Coolering Brisket

[wishinfishin]

When do you cooler your brisket? Right off the pit and straight into the cooler, or do you let the brisket sit a while outside the cooler then put it in? Does the brisket absorb the juices rendered while it's in the cooler, or before you put it in while it's cooling down??????? How long do you wait before you put it in the cooler? I'm not looking for anyones tricks, just not sure of the purpose coolering serves. I normally put beef straight in cooler right off the pit. No waiting period.
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The reason for my questions is I finished 9th place out of 38 teams in a local cook this past weekend and sampled the winning beef and mine tasted as good and was just as juicy. Confused as all get out over the whole deal.
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Man competitions are addictive, but if I don't start doing better my wife is going to start hollering about the cost of EVERYTHING!!! Please HELP ME!!!
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[Harbormaster]

Last time I did brisket, took it off the cooker, wrapped in HD foil, added a little apple juice, closed it up and into the cooler it went. Mind you, this was not a comp, but the guy I cooked it for (a pork BBQer himself) said it was the best brisket he had ever had. Cooler kept that brisket HOT for 3 or 4 hours.

 

[Bigmista]

I cooler right after I pull it from the pit and let the heat continue to cook it.

Based on a 1:30 turn in...

11:00-11:30am - Temp should be 180-185 and probe should slide in easily. Put in cooler.

1:10pm - Remove from cooler right after butt turn-in. Let sit for ten minutes.

1:20pm - Slice. Dip slices in remaining juices. Plate.

1:30pm - Turn in.

Just what works for me.

 

[Fredbird]

We put the meat straight from the smoker into the cooler. No waiting period.

It sounds like your brisket hit the wrong table for judging. Sometimes that's the difference between first place and ninth place.

Hang in there your scores will get better!

 

[Dustaway]

I cooler right after I pull it from the pit and let the heat continue to cook it.

Based on a 1:30 turn in...

11:00-11:30am - Temp should be 180-185 and probe should slide in easily. Put in cooler.

1:10pm - Remove from cooler right after butt turn-in. Let sit for ten minutes.

1:20pm - Slice. Dip slices in remaining juices. Plate.

1:30pm - Turn in.

Just what works for me.

I do the same thing that Bigmista does works well for me:roll:

 

[thillin]

What comp did ya hit? And mine goes from pit to cooler.

 

[BBQchef33]

pit to cooler as soon as its ready, regardless of temp. Ready is determined by how easy a probe gors into the flat. should be little to no resistance.

if i know its going to be coolered for 3-4 hours or more, i take it out a little sooner meaning if it feels like it needs anouther half hour, or still offers a little resistance to the probe.

it goes from Pit to cooler.. and all the dead space inthe cooler is taken up with towels or a blanket.

to answer your questions... coolering the brisket just allows it to continue cook under its own heat loads without the risk of drying it out with higher temps. A 180 degree brisket will hold 180 for a few hours and continue to break down, whereas continuing to cook at 220 aids in drying out before its done tenderizing.

Im not sure if the juices are reabsorbed though, as opposed to just not being released. I know the briskets removed from the foil after being coolered are swimming in juice(and fat).. You wont have a crispy bark at that time, but you'll have a tender product.

 

[scottyd]

pit to cooler as soon as its ready, regardless of temp. Ready is determined by how easy a probe gors into the flat. should be little to no resistance.

if i know its going to be coolered for 3-4 hours or more, i take it out a little sooner meaning if it feels like it needs anouther half hour, or still offers a little resistance to the probe.

it goes from Pit to cooler.. and all the dead space inthe cooler is taken up with towels or a blanket.

to answer your questions... coolering the brisket just allows it to continue cook under its own heat loads without the risk of drying it out with higher temps. A 180 degree brisket will hold 180 for a few hours and continue to break down, whereas continuing to cook at 220 aids in drying out before its done tenderizing.

Im not sure if the juices are reabsorbed though, as opposed to just not being released. I know the briskets removed from the foil after being coolered are swimming in juice(and fat).. You wont have a crispy bark at that time, but you'll have a tender product.

Can I get an Amen brother, this is perfect. Moist and tender that is how it should be. 999

 

[MilitantSquatter]

We've switched things up in the last two contests and we've been fairly successful...

We switched from straight to the cooler to having them sit out while still in the foil under a thin sheet until the temp drops about 25 degrees or so and then put in the cooler until we are ready to slice or pull..

We temp tested the briskets and butts after going straight from the cooker to cooler and they just retained way too much heat for us after being coolers for 2-3 hrs. By allowing the temps to come down a bit before coolering, we've been able to still keep the meat hot but not run the risk of the cooler become an extension of the pit.

I think both can be used effectively but for now, I'm sticking with the current method.

 

[Westexbbq]

Amen brother!

 

[leftaslide]

off the topic of brisket, but still on the cooler....

i ate some bbq ribs this past week at a place called walkers in ellijay, ga, and they were delicious. very tender like i like 'em, and mr. walker told me that one way to get super tender ribs is to brown your ribs on the grill, then bring your bbq sauce to a boil, throw it in the cooler, and then throw your ribs in there and keep it closed for about 30 min. anybody ever tried that method?:?:

 

[FatDaddy]

off the topic of brisket, but still on the cooler....

i ate some bbq ribs this past week at a place called walkers in ellijay, ga, and they were delicious. very tender like i like 'em, and mr. walker told me that one way to get super tender ribs is to brown your ribs on the grill, then bring your bbq sauce to a boil, throw it in the cooler, and then throw your ribs in there and keep it closed for about 30 min. anybody ever tried that method?:?:

sounds to me like he is boiling his ribs in the sauce lol.. to each his own.

 

[FatDaddy]

back on topic. i cooler right of the pit bout the same temp that the Poobah does. works well for me.

 

[Range Rattler]

Proper Cooling For Cooked/Prepared Foods

Hey Brothers,
Hate to say I told you so, but proper cooling for cooked foods requires that your briskets go from 140 degrees to 70 degrees, not more than 2 hours. If this is achieved, you may take another 4 hours to cool the brisket down to 41/45 degrees.

Proper cooling becomes dangerous when people cook items such as beans in a giant pot and stick it directly inside the walk in cooler without properly cooling it down. Many a times I have checked the temperature on such items, on the following day, and the middle of the beans is at 100 degrees. Not good! This will make people sick and usually does.
:icon_smil

 

[MilitantSquatter]

Range Rattler,

Just checking to be sure you're on the same page here...

The term "Coolering", as used often on this site, is a technique used to hold a temperature until ready to be served.. There is no ice involved as would be in "cooling" to bring a temperature down to a desired level... Just using the insulation of a cooler to retain heat given off by the cooked meat in the cooler.

Interesting observation about the bean temp though....

 

[ThomEmery]

We call it in the Cambro But we dont have a Cambro LOL
Yes that Cooler line could trick ya

 

[wishinfishin]

Thanks for all the input brothers!! Does anyone have an opinion on the re-absorbtion of juices?
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Thillin - I cooked in Springtown.
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Next comp is in Keller.

 

[thillin]

Next comp is in Keller.

I'm having a new house built there. What days? You planning on Trader's Village?