Backwoods Smoker cooking too fast

[Spond]

Hello folks. My first post here, new to the forum. Appreciate any help/insight!
I'm having issues with my Backwoods Party G2 cooking meat too quickly. I wouldn't complain about cutting my time in half if it wasn't turning out chewy/tough, but that's the case. Brisket seems to be the hardest one to slow down but I've had similar issues with pork shoulder.
I have cooked a 12 pound brisket in 6 hours at 215-220 degrees "unintentionally". Before you ask, I double checked my thermometer and had a secondary grate thermometer on the same grate my brisket was on. They were both within 2 degrees of each other the entire cook. I had the water pan full (which i assumed would have been a heat sink, but apparently not). Brisket was not wrapped in foil or paper at any point during the cook. I also tried running it dry, without water, on another cook (same temp, roughly the same size brisket), with a very similar outcome...cooked in about 7 hours, but still nowhere near long enough to get a tender brisket on a reverse flow cooker.
I've thought about cooking with sand in the water pan next time but not sure that would achieve a different result than having the pan full of water...both act as a heat sink, right?
Having trouble understanding how i can cook at 220 on my BGE and it will take 13-14 hours, but 220 on my Backwoods takes less than half that.
Any suggestions?
much appreciated.

Stephen

 

[creek bottom]

How were you determining if the brisket was done?

 

[JEStucker]

Like Creek asked, how were you determining done? Internal temperature, probe, feel? Often, especially with brisket, internal temps can lie to you. You get into the fat or think you're in the thickest area, or you probe too deep or too shallow.

I've very seldom had a brisket done in less than 12 hours (cooking only, not counting resting)

 

[smoke ninja]

tough chewy meat is a sign its undercooked

 

[Jason TQ]

Stephen welcome. I'm around Atlanta too.

I had a G2 party and chubby for 4+ years, used them a lot and loved them. I felt they cooked a bit faster (no data on that) but not twice as fast.

Tough and chewy brisket like smoke ninja said is underdone. Are you playing around with "probe tender" and feeling for doneness? Do you now the internal brisket finishing temp? There is not perfect finishing temp, but certainly a window to start checking for doneness.

At competitions my G2 party would get brisket (and 2 butts) put on at 10pm and would run 215'ish overnight. When I'd get up at 5:30am brisket and butts would always be in the 155-170 range. Maybe once it was up super high in the 190+ range.

None of that is super helpful i'm sure, but I'm just trying to give you some feedback on it just seems a little strange.

I ran dry a few times, but cooking temps can run away from you. Backwoods are true water cookers. My suggestion as of now is give it a few more runs and see what happens and monitor internal temp of the meat.

Have you tried ribs, butts or anything else on it?

 

[4ever3]

Something ain’t adding up here...

 

[Spond]

Much appreciated guys. I was using a temp probe in the brisket(flat), the highest temp I ever let it go was 205 but it was still tough. I was hesitant to let it go longer than that but clearly something I need to try as it sounds like everyone agrees. I’ll take tour advice and go on pure feel next time, regardless of what the thermometer is telling me. I’ll give that a shot this weekend and let you know.
By the way Jason, I’ve done a lot of ribs and chicken...cooked somewhat faster than expected but not to the extent of the brisket.

 

[Rocky Branch BBQ]

I ran a Backwoods for a while and tried a method suggested by a Brethren. In stead of using water in the pan I used 10- to 12 layers of heavy tin foil the same measurements of the water pan slightly crumpled that acted as a heat shield . Worked like a charm! And I didn't have to mess with a greasy pan of water. That Backwoods would dial into 225 after the vents were set and just roll on until maybe adding a few brickettes to extend the smoking process depending on what time you needed. Wish I would have kept that thing, smoked a lot of great meat.

 

[Jason TQ]

Much appreciated guys. I was using a temp probe in the brisket(flat), the highest temp I ever let it go was 205 but it was still tough. I was hesitant to let it go longer than that but clearly something I need to try as it sounds like everyone agrees. I’ll take tour advice and go on pure feel next time, regardless of what the thermometer is telling me. I’ll give that a shot this weekend and let you know.
By the way Jason, I’ve done a lot of ribs and chicken...cooked somewhat faster than expected but not to the extent of the brisket.

Not to throw a monkey wrench into the mix, but clearly about to do that.........:becky:

.....I'd say 205 is on the high end of finishing for cooking at a lower temperature. When I'd did 225 on my backwoods I'd start checking for doneness at 195 and maybe would get 200-205 to finish.

When I run hotter (300'ish), which I typically do now, I don't start checking till 205-206 and can get above 210 to get done :twitch:

How long are you resting?

Some idiot has the worst bbq garbage youtube channel known to man that will make you wish you hadn't spent more that 4seconds watching the videos, but coincidentally he does ramble on and on and on in this one video about probing for doneness using a G2 Party for a visual example :twitch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9UILZf0obk&t=98s

Said garbage channel also has other "probing" videos too.......

 

[Happy Hapgood]

Great info your getting here and Welcome! I will just offer a few lessons I learned many years ago and stick to to this day:


I stopped cooking select grade briskets. Choice or better only.


The rest after cooking is super important. I go loosely tented foil for at least an hour before slicing.


Most importantly, the old rule "It's done when it's done" is so true. I've had them go to 212*F all the way down to 195*F before probe tender. Depends on the brisket.


Good Luck!

 

[Fire and Ice]

I have a G2 chubby and wondering if you kept the brisket on the top rack?

 

[Spond]

Hey Fire and Ice. I actually had it on the lowest rack, just above the water pan, trying to keep it out of the upper chamber where it’s hotter.