I need to rest.

I'd say over 150 you're still gonna be cookin.


Why not just wrap in foil and a towel and then put it in an oven that's off or a warm cooler?

Im with Dave. Wrap it up and throw it in a cooler.

I dump a pot of boiling water in my cooler, and let it sit for about fifteen minutes. Then dump it out, and wrap in foil and towel like previously mentioned. Held like that for long time (3-4 hours)...

I have used the oven to hold meats. But, I prefer to preheat it with a pizza stone in it. Then place meat in it when it is at 180°F, turn off the oven as soon as you close the door. It will slowly cruise down to eating temperature over a 2 hour period.

I like the stone idea. I normally wrap in a towel and toss in the playmate. It can hold a long time.

What are you referring to when talking about resting? In theory, if your temp inside the "rest box" (oven, cooler, etc.) is anything less than the current temp of the meat, then you're technically no longer cooking it and are just slowing down the "cooling off" process. How much you're slowing down the cooling off depends on the difference between the temp of the box and the current temp of the meat; a box at 170 (oven) is going to cool a lot slower than one that is at 100 (or whatever a cooler is when you throw in a butt that is wrapped in towels). And since heat loss is faster with conduction than evaporation, a butt in a cooler and wrapped in towels is going to cool faster than one in foil (it's the same reason food thaws faster in 35F water than it does on a counter at 70F room temperature).

If you're talking about butts, brisket, then an oven at 170 will cause a very ling rest period. If you're talking about prime rib or steaks or a tenderloin, then a rest in an oven at 170F will still be cooking it.

Sorry for my very left-brain, analytical response. I just can't save me from myself sometimes...

I do it all the time if the meat was cooked above 170. BTW, the meat will probably stabilize around 150.

I have used the oven, but mine doesn't go that low so have to prop the door a little and put an oven thermo in to gauge temp.

Cooler and towels works pretty good for me.