Understanding Stall Points: When BBQ Meat Stops Cooking

Have you ever experienced that frustrating moment during a long BBQ session when your meat's internal temperature suddenly stops rising? You've been patiently monitoring your pork shoulder or brisket for hours, watching the temperature climb steadily toward your target, when suddenly... nothing happens. For what feels like an eternity, the temperature refuses to budge, leaving you wondering if your thermometer is broken or if you've somehow messed up your entire cook.

Don't worry—you've just hit what pitmasters call "the stall," and it's a completely normal part of the BBQ journey. Today, I'm going to walk you through exactly what happens during a stall, why it occurs, and most importantly, how to handle it like a pro.

What Exactly Is the BBQ Stall?

The stall is a phenomenon that occurs when cooking large cuts of meat at low temperatures (usually between 225°F and 250°F). After the meat reaches an internal temperature of around 150°F to 170°F, the temperature plateaus and can remain stuck for several hours before rising again.

My first encounter with the stall was during an all-day cookout with friends. I had promised perfectly smoked pulled pork by dinnertime, but when my 8-pound pork shoulder hit 160°F at noon and stayed there until nearly 4 PM, I started to panic. Thankfully, an experienced neighbor explained what was happening before I cranked up the heat and ruined the meat.

The Science Behind the Stall

What's actually happening during the stall is a fascinating bit of thermodynamics. As the meat cooks, moisture from inside rises to the surface and evaporates. This evaporation creates a cooling effect—similar to how sweat cools your body—that temporarily counteracts the heat from your smoker.

This process, called "evaporative cooling," creates an equilibrium where the rate of cooling matches the rate of heating, causing the temperature to plateau. It's not that your meat has stopped cooking; rather, it's engaged in a temporary standoff between heating and cooling forces.

When to Expect the Stall (Temperature Range and Duration)

The stall typically begins when your meat reaches an internal temperature between 150°F and 170°F, though this can vary based on several factors:

• Type of meat: Brisket often stalls around 150°F-160°F, while pork shoulders might stall closer to 160°F-170°F.
• Size of the cut: Larger cuts experience more pronounced stalls.
• Smoker temperature: Lower cooking temperatures can extend the stall period.
• Humidity in the cooking environment: Higher humidity levels can prolong the stall.

A typical stall can last anywhere from 2 to 6 hours—yes, hours! This is often the point where novice pitmasters lose patience and crank up the heat, which can compromise the final result.

How to Monitor the Stall Effectively

Accurate temperature monitoring is absolutely crucial during the stall. This is where having a reliable meat thermometer makes all the difference.

I've found that dual-probe thermometers like the TITAN GRILLERS Digital Meat Thermometer are particularly useful during these long cooks. With one probe monitoring the meat's internal temperature and another tracking the ambient temperature of your smoker, you'll have complete visibility into what's happening during the stall without repeatedly opening the lid (which only prolongs cooking time).

Strategies for Handling the Stall

When faced with the stall, you have three main options:

1. Wait It Out (The Purist Approach)

Patience is a virtue in BBQ. Simply maintain your smoker's temperature and wait for the meat to push through the stall naturally. This approach often yields the most flavorful results, as the extended cooking time allows more smoke flavor to develop and the collagen to break down properly.

2. The Texas Crutch (Wrapping Method)

Named after a technique popularized by Texas pitmasters, the "crutch" involves tightly wrapping your meat in aluminum foil or butcher paper once it enters the stall. This creates a mini-environment that prevents evaporation, effectively eliminating the cooling effect and helping the meat push through the stall much faster.

I was skeptical about this method until I tried it on a particularly stubborn brisket. After wrapping, the temperature began climbing again within 30 minutes, shaving hours off my cook time.

3. Increase the Cooking Temperature

Some pitmasters opt to raise the cooking temperature slightly (from 225°F to 250°F or 275°F) when they hit the stall. This provides more heat energy to overcome the evaporative cooling effect. While this can speed things up, it requires careful monitoring to prevent drying out the meat.

Beyond the Stall: How to Know When Your Meat Is Ready

Remember that the stall is just one part of the journey to perfectly cooked BBQ. After pushing through the plateau, you'll want to continue cooking until the meat reaches its target temperature—usually around 195°F to 205°F for pulled pork and brisket.

However, temperature isn't everything. The true test is tenderness. When your probe slides into the meat with minimal resistance—"like butter," as pitmasters say—that's when you know it's perfect.

Learning from the Stall

The meat stall, while frustrating, teaches an important lesson about BBQ: it cannot be rushed. The transformation of tough, collagen-rich cuts into tender, mouthwatering barbecue is a slow chemical process that requires time and patience.

As you gain experience, you'll start to anticipate the stall and incorporate it into your cooking plans. What once seemed like a mysterious roadblock will become just another step in your pitmaster journey.

Conclusion

The BBQ stall is not your enemy—it's a natural part of the cooking process that contributes to the development of those complex flavors and tender textures we all love. Whether you choose to wait it out, wrap your meat, or adjust your temperatures, understanding what's happening during the stall will make you a more confident and successful pitmaster.

Next time you're six hours into a cook and your temperature graph looks like a plateau instead of a mountain, you'll know exactly what's happening and how to handle it. And remember, the best tool in your arsenal is a reliable meat thermometer that lets you track temperatures accurately without constantly opening the smoker.

Have you experienced the dreaded stall in your BBQ adventures? What's your preferred method for handling it? Share your experiences in the comments below!

For more BBQ insights and tips, check out our Beginner's Guide to Grilling and First-Time Smoker Guide.