They cooked too fast.....Help!

[UNTSIG]

So I put a 10lb brisket on at 3am cooking between 225 and 250 at grate level thinking it would be done around 3pm and then cooler it for a couple of hours. Well, it's 11:15am and it's done. It's like budda... So, I just coolered it a few minutes ago and now I'm trying to figure out how long I can leave it in there. We have dinner planned at 5:30. I also have two pork butts in almost the same situation. They are at 180 right now and pretty tender. Not quite were I want them to be, but not too far away. I'm slowing them down, but they won't take much longer and then I will cooler them too.

What would you all do? How long can I leave them in the cooler? Any information/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Boshizzle]

I'm not a pro, so keep that in mind. But, personally, I'd cool the brisket down if it's done, slice it, pour the au jus over it and reheat it when it's time to serve. If you didn't save the au jus, use beef stock. You could mix in a little sauce too, if you prefer.

The pork, I'd pull it and let it cool down and reheat that too. I would make sure the container I reheat it in was well sealed (foil or a tight lid) to prevent the meat from drying out.

I am not real fond of mushy BBQ, so, for me, the key would be to stop the cooking process when the meat is at the right tenderness.

[barbefunkoramaque]

It will be fine if you packed it right. You can also simply keep it wrapped in butcher paper or foil or even plastic wrap and rest in the over at about 180.

In fact, if you plop those butts in the cooler you can leave it in the cooler.

Now what I like about you is that you are doing EXACTLY what should be done (although I think pumping up the temps above 250-270 and getting more shut eye will both improve your cue and beauty rest.

The BEST briskets and Shoulder for a party or dinner always come out of that cooler round folks and they can't keep their hands off. Plus your clean, well rested and it doesn't get dried out when company arrive and you want to show them a peek.

Great plan!

Originally Posted by UNTSIG

So I put a 10lb brisket on at 3am cooking between 225 and 250 at grate level thinking it would be done around 3pm and then cooler it for a couple of hours. Well, it's 11:15am and it's done. It's like budda... So, I just coolered it a few minutes ago and now I'm trying to figure out how long I can leave it in there. We have dinner planned at 5:30. I also have two pork butts in almost the same situation. They are at 180 right now and pretty tender. Not quite were I want them to be, but not too far away. I'm slowing them down, but they won't take much longer and then I will cooler them too.

What would you all do? How long can I leave them in the cooler? Any information/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Jorge]

I'll disagree with the Funkmeister. I'd put the butts in a seperate cooler if you have one available, at least for now. If the briskets are done, I wouldn't add another 10-20 lbs. of meat at 200* right now. The thermal load is liable to turn everything into mush over the period of time you have to hold it. After each has cooled some, I WOULD consider consolidating into one cooler to help hold the meat above 140* until it's time to serve.

[Kyote]

I would foil them or saran wrap then wrap in a bath towel real well. put in an ice chest and bring them out when you are ready to eat and unwrap. cut chop what ever you want. they will be warm and well rested. sounds like the right amount of time from grill to ice chest to table.

[barbefunkoramaque]

Originally Posted by Boshizzle

I'm not a pro, so keep that in mind. But, personally, I'd cool the brisket down, slice it, pour the au jus over it and reheat it when it's time to serve. If you didn't save the au jus, use beef stock. You could mix in a little sauce too, if you prefer.

The pork, I'd pull it and let it cool down and reheat that too. I would make sure the container I reheat it in was well sealed (foil or a tight lid) to prevent the meat from drying out.

Or you can be a hero and actually do something very few people can do... serve up and excellent brisket that has not been hacked ahead of time and is flavored naturally with its own (time taken) juices and without sauce. If fact, if you did it right, your aus jus will be in between the layers of point and flat when you separate them. Make unboking that brisket and pulling that bone on the butt part of a ritual. Be a pitmaster not a meat jockey.

brisket
http://www.youtube.com/user/Popdaddy.../0/wHxH0iUfjMw

Pork here in the end of this video

http://www.youtube.com/user/Popdaddy.../4/n0HHfCqnwxg

[barbefunkoramaque]

Originally Posted by Jorge

I'll disagree with the Funkmeister. I'd put the butts in a seperate cooler if you have one available, at least for now. If the briskets are done, I wouldn't add another 10-20 lbs. of meat at 200* right now. The thermal load is liable to turn everything into mush over the period of time you have to hold it. After each has cooled some, I WOULD consider consolidating into one cooler to help hold the meat above 140* until it's time to serve.

Jorge is right... now that I think of it I ALWAYS let my meat cool a bit at room temp (roughly so I can handle it) before I chuck in a cambro (I can't use coolers because they are against food handling codes) Plus my butts and stuff are usually plopped in pans so that separates them a bit.

I also do not wrap them in towels because of bulk.

plus it can knock the bottom of your cooler.

[barbefunkoramaque]

hold it.... delta sig at UNT. My father was president of that fraternity in Denton back in 1954-55 or so.... plus it was back in the day where your were physically branded. He had a Delta symbol on his left pec until the day he died. It was North Texas State then

[Boshizzle]

Originally Posted by barbefunkoramaque

Or you can be a hero and actually do something very few people can do... serve up and excellent brisket that has not been hacked ahead of time and is flavored naturally with its own (time taken) juices and without sauce. If fact, if you did it right, your aus jus will be in between the layers of point and flat when you separate them. Make unboking that brisket and pulling that bone on the butt part of a ritual. Be a pitmaster not a meat jockey.

brisket
http://www.youtube.com/user/Popdaddy.../0/wHxH0iUfjMw

Pork here in the end of this video

http://www.youtube.com/user/Popdaddy.../4/n0HHfCqnwxg

Yeah, I hear ya. But, I have found that when I have a large group over I really don't like spending time with the food rather than the company. I like to slice it and put it in serving containers and let people serve themselves.

[barbefunkoramaque]

See I hate people... esp the ones that breathe! LOL

Originally Posted by Boshizzle

Yeah, I hear ya. But, I have found that when I have a large group over I really don't like spending time with the food rather than the company. I like to slice it and put it in serving containers and let people serve themselves.

[UNTSIG]

Thank you for all the feedback! So just to clarify... It's 12:20 now and I can leave the briskie and the butts coolered(after letting them cool down a little) until I'm ready to serve around 5 or 5:30?

[UNTSIG]

Originally Posted by barbefunkoramaque

hold it.... delta sig at UNT. My father was president of that fraternity in Denton back in 1954-55 or so.... plus it was back in the day where your were physically branded. He had a Delta symbol on his left pec until the day he died. It was North Texas State then

You're close... Sigma Chi at UNT, formerly North Texas State, not Delta Sig!

Thanks for all the advice!

[Boshizzle]

Originally Posted by barbefunkoramaque

See I hate people... esp the ones that breathe! LOL

I hear that, too.

I had about 20 people over not long ago and two of them brought guests who are vegetarians. I was pulling pork and slicing ribs for the crowd as they were being served. The vegetarians were turning up their noses at the meat so stuck with the vegetables and beans. I didn't tell them the beans had pork in them... until they were done eating.

Anyway, they were pains in the neck. One of them wanted ketchup for something they were eating. I didn't have any on hand but there was a red container that looked like a ketchup squirt bottle that actually had hot sauce in it. I didn't warn them about that either. I was sick of hearing about how we had to save the baby seals.

[burnedpig]

Originally Posted by Boshizzle

I hear that, too.

I was sick of hearing about how we had to save the baby seals.

Save them for what? Dessert?