smoke one day serve the next question

[acd4476]

What is the proper way to cool a brisket as well as a butt (deboned) to ensure proper safety?   I pulled the brisket at 200 and have it wrapped in a towel on the counter. I want to serve for dinner tomorrow.  Is it ok to just throw it in the fridge whole and re-heat tomorrww for both the butt and brisket?  I'm considering pulling the pork and reheating that way as pork is more forgiving.  Thanks everyone!

 

[SmokinAl]

I would slice the brisket & pull the pork then refrigerate them. They will re heat easily with a little juice from the pan for the brisket & some finishing sauce for the PP. A crock pot works really well for reheating.

 

[acd4476]

ok sounds great!

 

[mballi3011]

I would also agree with Al and slice the brisket and keep the juices seperated and then re-heat and thenadd the juices. Then as for the pork I would also pull it and then re-heat it tomorrow. Now for re-heating if you have a steamer set-up or a good pasta set-up that makes the best way to re-heat any bbq if you ask me it won't let it dry out at all and to me it brings out the smokey flavors too.

 

[subotai]

I don't know about you guys but I think cooling the brisket whole then slicing makes for nicer slices.  Whenever I try to slice hot brisket it usually wants to fall apart a little even with a samuri blade once pressure is applied.  We cool them off completely then slice, makes for a nice solid piece of meat to slice into creating clean cuts.  

 

[chef jimmyj]

I don't know about you guys but I think cooling the brisket whole then slicing makes for nicer slices.  Whenever I try to slice hot brisket it usually wants to fall apart a little even with a samuri blade once pressure is applied.  We cool them off completely then slice, makes for a nice solid piece of meat to slice into creating clean cuts.  

If your Brisket is falling apart when you try to slice, your IT went over 200*F and is better suited to pulling...Take it to 190*F and you will have no problem slicing...JJ

 

[bigfatdaddys]

Pork has to cook to at least 145F to prevent trichinosis - USDA now recomends cooking Pork to 145 w/ 3 min rest.

Sadly  many places I go will tell us to cook to 160 or higher to be on the safe side. (Smaller towns can implement their own rules) So, searing it to 165F can really dry out a pork roast--- Wrapping it up is a double edge sword it retains both the moisture and the heat which can cut you with bacteria growth.  Agree with @SmokingAl and @MBalli to slice and cool in smaller portions. Smaller portions cool faster for food safety and critical temp controls, basically the temperatures in between 41º and 140º are in the "Danger Zone."  Make sure to save the aujus' for scrumptious reheat. A little hickory bbq mixed into the aujus won't hurt you either ha ha.  If you have a big butt pork roast that is at 145-160 internally you almost have to slice or pick or at least PORTION IT. No way is that sucker gonna cool down in time to get out of the danger zone.  

Good read

http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html

 

[flash]

I don't know about you guys but I think cooling the brisket whole then slicing makes for nicer slices.  Whenever I try to slice hot brisket it usually wants to fall apart a little even with a samuri blade once pressure is applied.  We cool them off completely then slice, makes for a nice solid piece of meat to slice into creating clean cuts.  

 Being Brisket if famous for drying out quickly, I would cool it and slice it later also. Just think it might hold more moisture that way.

 

[bigfatdaddys]

It's funny you mention that because it does slice better.

Here's another hint, we have taken huge hunks of beef that have reached temp, let them rest, cut them into small hunks and frozen them. You can actually slice paper thin from frozen state. A quick reheat in aujus is mouthwatering.  

Happy grilling!

Wayne

 

[supercenterchef]

so mods...how can us little guys cool, whole safely...any tips?--I understand your argument...but must admit, I seem to like working with a cold lump better...

 

[bigfatdaddys]

I do feel your pain. There's nothing like a nice hunk of meat. Technically you can cool it down in time if you are careful.

Small hunk, not a whole darn cow mind you.

HOME METHOD

Let it rest. If you cooked in a pan, you must now transfer it from the hot pan into a cool pan,--aluminum foil one will work fine for this . Stick that sucker in the freezer (aluminum foil pan will allow you to bend it in and wedge that sucker in there) uncovered to cool down faster. DO NOT BAG IT and whatever you do DO NOT COVER IT. If it's in aluminum foil remove any foil wrappings.  Check the inside temp in an hour. Your goal is to get it down to 70 degrees within 2 hours. This can be done in the freezer.

ROAD METHOD

If you are out on the road barbecuing , camping, with the folks, etc, this will be more difficult.  (I don't recommend the hillbilly ice bath in cooler method but it can be done). In this case a half cooler filled with ice. Your beef chunk has rested and you have to bag it so it's cool enough that you can get a bag around it. Note: The entire top of the bag is open so the heat can vent. now you stick it down in the ice, leaving the top open and vented up.

EITHER WAY

Now keep in mind this is for a nice size hunk not something enormous. The food must cool in stages cooled from COOKED° to 70 ° within two hours and from 70 ° to 41 ° in the next four hours. You may think hey, I got six hours to do this this is easy right? Problem is its harder to cool from stage one to stage two wherein the bacteria grows and everyone is wondering why they have the craps the next day. Sure was yummy.

I don't like to recommend cooling hunks but try this and keep thermometer handy and you can do it.

 

[chef jimmyj]

This info is Great with one caveat...Good Job BFD...JJ

 

I do feel your pain. There's nothing like a nice hunk of meat. Technically you can cool it down in time if you are careful.

Small hunk, not a whole darn cow mind you.

HOME METHOD This only works in a Large Upright or Chest Freezer with enough empty space for good Air Circulation!...Even Small hunks of meat will raise the temp in the small Refrigerator Freezer to levels that can cause partial defrost and refreeze...While there can be some safety issues, the major issue is thaw and refreeze seriously Damages the Texture and Quality of the other items in the Freezer...

Let it rest. If you cooked in a pan, you must now transfer it from the hot pan into a cool pan,--aluminum foil one will work fine for this . Stick that sucker in the freezer (aluminum foil pan will allow you to bend it in and wedge that sucker in there) uncovered to cool down faster. DO NOT BAG IT and whatever you do DO NOT COVER IT. If it's in aluminum foil remove any foil wrappings.  Check the inside temp in an hour. Your goal is to get it down to 70 degrees within 2 hours. This can be done in the freezer.

ROAD METHOD

If you are out on the road barbecuing , camping, with the folks, etc, this will be more difficult.  (I don't recommend the hillbilly ice bath in cooler method but it can be done). In this case a half cooler filled with ice. Your beef chunk has rested and you have to bag it so it's cool enough that you can get a bag around it. Note: The entire top of the bag is open so the heat can vent. now you stick it down in the ice, leaving the top open and vented up.

EITHER WAY

Now keep in mind this is for a nice size hunk not something enormous. The food must cool in stages cooled from COOKED° to 70 ° within two hours and from 70 ° to 41 ° in the next four hours. You may think hey, I got six hours to do this this is easy right? Problem is its harder to cool from stage one to stage two wherein the bacteria grows and everyone is wondering why they have the craps the next day. Sure was yummy.

I don't like to recommend cooling hunks but try this and keep thermometer handy and you can do it. Thoroughly clean the Thermometer with Hot Soapy Water or with an Alcohol soaked wipe or Paper Towel between tests...

 

[spec]

I have started using meat thermometer to judge the right amount of cooking time now.

You started using thermometers?

OH MY

How did you get around health dept any other way?

I kinda think your a spammer

 

[spec]

Please disreguard the above post

Thanks  to the mods for removing it