Can brisket stall at 185? (Explained)

Dealing with a stalled brisket might be one of the most irritating elements of smoking meat. Stalls can sometimes extend up to ten hours!

Unfortunately, it is almost always unavoidable, especially when smoking thick portions of meat with a lot of fatty and connective tissue.

A stall usually occurs when the internal temperature of the brisket is between 150 and 165 degrees (F). However, they have been observed to occur a second time around 185-190 degrees(F).

In this post, we will go through all of the reasons why your brisket may be stalling late, or for the second time, at 185.

Understanding Why Meat Stalls

It’s crucial to comprehend the initial cause of a brisket’s stalling before we proceed. Large slabs of meat, such brisket or pork shoulder, cooked at low and slow temperatures may experience a momentary halting and stopping of the internal temperature rise.

‘Temperature plateau’ is another name for this phenomenon.

Smoking brisket at low temperatures for extended periods of time has the purpose of totally breaking down and emulsifying all of its fats and connective structures. It is responsible for the wonderfully, melty feel and satisfyingly rich flavors of pulled pork.

At some time throughout the process, extra juices will start rising to the surface meat as they begin rendering. As soon as these juices start to escape out, they chill and evaporate, causing the meat to cool at the same pace that the smoker cooks it and driving it to “stall”.

This process of rising and evaporating excess juices is known as evaporative cooling, and it will continue until all of those residual juices have dissipated.

When the internal temperature is between 150 and 175 degrees, a stall typically occurs. But as was already said, in some circumstances, excessive rendering at 185 might induce another round evaporative cooling, which leads to a second stall.

What Can Cause Brisket to Stall At 185?

Untrimmed Brisket

The brisket’s mouth-watering taste and texture are greatly heightened by luscious marbling. But too much fat might work against you, lengthening the stall and increasing the probability of a second one.

A greater fat-content brisket will create more liquid, which may either extend or precipitate a second stall. The basic rule of thumb is the more moisture/liquid there is within the smoker, the longer it will take to cook the meat. 

Not Using Enough Heat

Before putting a brisket on the smoker, make sure it’s thoroughly preheated and set to the correct temperature.

Brisket should be smoked at temperatures ranging from 225 to 250 degrees(F). Without enough heat, the brisket will not only struggle to make it through the stall but may also induce multiple stalls throughout the smoke. 

Weather Conditions Outside of The Smoker

Windy conditions can cause heat loss. If a smoker is improperly positioned in the wind, heat will be deflected away from the smoker, resulting in a temperature drop, which causes the brisket to stop cooking.

Make sure your smoker is facing the wind in the direction of its natural airflow.

While smoking meat in cooler weather is perfectly fine, you will need to alter the ambient smoke heat inside to compensate for the cold air around the smoker. In cold conditions, failing to regulate the smoke heat might result in secondary or later stalling.

Rain can provide a cooling effect as well. When moisture collects outside the smoker, it evaporates, lowering the total temperature.

This is the same evaporative cooling process that occurs during the brisket stall, but for the smoker. If it begins to rain, adjust the smoker’s temperature to compensate, just like you would in cold weather.

Can Wrapping the Brisket Help Prevent This?

The majority of smokers believe that wrapping brisket is standard protocol. In addition to keeping the fluids within the wrap, which makes the brisket more tender, it can also lessen the effects of the stall and let it escape much sooner.

The “Texas Crutch” is the common name for this.

The airflow surrounding a wrapped brisket is dramatically restricted, which keeps the surplus rising juices warmer and lessens the impact of evaporative cooling.

Butcher paper or aluminium foil can be used for wrapping. 

Foil may cover the brisket considerably more firmly, keeping it much warmer. However, by keeping the liquids much more tightly sealed in, it might diminish the quality of a thick bark or cracking peel.

Butcher paper will not adhere as tightly to the brisket, but it will provide more ventilation, which will enhance the brisket’s bark.

Can Brisket Be Pulled At 185?

Brisket goes through a process known as “carry-over cooking” when it is removed. This indicates that the meat continues to somewhat cook even after being removed from the heat source.

Remaining heat that is contained in the thickest parts of the flesh continues to go towards the cut’s centre when holding or resting. The internal temperature may rise by up to 10 degrees(F) as a result of this.

So, if 195-200 is the desired temperature, you may remove the brisket at 185 and allow it to complete cooking while it rests. In rare cases, pulling the brisket at the precise target temperature might lead to it overcooking while it is resting.

Final Thoughts

Don’t get alarmed if your brisket stalls at 185. Chances are you didn’t do anything wrong. 

As you can see, there are numerous things that can contribute to this.

It will eventually escape the stall on its own, even if you don’t aid it. Just keep your temperatures steady, wrap it up when it stalls, and keep an eye on its internal temperatures to see when it begins to rise again.