What happens to the fat and connective tissue when...

[Dutchness]

When you take for instance pork belly off the smoker at 185F, fat and connective tissue has been melted nicely. Now you chill it overnight in the fridge and the IT of the pork belly is 36F....what happens to the fat and connective tissue when it's at 36F?

Then my follow up question, what happens to it when we slice it and caramelize it in a pan or on a flat top.

[Potkettleblack]

What you're doing when you're taking your shoulder up to 185 and beyond is a lot like squirting toothpaste out of the tube or slicing up a roast. You're not gonna put that connective tissue back together.

The fat that has rendered will resolidify though. So you won't be able to pull it out of the fridge. Have to retherm it.

On a side note, a pork butt at 185 is a large thermal mass to put in even the biggest fridge. It will warm things in your fridge, even cooled to 150, and spend an inordinate amount of time in the food safety danger zone on its way to fridge temp.

[Jerod Broussard]

I go counter, then freezer (plenty cool to the touch), then fridge.

[Potkettleblack]

I might take a lesson from the souser and bag, shock cold in 50-50 ice-water bath with salt added to lower possible temperature of the water before doing either.

Of course, if Jerod is putting it in that frosted up freezer he showed before, I think it has the cold thermal mass to handle a big shoulder or three.

[Jerod Broussard]

That frosted sucker has held many a brisket on racks.

[Dutchness]

I smoked a pork belly to 165F then chilled it and then the next day sliced it and caramelized the outside and heated through in a pan. I was a little tough, wasn't a fan.

Then I smoked a belly to 183F and did the same thing. It was excellent. So I was wondering...the fat melts but then resolidifies...that cannot mean the fat is in the same state as before smoking it...right? So how exactly is the fat content different when it's 36F before cooking and after cooking when we chill it to 36F again?

Hope my question makes sense.

[Potkettleblack]

165 is a low temp for shoulder when 203* is the pulling target. Of course it's tough.

Rendered lard is still high in saturated fat, so will still be solid at room temperature and below. You may have rendered some of the liquid fat off in the process of taking it to 185, but it's a piece of pork belly. It's more than 50% fat on even the unhappiest of pig. it is a cooked fat, so likely pathogen free and perhaps flavored. But it's still saturated fat, which will always be roughly solid at room temp. Retherm your belly if you want it like it was off the smoker.

[Dutchness]

Where did you read about shoulder? I was talking about pork belly.

I will reread your message a couple times later, will have to look into a couple words you are mentioning.

Pork belly does not have much connective tissue. I cooked belly #1 to 165F, belly #2 to 183F. I chilled both to 36F. Then sliced it and caramelized and heated in a frying pan. Belly #1 was unpleasant, a little on the tough side. Belly #2 came out perfect.

[HorseDoctor]

I think you would be surprised by how much connective tissue there is in pork belly. Other than fat, it's a bunch of hard working muscles going in different directions. There aren't a bunch of big obvious tendons or ligaments but each muscle fiber & each muscle bundle and each muscle itself is connected to all the others with collagen (connective tissue). Try just taking a piece of raw muscle from the belly and chew it. That's how tender it isn't. It's cured, sliced thin and often cooked well done for a reason.

[Dutchness]

Thanks, so there is the answer to why the 185F belly tasted so much better.

I remember reading an article from meathead who said 165F should be plenty for belly, Jerod kinda confirmed that in one of my threads, but the 183F was just much much better.

Thanks

[fzxdoc]

Good to know, Dutchness . I take bacon to 165; perhaps I should try going higher.

Kathryn

[Potkettleblack]

HorseDoctor has it exactly correct. Bacon is also sliced against the grain, helping with tenderness.

[HorseDoctor]

fzxdoc "Chef's Choice 615 Premium Electric Food Slicer"

[fzxdoc]

Hmmmmm...tempting HorseDoctor.

Of course I need another kitchen appliance like I need a hole in my sock, but that's beside the point.

Kathryn