I've had 5 cooks on a new mak 1 star, 4 turned out fantastic, including a pork shoulder that spent 21 hours on the pit. But yesterday a brisket cook did not go well.
The plan was simple. 15lb (pre trimmed weight) high choice packer, 4 hours in smoke, then up to 275f until probe tender. I've had successful 275f unwrapped brisket cooks on a wsm. But something went very wrong yesterday and the ends and sides turned into inedible fat rendered cardboard. I could see the ends (flat and point) getting overcooked but I kept going focused on the center. The bottom (fat cap side) also took a lot of heat.
I'm thinking over what went wrong. I believe I cooked at too low of a temp for too long. 4 hours in the smoke and then 275f put too much heat for too long on the ends and by the time the heat did it's job in the middle the ends were ruined. Also, the drip tray seemed to radiate more heat than expected and did the same kind of damage to the bottom.
I know the pit temp was right and that the heat is even.
Am curious about others experience. A 10lb pork shoulder that spent 2hr in smoke and 15hrs at 225f turned out great.
The plan was simple. 15lb (pre trimmed weight) high choice packer, 4 hours in smoke, then up to 275f until probe tender. I've had successful 275f unwrapped brisket cooks on a wsm. But something went very wrong yesterday and the ends and sides turned into inedible fat rendered cardboard. I could see the ends (flat and point) getting overcooked but I kept going focused on the center. The bottom (fat cap side) also took a lot of heat.
I'm thinking over what went wrong. I believe I cooked at too low of a temp for too long. 4 hours in the smoke and then 275f put too much heat for too long on the ends and by the time the heat did it's job in the middle the ends were ruined. Also, the drip tray seemed to radiate more heat than expected and did the same kind of damage to the bottom.
I know the pit temp was right and that the heat is even.
Am curious about others experience. A 10lb pork shoulder that spent 2hr in smoke and 15hrs at 225f turned out great.