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Brisket finished too early, what are my options?

Posted on 7/4/22 at 11:21 am
Posted by Masterag
'Round Dallas
Member since Sep 2014
18849 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 11:21 am
Happy Independence Day, y’all!

Smoked a 12 pounder for which I budgeted 20 hours from start to service including 4 hrs in the cooler. Started at 10 last night to be ready for dinner at six today, and the damn thing finished in precisely 12 hours.

It’s currently wrapped in several layers of butcher paper and two towels resting in an igloo cooler.

Don’t have access to a yeti or similar. Any ideas on what I can do to keep it above 140 without drying out?

Thanks!
Posted by Rouge
Floston Paradise
Member since Oct 2004
136903 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 11:25 am to
quote:

Any ideas on what I can do to keep it above 140 without drying out?


Oven
Posted by Glock17
Member since Oct 2007
22438 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 11:25 am to
It’ll stay plenty hot if you leave it in the cooler… I’ve held one for 6 hours and it was still burning my hands when I cut it
Posted by Whatafrekinchessiebr
somewhere down river
Member since Nov 2013
1587 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 11:27 am to
It will be fine in the cooler as long as you don’t keep opening and closing it.

If you are really worried you can put it in the oven on the “warming” setting for a little while.
Posted by Masterag
'Round Dallas
Member since Sep 2014
18849 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 11:29 am to
Ok, thanks. I got dinner pushed up to 5, hopefully it’ll keep.
Posted by jeathreaux
Member since Dec 2017
7 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 11:30 am to
I've had the same thing happen(5 hours early). I double wrapped in foil, put in a pyrex pan and put it in the oven at 195 for a couple of hours. Then I put it back in the ice chest with towels for the remaining 3. It was still very good, maybe a little overcooked but not dry.
Posted by The Dozer
H-Town
Member since Feb 2017
5410 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 11:34 am to
This
Posted by Chucktown_Badger
The banks of the Ashley River
Member since May 2013
31387 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 11:38 am to
20 hours? Yeah, that was way too long.
Posted by SixthAndBarone
Member since Jan 2019
8412 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 12:01 pm to
I just don’t understand towels.

The thought is a towel, which isn’t known as an insulating fabric, will keep the meat warmer even though the meat is inside an insulated ice chest.

So you have a hot brisket in an ice chest. The brisket is hotter than the air in the ice chest. A heat transfer from the brisket heat to the temperature of the air inside the ice chest will occur. The environment will become X temperature. It won’t get any warmer as you aren’t introducing any more heat than that of the brisket at the temperature it’s placed inside the ice chest. So the goal is to reach the environmental heat temperature and have THAT remain as high as possible for the longest length of time possible.

So the towel may indeed delay the heat transfer for a short amount of time. But how long? At some point, the environmental temperature must even out.

I pose that the insulation of the ice chest is FAR MORE important than a towel. This is why Cambro insulted food boxes work…because of the insulation of the box. You put trays of hot food inside and the heat from the food heats the air in the box and it remains warm in the environment.

I just don’t see how a towel is going to prolong the heat in the brisket and delay the environmental heat transfer for any significant length of time.

Towels are a swindle on the brisket cookers in the age of internet foodies.
Posted by Y.A. Tittle
Member since Sep 2003
101835 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 12:04 pm to
I always thought it was just for handling purposes more than anything.
Posted by SixthAndBarone
Member since Jan 2019
8412 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 12:05 pm to
That is understandable and makes sense. I hear people saying to wrap in the towel to keep it warm though.
Posted by xXLSUXx
New Orleans, LA
Member since Oct 2010
10312 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 12:15 pm to
quote:

I hear people saying to wrap in the towel to keep it warm though.


Usually when I hear people say that it's with the caveat of it being a heated towel. ie Throw a towel in the dryer first and while it's still warm wrap the brisket and place in cooler.

I personally don't like getting brisket juice on all of my towels
This post was edited on 7/4/22 at 12:16 pm
Posted by SixthAndBarone
Member since Jan 2019
8412 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 12:17 pm to
Ok…so if you take a towel out of the dryer, how long until it cools? 10 minutes? My point is, a towel isn’t insulation. It’s only going to delay the heat transfer and I don’t see how it can delay it for long.

Look, if you want to use a towel, go for it. I’m just trying to understand the reasoning. Handling makes sense. Someone on e told me it was to keep the hot brisket from melting the ice chest. Not sure how hot the brisket is and if it would melt, but I can see that reason.
This post was edited on 7/4/22 at 12:20 pm
Posted by Whatafrekinchessiebr
somewhere down river
Member since Nov 2013
1587 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 12:25 pm to
I feel like it helps absorb some of the steam that builds up in the icechest.
Posted by xXLSUXx
New Orleans, LA
Member since Oct 2010
10312 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 12:33 pm to
quote:

Ok…so if you take a towel out of the dryer, how long until it cools? 10 minutes?


Sounds like you should tell us?

Posted by SixthAndBarone
Member since Jan 2019
8412 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 12:46 pm to
quote:

10 minutes?
Posted by PerplenGold
TX
Member since Nov 2021
1197 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 12:46 pm to
quote:

I feel like it helps absorb some of the steam that builds up in the icechest.


This and absorb any juices that escape the foil. I'd rather chunk a towel in the laundry than clean a cooler.
Posted by SixthAndBarone
Member since Jan 2019
8412 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 1:17 pm to
Lots of downvoters but is anyone going to claim they use a towel to keep the brisket hot?

So far we’ve heard: handling, absorbing liquid, and cleaner with a towel. All make sense and are valid reasons.

Are any of the downvoters going to claim they do it to keep it hot? Let’s hear from you if you do so we can discuss this and figure it out together.
Posted by Masterag
'Round Dallas
Member since Sep 2014
18849 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 1:29 pm to
Well thought out and thorough analysis. But my main reason for towels is to not get grease all over my mits and everything else when I’m pulling meat off the pit.
Posted by FAP SAM
Member since Sep 2014
2889 posts
Posted on 7/4/22 at 1:37 pm to
quote:

thought is a towel, which isn’t known as an insulating fabric, will keep the meat warmer
Any fabric is insulating

quote:

I just don’t see how a towel is going to prolong the heat in the brisket and delay the environmental heat transfer
Do you not cover with fabric sheets to stay warm at night? Wear fabric clothes in the winter?

quote:

I pose that the insulation of the ice chest is FAR MORE important than a towel

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