Two phase cook

[Nefarious]

Is there a way to smoke some meat to some IT, then put it in the refrigerator to be cooked to complete later, for a dish like chili.

Say I buy a beef shank center cut and I want it to have a smoky flavor. Tonight I will be smoking some meat and thought what if I could get a beef shank smoky and finish the chili tomorow. It will be unlikely I will be willing to clean the smoker.after.tonight then get it going again tomorrow.

Question is, what IT do I need to get the shank to for this process to be safe?

Better, is it even a process worth considering?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Is there a way to smoke some meat to some IT, then put it in the refrigerator to be cooked to complete later, for a dish like chili.

Say I buy a beef shank center cut and I want it to have a smoky flavor. Tonight I will be smoking some meat and thought what if I could get a beef shank smoky and finish the chili tomorow. It will be unlikely I will be willing to clean the smoker.after.tonight then get it going again tomorrow.

Question is, what IT do I need to get the shank to for this process to be safe?

Better, is it even a process worth considering?

A beef shank that has not been injected or otherwise molested, can be pulled at 131*. I would let it ride though and get as much temp and smoke as you can. Shanks take a long time to tenderize And break down the connective tissue.

 

[Nefarious]

A beef shank that has not been injected or otherwise molested, can be pulled at 131*. I would let it ride though and get as much temp and smoke as you can. Shanks take a long time to tenderize And break down the connective tissue.

Thanks, this idea is to slow cook the chili tomorrow, I just want to see how it turns out if I smoke the meat. I still have to go buy it if I decide to do it.

 

[TNJAKE]

I'd cook it completely then go ahead and break it down, vac seal or Ziploc. Fridge or freezer depending how long it will be before you add to the chili. One problem with partial cooking is it will be cold and undercooked when you start cooking it again. So you aren't really saving anytime

 

[Nefarious]

I'd cook it completely then go ahead and break it down, vac seal or Ziploc. Fridge or freezer depending how long it will be before you add to the chili. One problem with partial cooking is it will be cold and undercooked when you start cooking it again. So you aren't really saving anytime

I get that, but it will be somewhat.smoky tasting. Otherwise.I would start from scratch tomorrow anyway.

 

[912smoker]

I'd cook it completely then go ahead and break it down, vac seal or Ziploc. Fridge or freezer depending how long it will be before you add to the chili. One problem with partial cooking is it will be cold and undercooked when you start cooking it again. So you aren't really saving anytime

And it ALWAYS tastes better the next day......
well to me anyway

 

[pineywoods]

As was said being it's beef and not injected or punctured anything over 130 is safe but of course the longer you can leave it the more smoke it will take in. You don't have to stay up late or anything to give it more time but just use the amount of time you can give it. Yes it will take some time to get the cold meat back up to cooking temps but if it's going into chilli or something that's going to cook for a long time it won't matter at all

 

[daveomak]

You could be playing with a trip to the hospital using that cooking technique...
Let me explain....
As a general rule, whole muscle meats are sterile on the inside... On the outside, there is always bacteria hanging around.... IF BY CHANCE, some bacteria found it's way to the inner portions of the whole muscle, the slow rise in temperature will provide a perfect breeding ground and again, while the temperature decreases, it will continue to grow until the meat has been cooled in the refer below 50ish deg. F...
The next day, during the 2nd cooking cycle, the growth pattern will start all over again during the temperature rise UNTIL you reach an internal temperature that will kill all the internal bacteria... By this time, they may have multiplied to astronomical numbers...
Somewhere, it has been written, NEVER do a partial precook of any food...

 

[zwiller]

I am with Jake and Dave on Team Full Cook. I have a stash of vac sealed smoked stuff in the freezer for such occasions. One of the coolest things I learned to do here.

 

[1MoreFord]

OP, why in the world do you want to start at refrigerator temps and cook partway and then start all over again????????
Of course you can do it but Why???? WTF is your concept???

 

[Nefarious]

OP, why in the world do you want to start at refrigerator temps and cook partway and then start all over again????????
Of course you can do it but Why???? WTF is your concept???

I apologize that you don't understand and you decided to respond in a hostile manor. The idea is really simple, so here goes.

I was smoking a piece of meat and thought maybe I could use the smoke I am already generating to flavor a piece of meat that I will use at a later date. If I can change the flavor of this piece of meat to have a smoke flavor, it will make the second meal better then if I didn't smoke it.

If I don't smoke the meat, it will take 8 hrs to make the chili starting with the meat raw and it will have no smoke flavor.

So, I smoke it to 131° for 3 hrs. This is borrowed time because I was really smoking something else. I put it in the refrigerator over night and the next morning I use it to make chili with. Even if it takes the ful! 8 hrs, it is no different then if I hadn't smoked it time wise, but I get the chili to have a smoke flavor that It wouldn't have otherwise.

So, starting over, not really. Hope this answers your question.

