My KBQ friends...
I have recently discovered and then confirmed that perfect pull (doneness) including very good moistness in my packers is much easier to achieve.
-
At the time of this post, I am "batting 1000!"
My methods to achieve great results used to be somewhat difficult, and it was SO easy to overcook my packers.
Not anymore!
What happened was that I took Aaron Franklin's $90 MasterClass and broke away from my standard procedures, and started experimenting again.
I then formed some logical conclusions from the results of my tests, and proved them out.
Now, I "nail" doneness on my packers (and beef ribs for that matter) with no real worries, time after time.
YES, you got it right, I now smoke the ribs until almost there, to where they are still ever so slightly tough, and then put them into a long moist hold period at 148°F to finish cooking them.
-
Here are my latest discoveries + my most current brisket procedures:
I currently...
1) Smoke the packers whole looking for the stall.
2) Continue in the smoke until the internal temperature just starts to climb out of the stall.
This is easy to see with a probe in the thickest part of the flat. (I am using a 6-probe FireBoard)
I put one in each of 3 packers in its "sweet spot" and one attached to the middle rack in each KBQ.
3) When a temperature stalled packer starts to climb, I pull, spritz and wrap that packer just as it starts breaking out of the stall, wrapping it tightly in butcher paper at that time.
Basically, wrapping is done as it starts to rise in temperature after a longish period of no increase or a fair period where its internal temperature has dropped instead of risen.
So again, once that the internal temperature starts to rise again, it is pulled and wrapped.
The internal temperature in the "sweet spot" is generally around 160°F to 175°F with each packer being different as each cow is different.
I basically wrap at this time to conserve some moisture.
Note that when you pull the probe out to wrap, about 3 to 4 tablespoons of liquid will gush out, so have the packer on your cut butcher paper when you remove the probe.
4) After it's wrapped, I put that packer back into the KBQ or in an oven as it will not take on any more smoke after being wrapped.
Continue to cook it until that individual packer "gives it up" and becomes limber.
This usually occurs around a 180°F to 185°F internal temperature, but each one can be different.
To check to see if it is done, I pick each one up with a towel in the middle and gently hold it as I roll it over watching for it to be limber. BE SLOW AND GENTLE SO IT DOESN'T BREAK THE MEATS SURFACE INSIDE THE WRAPPING.
5) At that time, if limber, I use the towel and squeeze the meat thru the towel, where I am feeling the flat for a "hard lump" inside that is not soft yet.
I find this lump to be in the thickest area of the center of the flat. (The area next to where the point begins)
For me this is the last area of each packer to become tender.
This squeezing is similar to feeling or pressing down on a steak to determine just how done it is.
6) When that hard lump is just starting to get softer, I then pull that specific packer, open its wrapping and gently and slowly add 3/4 cup of water into the paper wrapping edge, letting it slowly run into the area surrounding the meat as to not wash off the bark or spice rub.
Now I close the wrapping back, and rest that packer at a temperature of about 110°F for two hours.
It is important to allow this rest period so it can slowly decelerate in temperature, relax and reabsorb moisture.
Note: If you cooked it hot and fast and pull it when done and put it into a cooler, it will carry-over, overcook, become dry, and crumbly.
Also note that I am pulling the packer when it is NOT fully done, and is actually still somewhat tough.
If sliced, that slice will not break easily when pulled and will pull sort of like rubber with an elastic like stretch to it.
7) So, at the end of the two-hour rest period, I heavily wrap the packer in Glad plastic wrap, wrapping OVER the moist butcher paper.
8) Next, it goes through a moist hold period at 148°F.
This hold is for 8 to 10 or more hours where the still somewhat tough packer slowly cooks and finalizes its exacting tenderness, plus it redistributes moisture throughout.
-
You can accomplish the hold period in anything that will keep a consistent heat at lower temperatures, like a dehydrator, or a MasterBuilt 40 electric smoker, which is WELL worth the money BTW.
-
A friend of mine sells 20 to 25 packers each weekend and uses 10 MasterBuilt 40's to finish cooking after the KBQ smoke, and then he holds his packers in them.
They are inexpensive too.
I bought a new one still in the box for $160
The MasterBuilt can be made to be incredibly moist with a built-in water pan, plus I put water in another pan plus a cookie sheet on the 4th (bottom) rack.
I just used mine last night after wrapping to cook 3 packers in extremely heavy moisture to that limber state before the rest and hold periods.
VERY Highly recommended.
So, basically, the moist hold at 148°F will continue to break down collagen into gelatin WITHOUT overcooking that packer.
Doneness for me has been "Spot On" EVERY TIME since I started using this new procedure.
-
NO LONGER DO I HAVE...
Dry, overcooked crumbly beef brisket.
-
It is consistantly Just Right.
Try it!
Again I encourage you to...
"Embrace the Hold" my fellow KBQ Pitmasters!
