Rich Decker
Senior Cook
The final decision I use in cooking meat is what I call the "poke test".
I don't use Polder type thermometers. I must have gone through 20 or so, of every kind, over the years and decided I liked better pit thermometers. I have 2 custom made Ashcroft's on my pit and they are often calibrated. I have them positioned so they read 250* pointing straight up so at a glance I know the pit temperature.
I use the Thermopen to monitor the meat as it runs trough the plateau. At around 155*-160* the meat will sit as the collagen, fat and convictive tissue breaks down. At this time I like to move the meat to the coolest part of the pit to prolong the breaking down of the meat. A mistake some make is they get nervous and try to rush the meat through the plateau, I try to run through the plateau as long as possible maintaining proper pit heat.I've heard some cooks talk that the meat may drop down in internal temperature at this time because the break down carries some of the fat that carries some heat out of the meat.That may have been what happened to you.As the meat cooks to around 180* (this will take a few hours) the poke test comes into play. If you have broken down the meat slowly it may finish up at a lower temperature then your used to. What I look for is the bone to slip easily out of the meat without the meat turning to mush. You can also tell by the feel of the probe going in to the meat. This is the feel you need for brisket. The meat is done when it's done regardless of the temperature.
I've had better results when the meat is done at a lower internal temperature, it seems juicier.
Rich
I don't use Polder type thermometers. I must have gone through 20 or so, of every kind, over the years and decided I liked better pit thermometers. I have 2 custom made Ashcroft's on my pit and they are often calibrated. I have them positioned so they read 250* pointing straight up so at a glance I know the pit temperature.
I use the Thermopen to monitor the meat as it runs trough the plateau. At around 155*-160* the meat will sit as the collagen, fat and convictive tissue breaks down. At this time I like to move the meat to the coolest part of the pit to prolong the breaking down of the meat. A mistake some make is they get nervous and try to rush the meat through the plateau, I try to run through the plateau as long as possible maintaining proper pit heat.I've heard some cooks talk that the meat may drop down in internal temperature at this time because the break down carries some of the fat that carries some heat out of the meat.That may have been what happened to you.As the meat cooks to around 180* (this will take a few hours) the poke test comes into play. If you have broken down the meat slowly it may finish up at a lower temperature then your used to. What I look for is the bone to slip easily out of the meat without the meat turning to mush. You can also tell by the feel of the probe going in to the meat. This is the feel you need for brisket. The meat is done when it's done regardless of the temperature.
I've had better results when the meat is done at a lower internal temperature, it seems juicier.
Rich