Tenting

foozer

Meat Mopper

Original poster

May 21, 2007

155

11

Huxley, Iowa

• Nov 8, 2007

• #1

Can someone please explain tenting? I think I know what tenting is but I would like to remove the word think from this sentence. Pictures would be great.

Thanks

 

jts70

Smoking Fanatic

OTBS Member

Mar 12, 2007

804

10

Mayville, Mi

• Nov 8, 2007

• #2

All you do is : Take foil and wrap your meat so that it is not touching the meat, creating a "tent" around the meat.

 

flagriller

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Jun 22, 2007

1,037

35

Brandon, Florida

• Nov 8, 2007

• #3

In a nutshell, tenting is when you lay a piec of foil over what you're cooking(usually not touching it) without crimping only one of the ends, so it's open at the other side. What it does is prevent burning, it's usually removed later in the cooking process to allow the food to brown.

 

foozer

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Thread starter

May 21, 2007

155

11

Huxley, Iowa

• Nov 8, 2007

• #4

So, this is done while the food is cooking on the smoker.

Thank you.

 

flagriller

Master of the Pit

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Jun 22, 2007

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Brandon, Florida

• Nov 8, 2007

• #5

Not sure why you would other than to try and capture more smoke.

 

dionysus

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OTBS Member

Jul 4, 2006

292

14

None Of Your Business

• Nov 8, 2007

• #6

Tenting is what I have to resort to if there is no Hilton around .... Just kidding.
Seriously though, when finished cooking, a piece of meat, especially beef or pork, should rest for awhile to let the juices re-distribute throughout the meat. The foil acts as an insulator to keep the meat warm. This is much more of an issue when meat is grilled because of the rapid temperature increases and faster cooking times. When I am ready to take a brisket or a butt out of the smoker, I usually double wrap in foil and old blankets and store in a cooler for a while. This accomplishes the same thing as "tenting".

 

hawgheaven

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OTBS Member

May 5, 2007

2,838

16

• Nov 8, 2007

• #7

I've never seen it done in a smoker, but I've seen it used in oven baking quite a bit.

For example, my mother used to do it when she cooked the Thanksgiving Day turkey... she'd tent it for the first few hours, then remove the tent to get the bird a nice golden brown.

Man, I miss her...

 

flagriller

Master of the Pit

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Jun 22, 2007

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Brandon, Florida

• Nov 8, 2007

• #8

Yes, it's done in baking quite a bit.

 

pescadero

Smoking Fanatic

OTBS Member

Jul 16, 2006

466

12

Oregon Coast

• Nov 8, 2007

• #9

As others have said, tenting it more often seen in baking and other oven activities, than smoking, but there are a couple of times when you might want to use it while smoking. For example, when some people use the 3-2-1 method, they feel they get too much of a good thing. The meat sometimes falls off the bone too much or too easily. If you have this problem, tenting can be a good approach to the middle time period. It will give some of the benefits of wrapping but not as much 'fall off the bone' results. A nice compromise, you might say. Another time is during the 'rest'. Once again, most like to wrap, probably even towel and place in a cooler. I have seen others 'tent' during this rest period. The meat will cool off quickly, so it must be for only a short duration and more appropriate if you want to continue basting or glazing as the juices redistribute.

Skip

 

shellbellc

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Jun 7, 2006

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Valley Forge, PA

• Nov 8, 2007

• #10

That's when I tent, Thanksgiving Day bird, other wise the skin would get too brown or over done. Take the tent off (otherwise the skin could stick to the foil) and start basting.