Do you intentionally hold your brisket? *** return of the poll ninja

[smoke ninja]

Its been awhile since we've done a ninja poll and i have cabin fever

Ok here's the question.

Do you intentionally hold brisket as part of your cook process?

Feel free to mention how and how long

For the poll we will conisder a few factors, as always.....and watch out for the lasers fellas





Hold vs rest.

Ill include an option for intentionally resting. Resting is considered allowing the temp to naturally come down until time/temp

Holding will be using additional means to keep temps up be it heat or insulation

 

[Beentown]

Minimum hold of an hour up to 6 hours. Can't take the poll on Tapatalk.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[jasonjax]

Absolutely.

I throw the flat in the cambro after separating the point to work on the burnt ends. I like anywhere from a minimum of an hour to 3+ hours.

P.S.: Where's the poll? ... there it is!

 

[sliding_billy]

Depends on my mood and the time and patience I have at the time.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

I never hold or rest anymore on brisket. It doesn't make a difference imo. Plenty will disagree with me but don't knock it until you try it.

 

[Sooner21]

I've always rested for at least 3-4 hours in a cooler. I'm thinking about getting a turkey roaster that will hold 150* to see if it gives better results.

 

[Bob C Cue]

I start my cook early enough that I plan on holding in a cooler for an hour or more. But it usually takes longer than planned so we end up eating soon after removing from the PBC.

 

[BillN]

Holding IMO serves multiple purposes...
1) Allows the meat to settle down and finish
2) Allows me to finish up sides etc. and get a shower before eating
3) Aids with timing

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

Yep!, pretty much have done all those things on the poll, and some out of necessary at the time.

In competition, I hold for about 4.5 hrs!

 

[Rusty Kettle]

https://amazingribs.com/more-techni...ce-juiciness-why-resting-and-holding-meat-are

Just some science on it.


Also, my own experience, it tastes better fresh off the smoker.
Just my opinion.

Also, my brisket bombed with a hold in Harrisburg. My brisket at a local non sanctioned comp came in third. No rest. Against some tough kcbs cooks.

Could be a couple factors. I switched to 270 Smokers from a wsm. Easier cooker to use. Could be it was an unsanctioned event and not kcbs. Maybe my brisket is a better recipe for unsanctioned than sanctioned.

It had a nicer bark without resting or holding.

Not really sure because after Harrisburg we gutted the recipe and rewrote it. We were using a Smokin Hoggz Recipe. We had trouble hitting our marks with it and it was hit or miss for us. Now keep in mind I am certain there is something missing in the book. Probably something in the class that would fix our problems.

One of our big changes was dropping the hold. We don't rest or hold. We did better. Could be many factors.
We ditched the beer marinade completely. We marinade but a much simpler marinade. Also, we decided less is more with the rub. Pretty sure it says in Secrets of Smoking with the WSM that brisket can take a lot of rub. I don't agree. Not to say its incorrect but in our case less is more. Better bark formation.

So again could be anything. I don't change one thing at a time. I changed alot at once.
Yea i know terrible idea in comp but we got a call. Now we got to try it again in a kcbs comp.

Resting or holding seems to harm us. Wish i could hold as it would be easier but until it makes sense and I can turn in a good product and hold it I wont.

So try it and you tell me what you think afterwards.

To be clear not discounting or trying to discredit anyone. Just sharing my experience and my opinion. It doesnt mean I am correct. It could be any reason or many reasons we have improved in brisket. To many factors changed to identify what caused the improvement.

 

[ncmoose]

My best briskets have been long holds

 

[Czarbecue]

My brisket game got a lot better after holding for more than 2 hours. I used to just rest and serve after an hour or two because people are waiting to eat. Now I make the brisket do all the waiting...

 

[pjtexas1]

You have to really nail tenderness to not rest or hold. 2 years ago at the Fall bash I did really good with no rest or hold. Last Fall I could have used a hold as it needed another 30 minutes in the cooker or a really long hold but we didn't have the time for either. I've had success with no rest, short hold, long hold and just resting opened in the counter until 160. I think a really, really long hold is slightly better for me. In my experience the key is being able to adapt to how your cook turned out.

