Cooler Technique

[willkat98]

Kev asked about using a cooler, but I didnt want it to get buried in the cattle call.

Some good info already on this:

My question is..I smoke to the appropriate temps, let sit for a few minutes and carve..Someone please explain the wrapped cooler sitting technique ? May start early to allow cooler if important..

Kevcros..being a newbie myself I may be totally wrong about this but this Is what I think the cooler does...It gives the meat a extended rest allowing some of the juices to soak back into the meat.. with out loosing that much temperature so its win win

. I'll add a bit to cwf's insight on the use of a cooler to say that even when stuff is pulled from the cooker and the internal temp begins to drop that cooking continues, using the cooler extends this process and will yield a more tender finished product without risk of drying. Very effective on briskets and butts.
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[Neil]

At what internal temperature do most of you find best to remove the brisket from the cooler for carving? The one I did last Saturday went into the cooler at 190* and carved at 160*. Flavor was great but seemed a little dry to me. Guests loved it though. I'm still looking for brisket nirvana without having to put out for a Kobe!

[Solidkick]

Neil, Question:
Did you spray before you foiled? Did your juice leak out of the foil?

About 160*-165* is where i like to slice and we haven't had a dry one yet. I wondered if you did something different than what we do.

[BBQchef33]

i dont go by temp, but once it hits 180, i start checking for tenderness. A probe or instant read should go into the flat without resistance. Once thats done, i cooler it and slice anywhere above 140.

[willkat98]

At what internal temperature do most of you find best to remove the brisket from the cooler for carving? The one I did last Saturday went into the cooler at 190* and carved at 160*. Flavor was great but seemed a little dry to me. Guests loved it though. I'm still looking for brisket nirvana without having to put out for a Kobe!

spray the **** out of it before wrapping (just my opin) and when coolered down to 165 or so, slice.

if it is still dry, provide address and we will cook together and meat each other.

after J Minions tips, (more sugar for bark, fat side down and flip) I reached nirvana last week

[Neil]

Thanks for the info. I'll give it a try for the next tailgate.

[kcquer]

Neil, I cook mine (packers always) fat cap down and when they're wrapped they go in the cooler fat cap up so the part without the fatcap get to sit in the juice. If I cook in foil at the end I also do this fatcap up.


Flavor was great but seemed a little dry to me.

It's also quite possible that you didn't do anything wrong, I almost always cook briskets in pairs (too much time and fuel invested to do just one) and sometimes one is just not as good as the other.

[Neil]

KC, I cooked it fat cap down and kept it that way the whole time. I'll try flipping next time when I wrap. As I stated above, the taste was great. There was a ton of juice drippings but the meat in the center seemed tough and dry almost as if it was steamed now that I think about it. Maybe because I injected with the Dr. Pepper marinade?