Brisket observation

[es1025]

I made a 3.5# flat yesterday. The entire smoke took almost 10 hours. The meat was tender and very tasty. I am just confused why it took so long.

The smoker temp was 250, i put in a water pan and wrapped at 165.  The brisket hit 165 within 3 hours and took another 6 hours to go up 30 degrees. I am really thinking about smoking at 2 hours per pound assuming its over 185.

I am also thinking about raising the temp once i wrap the brisket.

 

[DivotMaker]

Hard to say, Ed.  I once did a 4 lb corned beef flat that took 11 1/2 hours!!  Couldn't believe it, but I lived it!  If you're wrapping, I wouldn't think a temp bump would be a bad thing.

 

[gmbrown]

I made a 3.5# flat yesterday. The entire smoke took almost 10 hours. The meat was tender and very tasty. I am just confused why it took so long.

The smoker temp was 250, i put in a water pan and wrapped at 165.  The brisket hit 165 within 3 hours and took another 6 hours to go up 30 degrees. I am really thinking about smoking at 2 hours per pound assuming its over 185.

I am also thinking about raising the temp once i wrap the brisket.

Just how it goes, I guess. I did a 6ish pound flat over the weekend, and it took about 17 hours at 225. Unlike a lot of people, though, I didn't wrap it at all until it was done (195) at which point I double foiled it and parked it in a cooler surrounded in a bunch of towels. Came out pretty much perfect, though.  Good things come to those who wait, I guess.

From what I can tell cruising the forums, everyone expects the stall, and I'm thinking some combination of the water pan, the relatively high moisture from the smoker being so well sealed, the low temperature, and the amount of energy that is used to break down the fat and connective tissues explains the stall. Probably the last thing more than anything, if I were to guess. 

 

[DivotMaker]

Dead-on, Geoff.  The stall is actually "evaporative cooling" that happens when the good stuff is breaking-down, and the liquid rises to the surface.  One factor, in the summer, is relative humidity.  If it's very humid outside, the stall can take longer because the meat doesn't cool - just like us!