putting a brisket (or butts etc) in a faux cambro cooler at 200F or cool it to 180F first

[big_mack]

I enjoy Jeremy Yoder's Mad Scientist BBQ channel and watched his most recent brisket video, the 3rd of 3 videos released over about 5 years I believe. His approach has progressed over hundreds of brisket cooks via a catering business. In this video he says that if you put it in the cooler right after its done at 200ish it will end up cooking more in the cooler and get tougher. He is recommending to let it cool to 180F before putting it in. And it will still hold above 140F for 8 hours and he even recommends that long of a hold be design. Assuming good insulation.

I can't really do a test to see if there is a difference, but I'd love to.

I am assuming if putting it in right away at 200F was really that bad of a thing this would have been mentioned in the articles I've read.

[Attjack]

You could leave the probe in and see if it keeps cooking and by how much.

[Bogy]

Don't know that I can agree with that. Just a few weeks ago I pulled 3 briskets at about 203 and put them in the cooler to bring to my son's store for his employees. They were in the cooler from 1 to 3 hours. I got nothing but compliments from the people who ate it. I was there a couple of days ago, and was still getting compliments for how it was the most tender, flavorful meat they had ever had. He must get his briskets from tough old Texas steers, Iowa angus is much more tender.

[radiodome21]

Interesting. I just did my third brisket on Saturday for my sons birthday party. I put it in my cooler while it was over 200. The flat was a little dried out but the point was right on point 🍻. Wonder if I should’ve let it set on the smoker for a little longer after I turned it off. Oh well. No leftovers from a 10# prime brisket so it wasn’t that bad.

[rlozinak]

Yea, I have never had an issue. I take them and wrap in plastic wrap and wrap a towel around it and put in cooler. Never an issue for me

[Donw]

Personally I have always tried to do a cool down before holding to break the carryover cooking effects we see in almost all meats so I would agree with Yoder 100%.

[efincoop]

+1 here, but I have to admit I didn't learn that until recently and it was relative to reverse searing a steak, but I know apply it to all my cooks.

[big_mack]

I wish I could cook two of something and do a real test. but since I cant, I am going to go with Yoder's suggestion and cool down first. He's cooked a lot of butts and briskets and seems like a pretty logical guy.

[Huskee]

What does "cooking" mean though? It's already cooked long before it hits 200. It's basking, holding, softening, but personally I woudn't agree with it still "cooking". The temp will immediately start waning once you put it in a relatively cool cooler. It's all good at that point.

[big_mack]

agree its probably not cooking as in increasing in temp.

[Donw]

No matter the word used to describe it the second law of thermodynamics applies.

[DaveD]

Here is a plot of the IT of my brisket the other day (my first one!) after I took it off the smoker and put it in my Cambro with no other insulation. I'd used the foil boat method and wanted to leave the top surface uncovered (although in hindsight there was no reason to). It sat below 140F/60C for a little over an hour, which was not ideal, so I'll be sure to do some kind of insulation going forward. In this example, the temp just fell off very smoothly and immediately, there was no additional cooking going on here I reckon. It was in there for five hours before serving (came out extremely well). Hope this helps!

[big_mack]

Nice you have a plot of the cambro period and it shows a temp decline only. I did a butt last weekend and when I want to wrap after smoking fully uncovered for 18 hrs and no crutch it the fast was fully rendered and the meat was juicy squishy. It was hard to pick up. I put it in a well insulated quality cooler and wrapped it with a well insulated moving blanket and started to pull it 4 hrs later. First thing I noticed it was harder to pull than usual.

[big_mack]

And it was tougher than I expected. And leftovers were tough. It was berkshire pork from a boutique butcher too. I wonder if the direct to cambro instead of a cool down period was partly to blame. I did not even keep a probe in it because i was not worried about it going below 140. I will definitely cool the next one first. Interesting to mixed comments posted on this.

[Jfrosty27]

I’ve cooked only two briskets, but many racks of beef short ribs. I rest them the same way. I pull from the smoker while wrapped in butcher paper and place them in my oven that has been warmed to 180 degrees and turn it OFF. The meat and oven gently cool together. I can hold for 3-4 hours this way. Works great.

[RonB]

My thoughts, (for what they are worth. ). When you pull a hunk o' meat that is at 203° in the center, the surface has to be a higher temp since you are smoking at a minimum of 225°. So the internal temp should rise a bit as temps even out. Like when you cook a steak - you plan on a temp rise to help you decide when to pull it. The rise might not be much, but it's gonna happen. ( DaveD 's post above noted.) The question is how much of an effect a rise, and it's length, will affect the finished product.

I think that holding the meat on the counter until the surface temp is at or below the the internal temp would prevent any effects, but I'm not sure if it would actually make any difference.

The solution is to have someone with a large enough cooker cook two hunks of the same meat at the same time. When probe tender, put one in the cambro immediately, and hold the other one until the surface temp is below the internal cooked temp - then place in the cambro. Taste test several hours later at the same time.

[big_mack]

I would be interested to see that test. I have a small chimp which can do two butts but I have only had one occasion to cook that much.

[frailinryan]

I agree with Jeremy. I have held briskets right out of the smoker around 203 degrees and they sometimes would be too tender and mushy. I seem to have better results if I let the brisket cool to 180 degrees and then place in a cooler or warm oven.