2 Questions

[WineMaster]

1. I have never Coolered any meat and im doing lots of butts this weekend.
Is it that good, or is it just convenience or both or what is it.

2. Where do you guys get those Big Black Gloves that you use when pulling and grabing meat off racks.Right now I just use Bear Claws.

Thanks for your help

Dan

 

[Harbormaster]

I can only answer number 1, because the gloves I use to pull pork involve animal husbandry, and that topic is reserved for woodpile.
To me coolering is indeed that good. Coolering the meat allows it to cook a little longer to reach that optimum tenderness, but it also allows the meat to rest - which is as the meat cools, the juices that were displaced by the hight temp of the meat begin to re-distribute back into the meat. By adding a fruit juice to the foil before coolering, some of this juice is also absorbed back into the meat, making it nice and moist and flavorful.

 

[bowhnter]

I will PM you a link to one location and where I got my gloves.

 

[Kevin]

I get the gloves at Menards.

You can also get the heavy duty rubber gloves at any farm supply store. Ask for chemical or anhydrous handling gloves.

 

[Kirk]

I think as far as the butts are concerned, a nice rest in the cooler helps redistribute juices and it can be a big plus as far as convenience and scheduling. It's a win - win to me.
As for the gloves, I got the first pair I used from Lowes. They were just cotton lined blue pvc gloves that cost about 4 bucks for the pair. I now have the heavy black ones but I think they're almost too thick. They're great for moving things around in the pit but it's a little harder to pick through the pork with them as opposed to the thinner blue ones.

 

[Jorge]

1. I have never Coolered any meat and im doing lots of butts this weekend.
Is it that good, or is it just convenience or both or what is it.

2. Where do you guys get those Big Black Gloves that you use when pulling and grabing meat off racks.Right now I just use Bear Claws.

Thanks for your help

Dan

How many is 'lots'? Keep in mind that the effect is cumulative to an extent when you place meat in a cooler. If you load it up too much you may be pulling out meat that does not have the texture you were looking for. How much meat that is depends on the amount of meat, the temp it's at when it goes into the cooler, and the unsulation in the cooler.

 

[Sawdustguy]

http://www.barbecue-store.com/insulatedfoodgloves.htm

 

[WannaBeBBQueen]

I cooler my meats, but it sounds like you might need a couple of coolers. Don't put too much meat in one cooler.

 

[WineMaster]

How many is 'lots'? Keep in mind that the effect is cumulative to an extent when you place meat in a cooler. If you load it up too much you may be pulling out meat that does not have the texture you were looking for. How much meat that is depends on the amount of meat, the temp it's at when it goes into the cooler, and the unsulation in the cooler.

2 Cases Butts and 2 Cases Ribs. We Have 4 of the Rubbermaid 5 day coolers but go camping Next weekend and if they smell like Butts when we go camping, the wife will chew my Butt. Could a person put the butts in one of those huge new ziplock XL to keep the Butt Juice from getting all over?

 

[Smokin Gator]

Here is a link to the blue PVC gloves from Lowes:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=184258-169-174L-LWE&lpage=none

I use them because the work great, are cheap, and are readily available. The only downside is after a lot of use if Florida heat the insides start to smell like arse!!! I turn them inside out and wash them a few times but once they get that smell it comes back quickly.

On the plus side... the are heavy enough to work with the meat directly on the grill, yet they are thin enough to have good feel with pulling meat..

BTW... The Kapn uses a very thin pair of cotton gloves and just puts the latex food handling gloves right over them. It works for him but I haven't tried it.

As for coolering the meat... I almost always do for a couple of reasons...

It allows me to get the meat done early but hold a serving temp for extended periods. That way I am not pressing to get something done.

I think it makes for a better product (juicer) because the juices redistribute and even out as the meat sits in the cooler.

JMHO

 

[Smokin Gator]

if they smell like Butts when we go camping, the wife will chew my Butt.

Been there!!! And they will pick up the smell if much juice/grease gets on the interior. I have two coolers that are not used for anything else anymore but to hold meat.

How about lining the cooler with some plastic sheeting? That should do the trick. I'm sure the XL bags will work. I hate using them because of the expense.

 

[Harbormaster]

Could a person put the butts in one of those huge new ziplock XL to keep the Butt Juice from getting all over?

Try lining the cooler with a garbage bag first, lay in some old towels for insulation, and put the butts in. It should keep the aroma and leakage to a minimum.

 

[Jorge]

2 Cases Butts and 2 Cases Ribs. We Have 4 of the Rubbermaid 5 day coolers but go camping Next weekend and if they smell like Butts when we go camping, the wife will chew my Butt. Could a person put the butts in one of those huge new ziplock XL to keep the Butt Juice from getting all over?

I think you can make that work, if the coolers are large enough. I've never bagged the meat before coolering it. It should work in theory. Make sure to protect the interior of the cooler with some towels. A 200* butt might do some things to the plastic that your better half would object to as well.

 

[Bigmista]

Use a little bleach in your water when you clean your cooler. It will help with the smokey smell.

 

[Puppyboy]

A Brethren Brother here in town recently cooked 250# of butts. He coolered them around 4am. They were still very hot when he pulled them for lunch starting around 11am. Some were pulled around 4 for supper and they were still very warm.

 

[WineMaster]

A Brethren Brother here in town recently cooked 250# of butts. He coolered them around 4am. They were still very hot when he pulled them for lunch starting around 11am. Some were pulled around 4 for supper and they were still very warm.

Wow, thats 7-11 hrs. That sure would make the whole timing thing work alot better for the butts, I could finish them, Throw em in a cooler, then get into cookin the Ribs. Think that would work? Doing Baby Backs so 2-1-1

 

[Smokin Gator]

Wow, thats 7-11 hrs. That sure would make the whole timing thing work alot better for the butts, I could finish them, Throw em in a cooler, then get into cookin the Ribs. Think that would work? Doing Baby Backs so 2-1-1

I have never held them over about 5 hours... but they held that no problem. It does give you so much more flexibility when you cooler. Like you said... you can get em done and worry about the ribs.

 

[Grillman40]

A Brethren Brother here in town recently cooked 250# of butts. He coolered them around 4am. They were still very hot when he pulled them for lunch starting around 11am. Some were pulled around 4 for supper and they were still very warm.

How many coolers did he use? Did he split them up due to cooler size or split them by how many he had to cooler?


I have always coolered but Im getting to the point where I have to do more and more. Whats the cut off?

 

[Ron_L]

Lots of good answers on coolering. Here's the gloves that I use. $10 a pair with free shipping.

http://www.texasbbqrub.com/tools.htm

 

[Papa Hogg]

Wrap the butts in plastic wrap before foiling them, that will prevent leakage...also use towels like Harbormaster suggested.

Here is a site for gloves http://www.prosafetyequipment.com/p/282/neoprene-gloves.aspx

Also search safety gloves in the yellow pages