I know everyone loves Franklin's brisket, but I had a weird experience with one in Austin.

I was at a cook-off last spring and my brisket stalled at 160 for over four hours, even with my trusty WSM. I wrapped it in butcher paper with some tallow and cranked the heat, which everyone says is a sin, but it pushed through and came out fine. Has anyone else had to break a 'rule' to save a cook?

4 comments

4 Comments

jessej233mo ago

Cranking the heat to push through a stall isn't really a sin at all.

willowg883mo ago

I mean, it can mess with the bark texture though. If you rush it too much, the outside can get tough before the inside is ready. It's a trade-off you have to watch for.

the_drew1mo agoTop Commenter

Yeah Jesse's right that it's not a sin, but I think there's something nobody's brought up yet. When you crank the heat, you're not just speeding up the cook, you're changing how the fat renders. I've noticed that with a higher temp, the fat cap doesn't break down as evenly, so you get these spots where it's still a little chewy instead of that buttery melt. Plus, the connective tissue might not fully dissolve either, which is what gives brisket that moist, pull-apart feel. So yeah, it'll push through the stall, but you might lose some of that magic if you're not careful.

ivan_murphy803mo ago

Glad it worked out for you, and @jessej23 is right, it's not a sin. The stall can just break your brain sometimes. I've had to bump my temp before when time got tight, and as long as you keep an eye on it, the brisket usually turns out fine. Those rules are more like guidelines anyway, especially when you're up against the clock.