QSVQ Scheduling/Logistics Sanity Check?

[TexasDave]

I have a massive annual cook I do once a year for about 20 folks. Have done it in the past on my WSM (I have two) but looking to make it easier this year by leveraging my Sous Vide.

I am serving a Packer brisket, Pork Butt, Beef Ribs and Pork Ribs.

Will do my pork ribs on the day as they are fairly easy and only take 5-6 hours.

Hoping to get a sanity check on my plan on the QSVQ.

• Meat will arrive on Monday....only doing beef ribs, brisket and pork shoulder
• On Monday
  • Trim beef ribs, brisket and pork butt. I am NOT seasoning.
  • I will then smoke the above for 2-3 hours per normal.
  • I will then vacuum seal all the meat and then do an ice bath on all of them
  • I will then SV the beef ribs at 135F for 44-48 hours.
  • Then ice bath and refrigerate (on Wednesday).
• Wednesday
  • Beef ribs are done, sealed and ice bath per above. Refrigerate
  • I will then SV the brisket and Pork Butt for around 30 hours at 155F.
  • Then ice bath and refrigerate (on Friday)
• Saturday
  • Unwrap all meat. Season as usual
  • Then will smoke 2-3 hours shooting for a temp of about 130F
  • On my other smoker, will do the pork ribs as normal.

My main question is if the meat is sealed and ice bathed, I assume it can sit in the fridge with no issues for a few days?

I have also "split the middle" on the SV for the brisket and pork shoulder. I would normally do:

• Pork Butt: 158F / 24 hours
• Brisket: 150F / 30 hours

I think 30 hours at 155F works for both at the same time? Maybe drop how long I do the brisket as it is warmer than usual and I plan on doing the pork butt a bit longer? I need to do both meats at once if at all possible.

I know the above is long but any tips or thoughts wuld be welcome. Thanks!

[bbqLuv]

Now that is a plan. I like it! Plan your cook and cook your plan. Is there a margin of error in the plan? Just in case? Please keep notes, a record of cook, Journal, and share. Post BBQ Reviw--Don't forget the PBR. 😊
Happy grilling to you and PBR too.

[Donw]

Sounds like a good plan but personally, if I could, I would extend the brisket SV at 155 to 36-48 hours. I’ve done quite a few at 155 and the extra time does make a difference in the finished product. I too would reheat to a higher temperature, a minimum of 140, but higher if you can.

[gdsim1]

Hey buddy! 😃 I’m pretty excited about this massive cook of yours and how sous vide contributes, so PLEASE make sure to drop by after the big day and let us know how everything turned out. 👍

So full disclosure, I’m pretty much a newborn with sous vide, but here are my thoughts. I’m sure others who are vets of the SVQ game will drop by to help better too.

- From the research I’ve done on SV, one of its main advantages is that yes, meat can be put into the fridge after full SV cooking w/ an ice bath and will be just fine for up to a week. 😃 Given that, if you’ve got enough room in your WSM’s and with the time line you’re working with, you may be able to SV ALL of it if you keep your SV rig chugging 24/7. Pretty cool huh? 😊

- Again, if you have the room in the WSM’s, you may want to consider smoking everything AFTER you sous vide it, not before. I’ve just seen too many reports that say if you smoke before, the SV process tends to make the smoke flavor permeate the meat too much and it winds up tasting OVER smoked. 😳

Makes me nervous, so if you’ve got to smoke ahead of the SV I’d suggest going pretty light on the smoking (maybe 1 or 1.5 hours instead of the normally suggested 3?). This is one the SV vets will be able to help better with I’m sure.

