The Texas BBQ Forum

Had a curious happening last Saturday. I planned to smoke a brisket to feed us through the weekend. This was going to be my first smoke attempt in almost a year, due to our move. I got the smoker all cleaned and set up and ready to go. Even set up the fire starting kindling, so I'd be ready to roll at about 7 am. This is the offset smoker that I have been cooking on successfully for the last 40 years or so, so I had it all pretty well planned. Fired it up and all went very well. Had a pretty nice fire going in about 30 minutes. So as soon as I got some coals working, I'd be ready to put on the brisket. Got a pretty good bed of coals in about another 30 minutes. Ready?? Almost. Checked the grill temp. and it was about 145. OK, we'll just wait about another 30 minutes. Another 30 minutes, a pretty good bed of coals and a roaring fire, grill temp is now 170. Anyway, to make the long story short, by now we are approaching 12 noon, and the temp. was hovering around 180. Should have been up to 250 or 300 by now. So, the brisket went in the oven. Turned out pretty good, everything considered. Just not what I had planned by a long shot.

This was a new situation for me. NEVER had this kind of problem before. Checked and double checked every possibility, and the smoker was set up exactly like it has been for the last 40 years. Burning well seasoned post oak splits.

Has anybody ever had something like this happen? Any ideas as to what may have happened? I have to admit, I am completely stumped. Soon as it gets warm enough to get outside, I'm going to do a test burn and see what happens. Maybe I'll be able to figure something out.

Interesting....
How cold was it outside?
Was it windy? If so, which way was the wind blowing in relation to your smoker set-up?
Is your smoker sealed well enough around the lids?

Temp. was upper 40s

Little wind, maybe 5 mph blowing right into the firebox end.

Always been sealed good enough--about 40 years

Good thoughts, though

Thanks

Are you sure you temp gauge was correct?

Swamp Donkeyz BBQ wrote:Are you sure you temp gauge was correct?

Good question, SDz. If I may add to it.....where is the gauge located?

I've not smoked a brisket in the cold but I can testify that my offset gets a lot hotter when the sun comes over the roof of my house and the smoker loses the shade...at least 50 degrees hotter from shade to full sun, so it sounds to me me like you need a bigger fire.

Donk’s got a good point. Might be time to plug in a new Tel Tru. Unless it was 20 degrees outside...

If yer cooker is steel plate instead of thin gauge, yer thermometer would be the likely culprit.

Boots wrote:Donk’s got a good point. Might be time to plug in a new Tel Tru. Unless it was 20 degrees outside...

If yer cooker is steel plate instead of thin gauge, yer thermometer would be the likely culprit.

What he said ^^^

Tell Tru one of my first investments to replace the stock gauge. Good quality company out of Rochester NY.
Good call Donk & Boots

I also agree with the thermometer theory. Been cooking the last few days in LOW LOW double digit temps with a newer smoker with great success. There's zero other reason than a fudged thermometer for your awesome, veteran pit to have let you down like that.

Thank you all for the thoughts. I suspected the thermo, too. Hooked up another digital on the grill, and got readings within about 5 - 10 degrees of each other.

I'm going to do another burn in a few days and we'll see what it looks like then.

Good Luck, Jim, BTW is The City Meat Market still in operation there on the Main Drag

Yes, it sure is. I've only been in there one time in the 1 1/2 years we've been here. Got a pound of brisket and a pound of sausage. Both were totally UNimpressive. Brisket was dry and tough with very little smoke flavor, and the sausage could have been better described as jerky. I suspect it was likely leftovers that had been reheated several days, so dry the meat was crumbly. I can't imagine how that place made the list of 50 Best in Texas Monthly. But, as I always say, "that's just me".

I think I'm going to do my checkup burn today, and see what kind of heat I can get going. Got a rack of St. Louis ribs ready to go if it looks like it will cook.

Sad to hear but doesn't surprise me - - - back in the "daze" thier Q sammies and Beef Links were what got me on the other side of Austin and then another 2 hours to the Deer Lease

Well, the ribs came out mostly perfect. Got the fire going, and after a (long) while we got up to 250. Put the ribs on and after about 4 hours they were delicious. Still don't know exactly what the problem was the other day.

I did find that the post oak burns a lot slower than pecan or hickory. I might have to work on some patience because post oak is about the only wood you can usually get around here.

That's funny, in Austin post oak is rare as hen's teeth.