"Active Hold" Question

Duey · Nov 1, 2018

When I do pork butts, I always hang in the PBC until 160*-ish, double wrap in foil until probe tender, then throw it in a cooler until time to pull. Always comes out the way I want, but the bark is soft. Was wondering how it would turn out if I skipped wrapping, reached probe tender in a pan, and held uncovered in an oven or pellet grill instead. It would obviously keep the bark texture, but would the meat get tender enough without drying out? Anyone else do it this way?

BKING! · Nov 1, 2018

Duey said:
When I do pork butts, I always hang in the PBC until 160*-ish, double wrap in foil until probe tender, then throw it in a cooler until time to pull. Always comes out the way I want, but the bark is soft. Was wondering how it would turn out if I skipped wrapping, reached probe tender in a pan, and held uncovered in an oven or pellet grill instead. It would obviously keep the bark texture, but would the meat get tender enough without drying out? Anyone else do it this way?

I don’t do it that way because I like a more flexible bark. I keep it wrapped. Once I got my pellet grill I do an active hold for 2 hours at around 170 deg at end of cooking. This keeps meat internal temp from dropping below 195 deg which makes even the worst brisket imaginable tender and juicy in the end.
Unwrapped should work though but it might dry out a little. Be careful with over smoking it also

Smoking Piney · Nov 1, 2018

I leave it in the smoke to finish - around 205 average IT, probe tender all around and good bone wiggle - no wrap.

Hold for for an hour or two foil / towel / cooler to let it even out.

The bark stays intact when you pull the meat.

smoke ninja · Nov 1, 2018

I prefer to wrap in paper. it's a happy middle

EyeBurnEverything · Nov 1, 2018

I wrap in BP once the bark sets. Then i add water to the water pan and cook on till its probe tender.

smoke ninja · Nov 1, 2018

the last brisket I did I cooked until probe tender and then wrapped in paper and held in my roaster until service. the bark was crunchy. I didn't care for it as much as wrapping earlier but it worked just fine. it's all a matter of preference

keeperofsecrets · Nov 2, 2018

You may consider the 3-2-1 ribs approach. Wrap as usual, then uncover for the last hour to two hours.

Personally, I pan and cover with foil when it is around 160 so I keep much of the juices and cook till the bone wiggles, then rest in my hot box for a while. I still get lots of good bark, although prob not as much as I would have uncovered.

"Active Hold" Question

Duey

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BKING!

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Smoking Piney

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smoke ninja

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EyeBurnEverything

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smoke ninja

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keeperofsecrets

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