LarryWolfe
Chef Extraordinaire
Adrian,
I've had a crap load of cooks go that way. Take today for example, I was planning on pulling the corned beef brisket off the pit at 180* internal temp. It was a 5lb flat with the point. I separated the point from the flat, and the way this was cut it left me with two pieces, point and flat both weighing approximately 2.5lbs. I figured cooking at a pit temp of 225-235, they should be done in no more than 3 1/2 - 4 1/2hrs MAX. The meat temp stayed at 147 for almost two hours, then slowly rose closing in on the 4 hour mark. I pulled the probe out, and slid it in and out throughout the brisket and even though I was not getting the temps I wanted, I could tell it was done by the way the probe slid in and out of the meat with ease.
The rule of thumb I go buy is, 1 hour per pound for a brisket. This doesn't necessarily mean it's gonna be done, but that is how I judge how it is cooking. Example: If I have an 11lb brisket and I am not with 10-15* of my preferred finishing temp (180) after 11hrs, I will start to "probe" the meat with the thermometer. If I have difficulty inserting the probe into the meat, I know the temps are accurate and will continue the cook. However if after 11hours for an 11lb brisket the probe slides easily in and out of the brisket and my temps are more than 10-15* off of what I want them to be I will foil and let rest for a couple to several hours.
The bottomline in what I am trying to say is, temps are not always guaranteed and you cannot rely on the 100% if the time.
I've had a crap load of cooks go that way. Take today for example, I was planning on pulling the corned beef brisket off the pit at 180* internal temp. It was a 5lb flat with the point. I separated the point from the flat, and the way this was cut it left me with two pieces, point and flat both weighing approximately 2.5lbs. I figured cooking at a pit temp of 225-235, they should be done in no more than 3 1/2 - 4 1/2hrs MAX. The meat temp stayed at 147 for almost two hours, then slowly rose closing in on the 4 hour mark. I pulled the probe out, and slid it in and out throughout the brisket and even though I was not getting the temps I wanted, I could tell it was done by the way the probe slid in and out of the meat with ease.
The rule of thumb I go buy is, 1 hour per pound for a brisket. This doesn't necessarily mean it's gonna be done, but that is how I judge how it is cooking. Example: If I have an 11lb brisket and I am not with 10-15* of my preferred finishing temp (180) after 11hrs, I will start to "probe" the meat with the thermometer. If I have difficulty inserting the probe into the meat, I know the temps are accurate and will continue the cook. However if after 11hours for an 11lb brisket the probe slides easily in and out of the brisket and my temps are more than 10-15* off of what I want them to be I will foil and let rest for a couple to several hours.
The bottomline in what I am trying to say is, temps are not always guaranteed and you cannot rely on the 100% if the time.