Resting your Butt?


 
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Eric Michaud

TVWBB Super Fan
Looking for feedback on how you all rest your butts when no hold time is needed. I have done about 80 lbs of butt since july but every time I did it knowing I would hold them in a cooler, wrapped and in towels. What about when you are basically eating when it's ready? Tented on the counter or wrapped in foil in the cooler and for how long?

Thanks,
Eric
 
i ALWAYS cooler my cooks for at least two hours.... and in my opinion, the longer, the better.
I'm PLANNING on it sitting in a cooler for some time, NOT expecting to eet as soon as it comes off the WSM.
No reason whatsoever to hurry a GREAT thing.
 
If I am ready to eat when it's done I go for 20-40 min under a foil tent. Some amount of resting is necessary for most all meat, especially large cuts.
 
I rarely have need to hold. Since I cook to tender, ~30 min for butt, 15-20 for brisket, 5-7 for ribs, tented.
 
To be honest, I think most of us wsm users have a hard time predicting just when the bbq is gonna be done, especially since the wsm is on the slow side as cookers go. I know I do, so foil and a cooler sounds like a plan... or THE SOLUTION if supper is still hours away. That's just my .02 cents since my best pulled pork this year wasn't rested more than half an hour simply tented with foil.

Check out Chris Lilly here, or check out his pork butt. Just a warning...the video was shot just close enough to make you hungry:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj8M6KOkyw8
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
I rarely have need to hold. Since I cook to tender, ~30 min for butt, 15-20 for brisket, 5-7 for ribs, tented. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Kevin, what about low-n-slow briskets that aren't foiled during the cook, though? I've always heard those are what benefit from a couple hours or more "hot rest". Anything to it?
 
I go with a 30 or 40 tent on the counter. I always do my pulling by hand so the first bit of pulling is always a bit warm on the hands...
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
I rarely have need to hold. Since I cook to tender, ~30 min for butt, 15-20 for brisket, 5-7 for ribs, tented. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Kevin, what about low-n-slow briskets that aren't foiled during the cook, though? I've always heard those are what benefit from a couple hours or more "hot rest". Anything to it? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Only if one is cooking to less-than-tender - then depending on residual cooking to get it there - is it necessary, imo. It's certainly warranted for those who cook to temp rather than tenderness, when at their chosen internal the brisket has not yet reached tender (but is close).
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
I rarely have need to hold. Since I cook to tender, ~30 min for butt, 15-20 for brisket, 5-7 for ribs, tented. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Pretty well the same for me. I generally wrap the butt while I get the slaw and beans on the table (<30 minutes). As for ribs, no hold time. I go from the smoker to the table.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell:
Kevin, what about low-n-slow briskets that aren't foiled during the cook, though? I've always heard those are what benefit from a couple hours or more "hot rest". Anything to it? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Only if one is cooking to less-than-tender - then depending on residual cooking to get it there - is it necessary, imo. It's certainly warranted for those who cook to temp rather than tenderness, when at their chosen internal the brisket has not yet reached tender (but is close). </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks, that confirms what I thought. Ray Lampe does indeed say to pull the brisket off at 190* before resting for at least three and up to six hours.
 
Done it with and without resting. My preference is definitely resting. But there is more to my process than just resting. First of all, I inject the butt then, I foil at 160 and add some stuff like brown sugar and hot sauce. Pull @ 195 and rest in the cooler covered in towels for approx 2-3 hours. This gets me what I like. Some folks would say that my pulled pork is a little "mushy"... Ok, I'll accept that (I also use pineapple in my injection). That's the way I like it. So to answer your question, YES - resting is goo!!! If you can rest the pork in a cooler, do it....INMHO I'm sure it will be good either way!!!

-Chris
 
I usually rest butts wrapped in foil, and inside a small Playmate cooler (which holds two butts nicely) for 30-60 minutes. That's really more of a rest for myself, and time to shut down the WSM and clean up a bit before I start pulling them.
 
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