I have recently discovered and then confirmed that perfect pull (doneness) including very good moistness in my packers is much easier to achieve.
-
At the time of this post, I am "batting 1000!"
My methods to achieve great results used to be somewhat difficult, and it was SO easy to overcook my packers.
Not anymore!
What happened was that I took Aaron Franklin's $90 MasterClass and broke away from my standard procedures, and started experimenting again.
I then formed some logical conclusions from the results of my tests, and proved them out.
Now, I "nail" doneness on my packers (and beef ribs for that matter) with no real worries, time after time.
YES, you got it right, I now smoke the ribs until almost there, to where they are still ever so slightly tough, and then put them into a long moist hold period at 148°F to finish cooking them.
-
Here are my latest discoveries + my most current brisket procedures:
I currently...
1) Smoke the packers whole looking for the stall.
2) Continue in the smoke until the internal temperature just starts to climb out of the stall.
This is easy to see with a probe in the thickest part of the flat. (I am using a 6-probe FireBoard)
I put one in each of 3 packers in its "sweet spot" and one attached to the middle rack in each KBQ.
3) When a temperature stalled packer starts to climb, I pull, spritz and wrap that packer just as it starts breaking out of the stall, wrapping it tightly in butcher paper at that time.
Basically, wrapping is done as it starts to rise in temperature after a longish period of no increase or a fair period where its internal temperature has dropped instead of risen.
So again, once that the internal temperature starts to rise again, it is pulled and wrapped.
The internal temperature in the "sweet spot" is generally around 160°F to 175°F with each packer being different as each cow is different.
I basically wrap at this time to conserve some moisture.
Note that when you pull the probe out to wrap, about 3 to 4 tablespoons of liquid will gush out, so have the packer on your cut butcher paper when you remove the probe.
4) After it's wrapped, I put that packer back into the KBQ or in an oven as it will not take on any more smoke after being wrapped.
Continue to cook it until that individual packer "gives it up" and becomes limber.
This usually occurs around a 180°F to 185°F internal temperature, but each one can be different.
To check to see if it is done, I pick each one up with a towel in the middle and gently hold it as I roll it over watching for it to be limber. BE SLOW AND GENTLE SO IT DOESN'T BREAK THE MEATS SURFACE INSIDE THE WRAPPING.
5) At that time, if limber, I use the towel and squeeze the meat thru the towel, where I am feeling the flat for a "hard lump" inside that is not soft yet.
I find this lump to be in the thickest area of the center of the flat. (The area next to where the point begins)
For me this is the last area of each packer to become tender.
This squeezing is similar to feeling or pressing down on a steak to determine just how done it is.
6) When that hard lump is just starting to get softer, I then pull that specific packer, open its wrapping and gently and slowly add 3/4 cup of water into the paper wrapping edge, letting it slowly run into the area surrounding the meat as to not wash off the bark or spice rub.
Now I close the wrapping back, and rest that packer at a temperature of about 110°F for two hours.
It is important to allow this rest period so it can slowly decelerate in temperature, relax and reabsorb moisture.
Note: If you cooked it hot and fast and pull it when done and put it into a cooler, it will carry-over, overcook, become dry, and crumbly.
Also note that I am pulling the packer when it is NOT fully done, and is actually still somewhat tough.
If sliced, that slice will not break easily when pulled and will pull sort of like rubber with an elastic like stretch to it.
7) So, at the end of the two-hour rest period, I heavily wrap the packer in Glad plastic wrap, wrapping OVER the moist butcher paper.
8) Next, it goes through a moist hold period at 148°F.
This hold is for 8 to 10 or more hours where the still somewhat tough packer slowly cooks and finalizes its exacting tenderness, plus it redistributes moisture throughout.
-
You can accomplish the hold period in anything that will keep a consistent heat at lower temperatures, like a dehydrator, or a MasterBuilt 40 electric smoker, which is WELL worth the money BTW.
-
A friend of mine sells 20 to 25 packers each weekend and uses 10 MasterBuilt 40's to finish cooking after the KBQ smoke, and then he holds his packers in them.
They are inexpensive too.
I bought a new one still in the box for $160
The MasterBuilt can be made to be incredibly moist with a built-in water pan, plus I put water in another pan plus a cookie sheet on the 4th (bottom) rack.
I just used mine last night after wrapping to cook 3 packers in extremely heavy moisture to that limber state before the rest and hold periods.
VERY Highly recommended.
So, basically, the moist hold at 148°F will continue to break down collagen into gelatin WITHOUT overcooking that packer.
Doneness for me has been "Spot On" EVERY TIME since I started using this new procedure.
-
NO LONGER DO I HAVE...
Dry, overcooked crumbly beef brisket.
-
It is consistantly Just Right.
Try it!
Again I encourage you to...
"Embrace the Hold" my fellow KBQ Pitmasters!
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