Skip to main content

I have a Amerique for about three months and really enjoy using it. My question is about cooking briskets. I like to cook my briskets with the temp probe and have cooked about 8-10 briskets so far, the briskets that i get are choice packers ranging from 11- 14lbs not frozen.i trim all of them myself and cook them at 225º with the probe set to 175º . i noticed that around three hours the probe reading starts shooting up rapidly (150º - 175º) almost 1º every 4-5 minutes, at first i thought that the temp probe was reading incorrect so i opened the cooker and verified the probe temps against my Fluke Food Plus Pro probe and to my surprise the Amerique was 1-2 degree high so the Amerique probe is reading correct .After about 5-6 hours the temp always drops (sometimes 13º) and then goes slowly climbs back up. this temp rise happens every time, and when i do a larger load (25lbs) it happens in less time. it almost seems that its reading cook temp but its not . i have put the Amerique probe in many different spots of the meat on different cooks.from reading the forums i do understand that the temps will naturally rise and fall and that this is normal , but i also know that when i set the Amerique to cook to probe temp and it says that its done in three hours because the temp is 175º its not done.So far this hasn't been a big problem as i have a pretty good idea by time when the meat should be done and everything has been delicious, but this has me puzzled !
Thanks in advance for this wonderful forum and any replies.
Ken
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Set your probe temp higher. No way is a select or even choice brisket done at 170˚. At that point you're in the middle of the plateau when all the heat is being used to render fat and break down colagen. Once my probe temp reaches 180˚ or so, I start to poke and see how well a toothpick or probe penetrates.

Once it starts to poke easy, I pull and foil and put in the cooler for a few hours. It lets it redistribute moisture and become even more tender.
I don't even open the door until a brisket reaches 185 to 195.

What you are seeing is the 'plateau' like ezgoin says and it will stay in that zone (somewhere between 165 and 175) for HoUrS.

And yes, usually at some point in the plateau, the temp will go down about 5 or more degrees due to the changes taking place in the brisket.

Happy Q'ing!
One thing to remember with "probe method" you should always, always, always use it only as a gauge.

You illustrate the example well. 175 will never been enough for a brisket. Not sure where you got 175 (I know probably the Smokin Q cookbook).

The guys have given you better temps to go with.

But even so, you need to check it whenever that temp is reached.

Take the probe and after it is reached and use it as a poke and prod method to test for doneness. I should "feel" like it's going into butter with little resistence. If it takes 20 lbs of pressure to insert it (which it would around 175 temp) then you'll know it's not done.

That's the essence of "it's done when it's done" Temp is only one gauge, but you have to use your experience as the last determinant of is it ready to come out of the smoker

Add Reply

Post
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×