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[el luchador]

My understanding , and it may be wrong, is that meat cells are still squeezing out moisture above 120-140 so it's a good idea to let the meat come below that temp before cutting

 

[BBQchef33]

i time it so theres a 2 hour hold included. That hold time lets it get real happy.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

You have to really nail tenderness to not rest or hold. 2 years ago at the Fall bash I did really good with no rest or hold. Last Fall I could have used a hold as it needed another 30 minutes in the cooker or a really long hold but we didn't have the time for either. I've had success with no rest, short hold, long hold and just resting opened in the counter until 160. I think a really, really long hold is slightly better for me. In my experience the key is being able to adapt to how your cook turned out.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

If you dont mind could you tell me how to get a hold in there. Its big time stress to be just pulling my brisket in time to box it. If anyone could tell me how to hold a brisket and work it into the process I would appreciate it.

 

[jasonjax]

If you dont mind could you tell me how to get a hold in there. Its big time stress to be just pulling my brisket in time to box it. If anyone could tell me how to hold a brisket and work it into the process I would appreciate it.

It all depends on when you pull.

If you are "done" when you pull, but need to rest, make sure you vent it until there is no visible steam. If as in the case above the brisket could use a little more time, don't vent it and pull and rest in a cooler or cambro. There's a lot of ways to skin this cat....

 

[okiej]

We "plan" for a 2 hour rest. We pull when tender, go with what ever time is available for rest before turn in or serving.

 

[pjtexas1]

If you dont mind could you tell me how to get a hold in there. Its big time stress to be just pulling my brisket in time to box it. If anyone could tell me how to hold a brisket and work it into the process I would appreciate it.

If I understand the question correctly here's what I have learned over the years...

If it feels "right" when I pull it then I'll vent it for 15 minutes and double wrap in foil until time to serve. If that time is longer than 2 hours then it will go into a 170 degree oven or in the warmer in my cooker that runs about 160.

If it feels "tight" then there is no venting at all other than the time to go from bp to foil and then directly into a pre-heated oven at 170. This will allow it to continue to cook a little and the longer the hold the better.

If I overshoot and I think it's overcooked then it'll just vent until temp goes to 150-160. At this point I slice or put it in the oven at 170.

I'm not sure how to insert this into your comp timing other than I would be a nervous wreck trying to time it perfectly to turn in time without at least 2-3 hours of cushion to allow one of the scenarios above to come into play. Hopefully some comp guys with more experience has some better advice.

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[Rusty Kettle]

If I understand the question correctly here's what I have learned over the years...

If it feels "right" when I pull it then I'll vent it for 15 minutes and double wrap in foil until time to serve. If that time is longer than 2 hours then it will go into a 170 degree oven or in the warmer in my cooker that runs about 160.

If it feels "tight" then there is no venting at all other than the time to go from bp to foil and then directly into a pre-heated oven at 170. This will allow it to continue to cook a little and the longer the hold the better.

If I overshoot and I think it's overcooked then it'll just vent until temp goes to 150-160. At this point I slice or put it in the oven at 170.

I'm not sure how to insert this into your comp timing other than I would be a nervous wreck trying to time it perfectly to turn in time without at least 2-3 hours of cushion to allow one of the scenarios above to come into play. Hopefully some comp guys with more experience has some better advice.

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My current time on brisket is 15 minutes from the time I get the brisket off and finish building my box and turn it in. If I continue to not hold i hope to cut that in half. Seriously. I give myself 15 mins for each box. From the time it comes off until turn in. It is 15 minutes. Hoping by the end of 2018 to do it in 7mins 30 secs. That way it goes in hot. As to cooling the meat to handle it not going to happen. I have burned my hands. It hurts like heck but no pain no gain. I always misplace the gloves that deflect heat.i just have my lunch lady gloves on.

In part of my timeline two things have to get done and there is 60 secs between when I start one process to end it and start another process.

Decisions I make are made in seconds and could either help or hurt me.

The closer i cut it and the more insane it is the better I seem to do. I am going to run with it for now.

Everything is pretty relaxed until chicken turn in starts and i dont stop moving until brisket turn in is done.

Its crazy and nerve racking. Its fun. Try it sometime.

Most guys hold it but I dont like the end result i get when i hold it.