Beef Jerky Brisket

[allenayres]

Well, not all of the brisket, but what I'd call the "leading edge".

I've fairly recently begun cooking on a Johnson smoker - really nice pit, it's a reverse flow off-set smoker that drafts like a freight train as soon as I light a firestarter. I'm still trying to figure it out with regards to fire size -> temps created. It will eat a lot of wood when it gets going.

My issue is the smoke flows from the firebox on the right, through a large pipe along the bottom all the way to the left, up to the top then to the right through the smoke chamber to the twin pipes drafting all the way upper right. I really like the way it breathes, but when I smoke any meat on the top shelf the left edge is getting hit pretty hard with heat and smoke. In my last 2 competitions that edge is getting pretty tough, pretty much ruining slices for turn in.

Has anyone else run into this? What did you do to correct this? I think if I smoke on the lower rack that should mitigate some of the problem, then once wrapped move to the top rack (for the higher temps to finish.) Has anyone tried putting a 3 inch or so "baffle" to re-direct the heat/draft up over the meat? Years ago in my old smoker we'd surround the turkey we were smoking with the sides of an aluminum foil turkey pan to keep the sides from getting over-smoked.

[GTR]

If you are not able to reduce and control the fire from the firebox baffle perhaps close off or at least reduce the flow from one of the stacks. Never cooked on a Johnson but sounds like it may be drawing too hard. The exiting smoke will tell the tale. Good luck, maybe someone with knowledge of these smoker will chime in.

[TwoGuysBBQ]

Can you post pics of you smoker?

[allenayres]

Thank you guys.

This is the one I bought (different color but same model):

https://johnsonsmokers.com/med-adv-10-ft/

I can bring temps/ flow down by adjusting the 3 vents on the firebox, maybe that's what I need to do until it's wrapped. I like the temps it runs at (275-290 without much finessing) but the air flow tends to make actual bark on the leading edge

[GRailsback]

There is no need to cook on that pit over 270. And with the new technology today, a new pit should not be eating wood.

[allenayres]

There is no need to cook on that pit over 270. And with the new technology today, a new pit should not be eating wood.

I appreciate your input sir, that really wasn't the question. Many cook briskets at higher temps and from what I understand we're supposed to find out what the pit wants to run at and adapt our cook to that.

"Eating wood" is relative, I come from years on a backwoods smoker and with one chimney of charcoal and a few chunks of wood it will cook 8 hours. So it's possible I'm using the right amount of wood, just a lot more than I'm used to.

I understand if others haven't seen this, I'll send a message to Chad and see what he recommends.

[GRailsback]

You are correct, many do cook at higher temps. But they are not posting about it turning into beef jerky. They post about shorter cook times with usually good results. And if that is taking place in your cooks, that tells that the temps probably need to be backed down some. And i am familiar with Johnson cookers, so i know what style of cooker you are dealing with.

[allenayres]

In my previous cookoff it never went more than 270, was usually 220-250 and the windward edge still developed a hard crust that was difficult to slice. It still placed 5th out of 21 good teams, so the bark doesn't completely ruin the results but definitely limits what I can turn in.

I'll ask some others- it either needs to be turned often to limit exposure or some sort of foil shield to limit the heat that side gets.

[GRailsback]

I know there are some people that go buy quite a few of those cheap oven thermometers and place them at intervals inside the pit on the grates at it will tell you where your hot and cold spots are internally. Build a fire and let it level out at 250-270 and see what you have across the length of the pit.

[GRailsback]

Allen, I know a guy that had a big monster johnson built, triple axle goose neck. And a very good friend of mine cooks with him. It was built for a team here in town called Aleep at the Grill. Not sure what temps they cook at, but i do know they are producing really really good BBQ with it, doing large cooks.

[TwoGuysBBQ]

Nice looking smoker, I would say try again, could just be a combo of brisket selection to the amount of rub used even the wood used. Maybe not quiet seasoned enough or had a bad spot in it? Or has this happened over multiple cooks?
The pit itself my need to be seasoned more. I say this because on one of my trailer smokers I always had a temp issue being inconsistent across from one end to the other. After a few cooks "actually a lot" of cooks the temp finally equaled over and across the entire chamber.
I would say just keep on keeping on and see what happens.
Good Luck

[spacetrucker]

OK I'm gonna take a crack at what you are describing, after reading and re reading trying to digest your question, sounds like the heat and smoke are flowing across your brisket and creating a dried out crisp edge on the end product. So the question I am going to bring up is are the briskets dried and crispy only on the leading edge, that is facing the fire as so to speak? (I realize the way a reverse flow works) I am thinking this pit may be so well built, the "exhaust gases" coming off the fire are too dry and still too hot after going through the first chamber to the second where the meat is... if this is the problem, you may have to figure a way to rotate the meat at regular intervals so that dryness is equally spread to all sides and all pieces of meat, or as I have done a time or two, place the "sacrificial lamb" (a brisket to discard to the passers by(those trying to steel your methods)) on the leading edge of your cook zone, this sacrificed brisket will provide protection to your competitive turn in meats.

I hope this may spark a thought or two that leads you to success.