Smoked a brisket & figured something out today

BowDown

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  1. Stampede
I smoked a med sized (13lbs probably 12lbs after trimming) choice brisket today and figured that the 590 definitely has a hot side and a cooler side. Typically, I have issues keeping the flat and the point cooking evenly, flat was always 15-20° hotter and sooner.

Today (12AM) started out no differently with the point heating up slowly and the flat heating faster, had the flat towards the drip bucket drain and the point about the middle to left of center of the smoker.
I thought about it around 6AM after I wrapped it and resumed the smoke and I determined that left side of the smoker where the temp probe seems to be the hot side and my guess is that its due to the slope of the drip pan, higher on the left & lower on the right. Heat rises and the slope of the drip pan seemingly forces heat to the left side of the smoker.

To test, I moved the point of the brisket to the far left which had the flat over the fire pot. Doing this had both ends of the brisket heating up within 5° of another the remainder of the cook and the brisket turned out perfectly.

Screenshot_20230528_194157_recteq.jpg

Screenshot_20230528_194206_recteq.jpg


The above is when I moved it and you can see the 2 graphs getting closer together over the remainder of the cook. Typically these two plots are 15° apart.
This was a choice brisket I bought on sale and didn't expect much from, bought 2 and the first one was only so so but had the temp issue. This one was excellent, juicy and not a bit dry as you can see with the paper which is wrapped the same as I normally do which is about 4 rotations.

No pics of the finished brisket, wasn't expecting it to turn out so good, once I realized it how well it turned out, it was gone

20230528_125706.jpg
 
Great to know you figured out where your hot spots reside. One of the first things I do when I get a new grill is set the temp to 325F and fill the grates with good old fashioned sandwich bread. I let it “toast” the bread for at least 15 minutes and flip each piece in place and you can tell from how toasted to bread is where the hot spots hide. Once determined, I either compensate for the hot spots with blocking bricks or other devices that impact the airflow, or know which way to turn my proteins for best results. You many want to do your own toaster session as it is amazing how may inconsistencies exist.
 
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Right side of my 590 is hotter than the other. 4 calibrated thermometer in 4 quarters.
RR =hottest about 8°
FR 2nd
LR 3rd
LF 4th
 
Right side of my 590 is hotter than the other. 4 calibrated thermometer in 4 quarters.
RR =hottest about 8°
FR 2nd
LR 3rd
LF 4th
It‘s amazing what you can find out with a good set of probes. Looks like RR is your sweet spot for the thick end of your proteins. I would definitely turn my brisket points that direction. Also, pork loin ribs typically have a thicker end so that section would be perfect because the temperature isn’t that far off. What was your baseline temperature during your survey?
 
It‘s amazing what you can find out with a good set of probes. Looks like RR is your sweet spot for the thick end of your proteins. I would definitely turn my brisket points that direction. Also, pork loin ribs typically have a thicker end so that section would be perfect because the temperature isn’t that far off. What was your baseline temperature during your survey?
Yep, exactly what I do. 275°
 
To test, I moved the point of the brisket to the far left which had the flat over the fire pot. Doing this had both ends of the brisket heating up within 5° of another the remainder of the cook and the brisket turned out perfectly.

Great info, I never thought of that. Thanks @BowDown
 
Right side of my 590 is hotter than the other. 4 calibrated thermometer in 4 quarters.
RR =hottest about 8°
FR 2nd
LR 3rd
LF 4th
Very much what I see w/ my 590. If I am smoking two pork butts I swap then L to R mid way in the cook.
 

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