ask my daughter) Also I checked my abin pid probes. Both seem to be off by 20 deg., they read higher than a meat thermometer. Is there a way to recalibrate or just compensate the diff.?

IMHO = In My Humble Opinion

I would check the auber probes in boiling water. Be careful, if you get the junction where the cable goes into the probe wet, it will ruin the probe.

SoCalBuilder · January 31, 2011, 10:35:16 AM

;D IMHO = In My Humble Opinion

As far as the PID question, others will be along that can point you in the right direction. I know that a lot of people check their themo's in boiling water. Physics was never my thing, but the temp of boiling water seems to nearly be a constant. May be time for an internet search ???

Damn, FLBR beat me to the punch :(

Pachanga · January 31, 2011, 11:00:29 AM

Thanks for the confidence some of you have in recommending my Texas Brisket recipe. After several hundred briskets in the Bradley, it has treated me (and others) right over the years.

FLBentRider and SoCalBuilder have already covered checking your probe in boiling water which works well for me. I would also recommend checking against ambient room temperature. If the boiling water check and the ambient temperature are correct, I trust the probe.

When using a battery driven unit, replace the batteries if above readings are on the squirrelly side.

FLBentRider's warning on getting the probe/wire junction wet is a good one. A recommendation for all probes is to purchase some RTV high temperature silicone sealant/gasket maker at an automotive store (http://permatex.carshopinc.com/product_info.php/products_id/42291/81160). Seal the junction between the probe and the wire with this sealant. I have yet to lose a probe. A little dab will do ya.

Good luck and slow smoking,

Pachanga