Cambro Temp monitoring

[PappyBBQ]

I use my cooler this way all the time. Pour in hot water to preheat it, then load it up. Last weekend I took two chickens and 3 racks of pork ribs down to my in-laws for a family dinner. The trip down was an hour and then it took an hour to get everything else ready. When I pulled the stuff outta the cooler to carve it was still too hot to handle bare handed. Easier than dragging my PBC down there. If I had a pickup I'd take it but I don't.

[phrogpilot73]

I have found that Yeti-esque (whatever your choice of brand is, just the ridiculous insulation of Yeti and RTIC and...) coolers, preheated are the best way to hold my butts. I've held Brisket for almost 6 hours when it had no stall, and left the probe in. It went from ~195 to ~150.

Temperature danger zone is 41-135. As long as you're holding above 135, it's safe.

[rmeugene]

I like some others run my probe out of the cooler and monitor while it is inside. One of the comments above did make me think...where should I have the probe? I always just left it where it was when it hit 203 but as mentioned in another comment the outer layer will cool faster will it not? And I don’t think you want it dropping to 120...

[Spinaker]

I preheat my cooler with boiling water, while the cook is going on. Then I dump the water and add a towel to the bottom of cooler. The wrapped meats are wrapped in butter paper and a towel. Any void left in the cooler is packed with more towels. You want as little extra airspace as possible to help maintain heat with in the cooler. Like the post above, I can hold briskets and shoulders for hours and hours on end.

[Richard Chrz]

As I learn these cooks, I am trying to cook in the idea that I could have everything really done 2 - 4 hours ahead of time. so, when friends come together, I get to be with my friends. (besides maybe a burger or wings, etc.) My friends are starting to ask to be invited over for the cooks, my photos on fb are getting to them. LOL The plan is working. get together more with friends, and I get to run a cook.

[Richard Chrz]

I was thinking that even monitoring the temp near the meat, will tell you at least what kind of environment you are having your cook rest in That would give some insight to what may or may not be happening because of that environment. If my inside cooler temp is holding in a safe zone for meat to rest. and then what can we do to improve that, (hot water bottles)... etc..maybe resting in a preheat cast iron pan of sorts.

[Polarbear777]

This was a brisket after 5 plus hours.

i don’t worry about it anymore.

[Richard Chrz]

Mr. Bones I could see no worse thing i could do, I keep reviewing my cooking processes now, looking for those areas of improvement.

[klflowers]

I have held butts and brisket wrapped in foil and towels in a tightly closed cooler for up to 4 hours without monitoring, and when I served it was still steaming hot. I guess I should start monitoring, but I honestly never thought about it.

[Chuck in Charlotte]

If you're resting in a cooler with no active heat, the outside of the meat will cool more quickly than the interior. So the probe in the meat could be in the safe zone for a long time while the outer crust goes below 120. I like to keep a probe on the outside of the meat but inside the towels. I use a waterproof Thermoworks probe.

[Mr. Bones]

Ground Chuck
No Expert, here... but as I unnerstand it...
When I place my Product in my oven, at Min (170°), I am "Holdin'...once I put it in a cooler / cambro, an it starts a very gradual decline, my Product is ;restin'
Might be way off base; hopefully, more edjumacated folks will chime in, here, an give ya th straight skinny...

[Ground Chuck]

Thank you, Mr. Bones! Is the holding oven the same as letting the meat rest? Or are those two separate tasks?

[Attjack]

I've never tried to monitor the temp. So far I've never had the need. I guess I might be more inclined to open it up and probe the meat for its temp instead.

[Mr. Bones]

Naw, Richard Chrz I personally think that servin Safe Food is an Utmost Priority!

[Mr. Bones]

A very interestin, an valid question, Brother! Lookin forward to th answers from Members...

What I always do, given my equipment, an circumstances, is oven hold, ~170°, tightly wrapped / panned, until transport is required.

Then, foods go into a cooler, with appropriate towels, fleece blankys (cheap, an effective), or what have ya, fer th relatively short ride to my servin destination...

Still way too dang hot, fer most folks hands, when pullin...