PitDriver
New member
Hello, all, and thank you for welcoming me to the table.
I have truly enjoyed the pellet smoker, 820 pro, for about 3 mos. Never cooked so much in my life. Truly I have produced some amazing meats!
BUT (and its a big butt), I have attempted my first packer brisket. I did all the prep, did a good burnoff at 350 after cleaning the unit well. Temp was 225 and I set the probe into position and went inside to some Netflix. Checked several times and temps were right on point (p5) and I went to sleep with visions of sugar plums dancing in my head. When what to my wondrous . . . (sorry, got carried away). When I awoke, I went out to find the grill cooling at a temp of 130 and internal meat temp of 155. Sadly, not having a great deal of wherewithal, I put it on smoke to fire the igniter, and I think you know what happened next. . . boom! (better than BOOOOOMMMM). Then a good fire and temp spike (removed the brisket during the show).
So, I let it cool, cleaned out the ash, and got it back on (lost 5 degrees internal) and temps seemed great. I used PB hickory pellets. Anyhow, after a few hours, I started getting some serious temperature swings (went out to check on it and found it at 305). SO, i Cracked the lid for a good while to get temps down, but it was also temporary. Shut it down and cleaned again, some ash of course, but it didn't seem excessive. fired it up again, and went at it. Again, very good temps for a bit then bigger and bigger swings. UGH!
So in the end, I luckily was able to produce the brisket in good form, but what a major PITA and stressful smoke!
I am looking for input. Is there a problem with the unit? I have already been waiting on a customer service part (4-6 wk backorder) and I feel like I may be best served to return, and then re-buy. But on the other hand, after seeing some RecTec controller install, but I also have seen that zero smoke comes out of them. . . even if the awesome temp control is tempting.
Thoughts and input is very welcome, and again, Thank you!
Pic to keep the salivators going!
I have truly enjoyed the pellet smoker, 820 pro, for about 3 mos. Never cooked so much in my life. Truly I have produced some amazing meats!
BUT (and its a big butt), I have attempted my first packer brisket. I did all the prep, did a good burnoff at 350 after cleaning the unit well. Temp was 225 and I set the probe into position and went inside to some Netflix. Checked several times and temps were right on point (p5) and I went to sleep with visions of sugar plums dancing in my head. When what to my wondrous . . . (sorry, got carried away). When I awoke, I went out to find the grill cooling at a temp of 130 and internal meat temp of 155. Sadly, not having a great deal of wherewithal, I put it on smoke to fire the igniter, and I think you know what happened next. . . boom! (better than BOOOOOMMMM). Then a good fire and temp spike (removed the brisket during the show).
So, I let it cool, cleaned out the ash, and got it back on (lost 5 degrees internal) and temps seemed great. I used PB hickory pellets. Anyhow, after a few hours, I started getting some serious temperature swings (went out to check on it and found it at 305). SO, i Cracked the lid for a good while to get temps down, but it was also temporary. Shut it down and cleaned again, some ash of course, but it didn't seem excessive. fired it up again, and went at it. Again, very good temps for a bit then bigger and bigger swings. UGH!
So in the end, I luckily was able to produce the brisket in good form, but what a major PITA and stressful smoke!
I am looking for input. Is there a problem with the unit? I have already been waiting on a customer service part (4-6 wk backorder) and I feel like I may be best served to return, and then re-buy. But on the other hand, after seeing some RecTec controller install, but I also have seen that zero smoke comes out of them. . . even if the awesome temp control is tempting.
Thoughts and input is very welcome, and again, Thank you!
Pic to keep the salivators going!
