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Brisket stall at 200
If you notice that your temperature readings are flatlining consistently over a significant period of time right at about 200°F, then you may be entering a brief stall portion of the cook.
This has actually happened to me quite a bit, and I suspect that it’s just due to the last bit of collagen and connective tissue that needs to be rendered out of the brisket.
Whenever you have a brisket that flatlines or stalls over a period of time, the moisture is being excreted and the connective tissues are being rendered down at a rate that makes it seem like the brisket is not cooking any further, when in fact it is.
Let’s take a quick look at what it means if you have a brisket that is starting at the specific temperature range of 200°F.
What does it mean if a brisket stalls at 200?
Basically, whenever you have a brisket that stalls at 200°F, you should be paying very close attention. That’s because it is rendering out the last bits of collagen and connective tissues that normally make it very tough and chewy to eat.
Not only that, but at the specific temperature range of 200°F, you are basically done with the cook overall. You just need to ensure that the probe test can be passed, and basically want to test for doneness. Grab a toothpick and begin inserting it all throughout the meat.
This can give you the greatest inclination as to how far along you actually are within the overall brisket cook. If the brisket is stalling right at about 200°F, you definitely should be testing it for doneness.
Don’t really try to employ the normal methods of wrapping it or increasing the ambient temperature, since it is so close to its done temperature range anyways.
You don’t want to overcook the brisket at all, otherwise your entire amount of effort is basically wasted.
If you are wondering whether or not it is actually common or possible for a brisket to be temping out at 200°F over a long period of time, then keep reading.
Can a brisket stall at 200?
Most of the briskets that I have done actually do seem to flatline right at 200°F. As I mentioned previously, I suspect that it is finishing up the last bit of rendering that needs to be completed before you can actually pull it out the smoker.
Don’t worry so much about the temperature at this stage in the cook. Just grab a toothpick or another probing mechanism, and begin employing the probe test to assess for any resistance.
Now that we’ve covered a lot of ground, let’s see how or what you should be doing once it stalls at 200°F.
What to do if the brisket is stalling at 200?
If you noticed the stall phenomenon occurring right at 200°F, do not do anything other than start probing around the brisket. You don’t want to risk overcooking it by wrapping it further, or even increasing the ambient temperatures.
The brisket is essentially done, so you need to be reassessing the resistance levels as you begin sliding the toothpick, or some kind of probe, in and out of the meat.
Final Thoughts
Brisket can absolutely temp out at 200°F for a long period of time, and encounter some type of stall. The reason I believe this happens is because the collagen and connective tissues are rendering out and basically mimicking some type of flatlining of temperature readings.
All you have to do once it reaches the stall, is to begin inserting a toothpick inside of the brisket to test for resistance and if there is no resistance, pull the brisket off the smoker and complete your cook.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.