First abort, meat in oven.


 
B

Brandon A

TVWBB All-Star
The plan was to do a 15lb packer and big pot of beans over night on the wsm, using lump. I packed the ring as tightly as I could, and stacked it high but, 16 hrs was all I could get out of it. The temp slowly fell off while the brisket was in its plataeu and finally I just decided to pull it off and put it in the oven with the beans.. Pretty disapointed, this is the first time that I had to abort a smoke. I think I'll stick to Kingsford for the long haul smokes, or maybe a mix of the two? It was a very windy night, and this might have been the problem, but temps held steady so I dont know. I just hope it turns out ok, supposed to have a bunch of people over tonight for supper. Everyone else is sleeping off their hangover while I worry about this brisket
icon_frown.gif
By the time I get it sliced it will be time for me to go to bed
icon_rolleyes.gif
Better luck next time I guess.

Brandon
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Pretty disapointed, this is the first time that I had to abort a smoke. I think I'll stick to Kingsford for the long haul smokes, or maybe a mix of the two? It was a very windy night, and this might have been the problem, but temps held steady so I dont know. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Brandon, I don't understand why you went into abort mode? Why not just add more charcoal?
And yes if it was very windy you'll use alot more fuel. Wind is the enemy of the WSM. I see no reason why your brisket won't be fine finishing it in the oven. It was on the WSM for many hrs to pick up the smoke. Prob won't be able to tell a difference.
 
I don't understand your problem. Why not add more coal? When a brisket hits its plateau it consumes a lot more energy as the collagen to gelatin transformation hits its pace. Expecting to slow cook a full packer with only one ring-full of charcoal makes no sense to me at all. I have never cooked a brisket with anything other than lump and never had a problem.

I think you pulled the kill switch much too soon.
 
Why dissappointed?
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I see no reason why your brisket won't be fine finishing it in the oven. It was on the WSM for many hrs to pick up the smoke. Prob won't be able to tell a difference. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Absolutely. I will do one load of charcoal, when it's gone it's in the oven. I recently did some picnics and I reloaded for that cook but 1) I don't have a roaster big enough for 6 picnic halves 2) my oven was busy anyways.

When you hear people talking about 16+hours off a load of charcoal it's almost certainly a lie. Just kidding. Optimal conditions. They used a guru, it wasn't cold or windy, they didn't use water for a heat sink (this can suck a huge amount of energy from your coals ...so you burn 'hotter' to maintain the temp you want), they only cooked a small amount of food (the food itself is a heatsink ... 40 lbs of chuck roll is hugely different than one 8lb butt). One or more of these variables working against you will diminish the time you can get off one load of charcoal.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Optimal conditions. They used a guru, it wasn't cold or windy, they didn't use water for a heat sink </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Don't forget the jacket.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
Brandon, I don't understand why you went into abort mode? Why not just add more charcoal?
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I dumped some more coal on but there just wasnt enough lit left. I waited for a half hour for the temp to start to climb, and it hadent yet. I still wanted to put a big pot of beans on, and it just wasnt in the cards. Also I really wanted to go back to sleep and so I pushed the button and aborted
icon_redface.gif
now, hours later the coals I added have rejuvinated themselves, and the brisket is resting (will be just fine, tender and smells great) so I put a few chunks of apple on and moved the beans from the oven to the top grate of the WSM for a little smoke. My wife is up and making some cheesy tators and salads and such. I'll pull this one "out of the fire" yet!
icon_biggrin.gif
As always I'll get a photo or two
icon_wink.gif


Brandon
 
I have always used standard Kingsford Briquettes in my WSM, and (I am not lying) 16 hrs is easily attainable, with a water pan full of water(I don't add water during the cook). I must have a textbook smoker, because I load it with briquettes/smoke wood, put a dozen lit on top, assemble the smoker with a full water pan, set my vents to about 30% open, and within an hour it has reached 225 and it stays there for an eternity. I've always read the posts about runaway temps and I'm baffled-only a serious air leak or a preparation technique that is way different than what I spelled out above would create an overtemp. The only thing that I don't do is the popular 'catch the temp on the way up'...if you leave it alone it'll hit the temp.
On another note, I'm trying my first lump cook this afternoon with two sparerib racks (Kingsford lump), and I've had trouble keeping the temps consistent. No overtemps, but I'm fighting to maintain my normal 225. And it seems the consumption rate of coals is way above what I would expect. I finally just added some regular Kingsford to the mix to get things to stabilize.
 
An afterthought about the oven finish Brandon:

Some folks don't use foil to finish. I usually do but haven't always. When I do foil to finish it's almost always been in the oven (little point in finishing on your smoker if it's all wrapped up in foil). I always foil to rest briskets and butts.

