Brisket Failure- I screwed up big time- Let me have it!

[SconnieQ]

I don't know about Aubers, BUT I would have took that chunk of meat up to 200 and called it a day.

1. It was a whole muscle cut not ground product. Bacteria easily gets into ground product.
2. Taking it above 165 kills bad stuff.

Is there still some risk, sure but I'm talking about me and what I would do.

+1. I probably would have risked it too. Being a solid hunk of meat, the risk is less. At around 120-125, the bacteria can no longer reproduce, so depending on how quickly the meat got to 125, you probably didn't experience much additional bacteria growth.

Bacteria start to die at 130. All bacteria will be killed if an internal temperature of 130 degrees is maintained for 112 minutes. 165 is the magic number for instantaneous bacteria death.

You are taking the brisket internal temperature all the way to 200 (as opposed to a pink interior like a steak). That would certainly kill all of the bacteria. But heat has no effect on the toxins that bacteria produce. Since your meat did get up to 125, a temperature where bacteria are no longer multiplying, there probably wouldn't be enough toxins to worry about. I wouldn't risk feeding it to elderly, children, or people with a lot of health problems, but being relatively young and healthy, I doubt I'd have a problem.

Disclaimer for the Legal Department: Of course I am NOT recommending everyone do that. But that's what I would do.

[NVW-SSV]

So, would you still chance it for a pork butt that took 4.5 to 5 hours to get from 40F to 140F, considering you're taking up to 190F or more? 

I mean, if all bacteria are killed at 165+, then it would be OK, right ?  just trying to learn and not sweat the magic "40F to 140F in four hours" so much.

[Pork Belly]

No I would throw out a pork butt they are cheap, prime brisket is not. Having said that, I freely admit to doing a lot of dumb stuff before I knew better.

[SconnieQ]

It's probably best to follow the USDA food safety guidelines. The whole food safety time and temperature thing is way more complicated. What the USDA is trying to do is come up with a "one size fits all" approach that is simple enough for everyone to understand and follow. It is also overly-cautious in order to keep everyone safe. So there is some wiggle-room built in there. But unless you are confident and have studied up, you should follow the USDA guidelines. I have read several articles on the topic since I got into sous vide, which at first glance seems to turn the USDA guidelines on it's head. I'm starting to understand why it is such a challenge for the USDA to come up with simple guidelines. Here's an example of an article that demonstrates the complexity of the danger zone, but has some good information and graphs, if anyone has the patience or interest to read it.

http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/magazine-archive1/februarymarch-2004/the-danger-zone-reevaluated/

[BedouinBob]

+1 PB! As long as the temp gets up to almost 200, the bugs, if there are any, are dead! Basic biology. If it was bad it might taste "off" but I doubt it.

[Edward]

Appreciate everyone reaching out. I did have the wall mounted probe plugged up top. Think I have something going on with my Auber as Dave says should be reading "P" & mine is reading "C" I'm not sure yet but either way its my fault not verifying the box got up to 200 before falling asleep. I also aged this brisket for 30 days too so that made it hurt even more. I read something about if you put the probe in the meat now its not considered a whole solid piece because of the insertion hole & pushing bacteria into the inside & makes the 4 hour window even more critical rather than without the insertion hole. The toxins left by the bacteria is the part that really sealed the deal for me. I just didn't want to chance it.
Sconnie- thanks for the link I will definitely be reading that in detail.

[DivotMaker]

I'm with you, Edward.  Prime briskies are expensive, but I'd have pitched it, too.  No brisket is worth a case of Salmonella or botulism!