- May want to re-check your time and temp for the beef ribs… most recipes I’m seeing are calling for 163-ish for 24 hours or 145 for 48 hours. If you can get the same results with a shorter cook, that would free up you sous vide rig to work on another of your meats. 🤷‍♂️

Again, super fired up about your project, and I hope to hear about a huge win early next week! 😊👍

[Troutman]

First of all pre-smoking brisket or pork butts that you are cooking to 160*+ is largely a waste of time. There are advantages in that you do get a wonderful purge that can be used to make a great sauce and a jumpstart on the final bark formation through the milliard reaction. Other than that you might just be wasting time better spent in the bath. You have a large complicated cook going on, make it easier on yourself. Like mentioned above, I'd defiantly SV a little longer. Big cuts of beef and pork butts need time to break down the fat and connective tissues. I like the recommendation of 36-48 hours. You're not going to loose any more moisture, you're just shooting for degrees of tenderness.

Wrapping or sealing and holding in your refrigerator is fine if you do pre-smoke. I've done it for up to a week with no problem. Just keep it below 40* and you'll be just fine.

As to post smoking, the rule of thumb should always be to NOT exceed your cook temps. That said you want to take every moment of time in the smoker you can get at this stage. Your meat is cooked, all you are doing now is establishing a bark and getting as much smoke flavor as you can on the meat. So bringing right up to, but not exceeding your bath temp is advantageous.

Here's some examples of straight SVQ cooking a brisket to 160ish for about 48 hours and QVQ brisket to 135ish for about 72 hours.



On your ribs I'm confused by what finish you are going for. It almost seems like they are an afterthought to your cook. At 135* I would recommend a lot longer. Beef ribs are really no different from brisket or chuck, they need time to break down. Remember its about time and temperature. The lower the temperature the more time you have to spend in the bath. Other than that I would cook them along side the brisket if they are full plates.

If you are not already apprised of this, Meathead has put together a really well laid out primer on SVQ with some mention of QVQ as well. He offers a lot of tips and approaches you may want to consider in your cook. Good luck to you, this sounds really ambitious !!

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/free-deep-dive-guide-ebooks/free-deep-dive-guide-ebooks-aa/791440-sous-vide-que-deep-dive-guide-ebook

[JCBBQ]

T-man, those points look amazing. How long did you do the first Q? We’re you looking for temp, time, or until it had a bark? How long did you do the second Q for? And is that simply to warm and firm the bark?

[Troutman]

As I described you have to pick a temp, in my case 135*. All three processes never exceed that temp. Does that answer your question??

[CaptainMike]

The only thing I will add is to season before each smoke cession, especially the big hunks, but perhaps not the beef ribs. I just did a mini version of this and the timing was perfect to serve all of it at the same time, with the biggest bonus of sitting down and eating with my friends instead of fretting over some piece of meat that refused to budge through a stall. Also, I peeled off the point of the brisket after the the first smoke cession, SV'd it with the flat, then made burnt ends (https://jesspryles.com/recipe/best-e...et-burnt-ends/) for "appetizers", which were a hug hit. Good luck and let us know how it went!

[CaptainMike]

Or wut Troutman sed!

[Potkettleblack]

I think the beef ribs either need to go at a hotter temp, like 155 or a longer time, like 72 hrs. Depends on the end product you want. There are ChefSteps videos of different times and temp combos on YouTube using short ribs, which should be instructive.

so, here’s a thought. Dunno if you have capacity for this or not.

all the meats, 155x30, then pull the pork if it pinches correctly, another 18 for the ribs (assuming proper pinch) and another 12 maybe for the brisket.

QVQ, with second smoke hotter.

[JCBBQ]

PKB, what’s the goal on the front Q? Time? Temp?

I’m gonna do a couple brisket points for thanksgiving. Do you think I can get away w only two hours cook time to bring up to temp on the day?

What’s your go to method for brisket qvq?

[Potkettleblack]

I think PolarBear’s technique for QVQ brisket is pretty bulletproof.

I’ve been doing something like rub, smoke at 225 to 140 IT, SV at 155 for 24 hours, shock, smoke at 275 to bark. Since it won’t stall with this method, taking it to 203 is fine. But not taking it to 203 also works. As always probe and check bark to your preference.