Anyway, in a roaster or in foil (that doesn't drain) the meat that sits in the liquid can take on a different consistency if it 'simmers' long enough.

Not trying to start a Texas Crutch Holy War
icon_smile.gif
, just lettin ya know oven finish can make your product different than it would have been. Perhaps try to limit finish time in foil (or in a roaster) to a couple of hours as a guideline.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
Anybody willing to bet that Brandon is passed out somewhere and forgot all about us here on TVWBB.
icon_frown.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

It wasnt long after desert that I crashed out on the couch, was a long day
icon_wink.gif
To sum it all up, yes, I am used to getting 20+ hours on Kingsford without a guru or anything fancy, but if you do the math, a half bag of K is about the same as a full bag of RO, weight wise. When I packed the ring I only used half a bag of RO, or aprox. 5 lbs. Where with kingsford I fit 10 lbs in a ring. So the biggest thing I learned was I should have added fuel before I went to bed. (or half way into the cook) then I wouldent have had any problems.

Other than that, the brisket turned out on the dry side, probably because I didnt check for tender much, because it was in the oven. I checked at 180, then 190 and pulled, let rest for a few hours and sliced. The smoke ring was barely visible, but the meat still had nice flavor and was tender. Not a complete failure. The beans were wonderful, as was the vegi pizza, and cheesy potatoes. There was plenty of food and everyone got a belly full and thats what counts
icon_cool.gif


Brandon
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Scott H.:
I have always used standard Kingsford Briquettes in my WSM, and (I am not lying) 16 hrs is easily attainable, with a water pan full of water(I don't add water during the cook). I must have a textbook smoker, because I load it with briquettes/smoke wood, put a dozen lit on top, assemble the smoker with a full water pan, set my vents to about 30% open, and within an hour it has reached 225 and it stays there for an eternity. I've always read the posts about runaway temps and I'm baffled-only a serious air leak or a preparation technique that is way different than what I spelled out above would create an overtemp. The only thing that I don't do is the popular 'catch the temp on the way up'...if you leave it alone it'll hit the temp.
On another note, I'm trying my first lump cook this afternoon with two sparerib racks (Kingsford lump), and I've had trouble keeping the temps consistent. No overtemps, but I'm fighting to maintain my normal 225. And it seems the consumption rate of coals is way above what I would expect. I finally just added some regular Kingsford to the mix to get things to stabilize. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> Not to argue with you but our experiences are different. Likely based on geography. I live at 5500ft above sea level and ambient temps for my cooks are around 0ºF to 50ºF throwing out the highs and the lows (-28ºF and 90ºF).

You live in Texas. You don't likely have the altitude to contend with, I expect your amibient cooking temps are rarely below 60ºF and your humidity is almost always higher (think pressure cooker).

Some folks say they can't keep their temps down, I say (before adding vents and ditching water heatsink) I can't keep my temps up.
 
You're absolutely correct Shawn, I don't remember the last day under 60 I cooked. Heck, it was hotter than that for my Superbowl cook! And as far as humidity, my particular area (the Brazos Valley) could export our surplus humidity and never miss it. To add to the pain here, we got our first drop of rain in over 6 weeks last night, about 30 minutes worth, so we're under a fireworks ban for the 4th of July.
 
Brandon, Looking at the pic of the brisket, yep dry indeed. But that's where a finishing sauce would have really helped out the brisket. I always make one wether I need it or not. While the brisket is resting I make up a 1-1-1 finishing sauce. Beef stock, BBQ sauce (Head Country Original) and either the foil drippings or unsalted butter. If using the foil drippings then that would be your last addition since you have to wait till the rest is over to get them, or about 15 min before slicing and serving pull the foil off the brisket and get the love from it. Paint a thin coat on each slice and serve. Another thing, I only slice as needed, since I find if you slice it all up at once, it can dry out very quickly. Same as a steak. I slice and eat as I go through it. HTH
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
Brandon, Looking at the pic of the brisket, yep dry indeed. But that's where a finishing sauce would have really helped out the brisket.


Another thing, I only slice as needed, since I find if you slice it all up at once, it can dry out very quickly. Same as a steak. I slice and eat as I go through it. HTH </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


Bryan,
These are two very good points, as for the finishing sauce, I did paint the brisket down with some of my favorite bbq sauce. (after photos) Nothing like the mixture you explained but it did help.

I'm guessing the beef stock thins out the bbq sauce, so that the brisket dosent actually appear sauced? Some of my frequent guests, were not very excited to see that I added bbq sauce. If it were thinner, they may not have noticed...

As far as only slicing as needed, I dont know what I was thinking before, slicing the whole thing up. I'm glad you pointed this mistake out to me. I would never slice up a whole steak before I ate it so why would I with a brisket!? Duh!
wsmsmile8gm.gif
Thanks again.

Brandon
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top