Put brisket right into fridge?

[newbienick]

I'm smoking a full packer brisket right now, and it should be off here in the next couple of hours. I'm not serving it until tomorrow afternoon. Can I take it right off the smoker and put it in the fridge to rest and keep for tomorrow? Do I need to rest it in a cooler first?

Thanks for the help.

Nick

 

[smokinq13]

I would still let it rest, not necessarily in a cooler but wrapped on the counter... if you take a it into the fridge hot, it will condensate alot and you rest the meat becoming mushy... let other chime in on the topic though

 

[texomakid]

I think that might be best to let it "cool down" while wrapped in foil on a counter and when it gets close to room temp then put in in the fridge for the night and reheat in the oven next day.

 

[chilerelleno]

Wrap and rest till it gets to 140° and then straight into the fridge/freezer.
140° is minimum safe holding temp, from there it needs to be cooled as rapidly as possible to 40° or lower.

Your meat will not get mushy from condensation if wrapped in foil, but your bark may.

 

[Jonok]

I prefer to let them sit wrapped until they hit 140-150 and then slice and vacpac if possible. Reheat in boiling water, inthe bag and there’s nobody that can tell it from fresh.

 

[newbienick]

Thanks for the feedback, all! It's taking a countertop nap for now and then into the fridge. Based on your feedback, I'll put the wrapped brisket into the oven tomorrow morning for a reheat before I slice it. I saved plenty of juice from the drippings to put over the slices after the reheat.