 

[SmokinEdge]

I apologize that you don't understand and you decided to respond in a hostile manor. The idea is really simple, so here goes.

I was smoking a piece of meat and thought maybe I could use the smoke I am already generating to flavor a piece of meat that I will use at a later date. If I can change the flavor of this piece of meat to have a smoke flavor, it will make the second meal better then if I didn't smoke it.

If I don't smoke the meat, it will take 8 hrs to make the chili starting with the meat raw and it will have no smoke flavor.

So, I smoke it to 131° for 3 hrs. This is borrowed time because I was really smoking something else. I put it in the refrigerator over night and the next morning I use it to make chili with. Even if it takes the ful! 8 hrs, it is no different then if I hadn't smoked it time wise, but I get the chili to have a smoke flavor that It wouldn't have otherwise.

So, starting over, not really. Hope this answers your question.

Really no different than cubing up leftover Prime Rib or a couple leftover steaks and using it in chili. Same medium rare “leftover” beef. A different cut, but same otherwise with a smidge of smoke.

 

[1MoreFord]

Nefarious, sorry it was a bit late for me at 3:00AM. I shouldn't be posting then.

 

[Torch&Tone]

Another possible option to consider, if you're looking to add smokey flavor to chili, is to smoke some of the other ingredients - onions, peppers, even tomatoes can soak up quite a bit of that flavor, without presenting nearly as much bacterial risk as meat. Beans, too, certainly, if that's your thing (not looking to kick off that debate on this thread). The process is slightly different for each but all are pretty simple.

 

[Nefarious]

Torch&Tone Thanks, I have been thinking of smoking vegetables. My wife won't eat pasta so when I make lasagna I have to make two different ones, one with cauliflower. Smoked cauliflower lasagna, I might even eat it.

 

[pineywoods]

Really no different than cubing up leftover Prime Rib or a couple leftover steaks and using it in chili. Same medium rare “leftover” beef. A different cut, but same otherwise with a smidge of smoke.

Exactly it has reached safe cooked temp, I don't understand why people don't get that it's beef people. Does a brisket have to be around 200 degrees to be done NO we cook it that long to make it tender.
Now as for the 40-140 rule remember this is an intact muscle and falls under that rule.
Here is a quote from Chef Jimmy J the entire thread can be found here
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/40-to-140-in-4-a-guideline-and-what-to-consider.270191/
" If the Meat, a Pork Butt, Beef Brisket, Etc, is INTACT, other than Therm Probe, it don't matter if the IT takes 4 hours or 24 hours to get above 140 if we want it there at all!!! The interior of muscle is Sterile, so there is no Bacteria to worry about. Additionally, at 225°F, the meat surface will pass 140°F in 30 to 60 minutes or less, depending on the size of the meat. All surface bacteria is Killed and there is very little that can change that "

 

[TNJAKE]

Exactly it has reached safe cooked temp, I don't understand why people don't get that it's beef people. Does a brisket have to be around 200 degrees to be done NO we cook it that long to make it tender.
Now as for the 40-140 rule remember this is an intact muscle and falls under that rule.
Here is a quote from Chef Jimmy J the entire thread can be found here
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/40-to-140-in-4-a-guideline-and-what-to-consider.270191/
" If the Meat, a Pork Butt, Beef Brisket, Etc, is INTACT, other than Therm Probe, it don't matter if the IT takes 4 hours or 24 hours to get above 140 if we want it there at all!!! The interior of muscle is Sterile, so there is no Bacteria to worry about. Additionally, at 225°F, the meat surface will pass 140°F in 30 to 60 minutes or less, depending on the size of the meat. All surface bacteria is Killed and there is very little that can change that "

My issue isn't with food safety. It's with pulling the meat from a 131° shank. That will be a task all in itself. Would be much easier to take it closer to pull temp then store until chili time. That way will give a more smokey product which is what he wants

 

[pineywoods]

Maybe he's going to chop it that's what I personally would do. Would make it easier and give more of a cubed piece of meat than a longer thinner one.

 

[TNJAKE]

Maybe he's going to chop it that's what I personally would do. Would make it easier and give more of a cubed piece of meat than a longer thinner one.

Maybe so. I missed the part where he said it was cross cut. I was speaking to a whole shank

 

[gmc2003]

If this was my undertaking. I think I would go ahead and smoke the shank for 3, 4, 5 or 6 hrs. However long your smoker is running for the other meat. Then refrigerate or freeze the shank depending on when I was making the chili. When I fired up the chili pot I would toss the uncut shank in the pot of chili and let it cook whole for the duration of the chili cooking process. By the time the chili is ready to serve the shank should be FOTB ready. Separate the meat from the bone and remove the bone(s) from the pot. Serve and enjoy. I'm not sure how smokey a flavor your gonna get with the meat smothered in chili sauce and seasoning but it should still be good and tender.

Chris

Edit: you'll also get the flavor from the bone this way.