Post smoke foil, towel, cooler, question. How have I never thought to ask this question?

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worktogthr

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
Nov 3, 2013
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Massapequa, NY (Long Island)
Ok so...this just dawned on me because I was thinking about smoking tri tip for a party and didn't want to worry about timing so much, but not have it be overcooked. If I smoke a butt or brisket or even ribs and they finish before dinner time, I probably sit them on the counter for just a few minutes before foil, towel, coolering them. With these kinds of meats it's not the end of the world if they raise a few degrees due to being wrapped in foil. However, with a tri tip that I am going to cook to 125 and might raise another 10 degrees or so if I was to just let it sit I am afraid it would overcooked if I foiled it too soon. So my question is...how long do I let it rest unfoiled, before foil, towel, coolering it to keep it warm? Until the IT stops rising? My other question is...will this put me in the danger zone? Thanks so much !
 
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You might want to take down that link to that competitor website before you get reported or banned. You can PM those types of things and that is ok.
Is here some kind of advise police here? Why would we not share knowledge?
 
Over the decades I've grilled hundreds of tri tips and since I started smoking last year I've probably smoked 12-18. I usually do two or three every time I smoke tri tips. 

I smoke tri tips at 225-250F and time them so they are ready to serve about 30 minutes after they come off the smoker.  I'll just put them on a platter on the counter, cover loosely with a sheet of HD aluminum foil, then put a towel on top while they rest.  I smoke mine to 133-135 but have never bothered to check the temp after they've rested.  I seriously doubt the temp has risen ten degrees, or at all.  I just looked through my picture file and the last time I've taken pics of tri tip was Super Bowl Sunday (see below).  They were prepared like I mentioned above. 

I've been wanting to try smoking tri tips UDS style in my WSM using no water pan in the smoker.  Might do that this Sunday.




 
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Nah, Timberjet is just messing with me. I don't know what her problem is.
Not really. read the agreement you approved to join this site. external links, especially to competitor websites is against the rules. Let's say you have a website for your business. Would you want other people advertising their competing businesses on your website? I know this because I inadvertently shared a link to the same website a while back and was reported and nearly banned. Just giving you a heads up. By the way I am a man..
 
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There is a provision you agreed to for not posting links to competitors' websites; however that has been amended so if you can not locate anything on here, you are allowed to.

But, a simple search in the Search tool yields many references to "resting meats" on our website, and you should have tried looking here first.

resting meats - http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/newsearch?search=resting+meats

See if any of these satisfies!

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to explain this!! 
 
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 A good read on that link Grillmonkey.  Confirms what I've noticed in personal life.

 I always bought into the resting meat too, "as seen on TV", and cookbooks.  And used do it to some extent. But don't worry about it anymore other than large roast like prime rib.  And then I only let rest a short time, and uncovered, before serving.  I only rest meat now, if I'm not ready for serving.  In other words my meat is done before the other stuff, or someone is late coming to dinner.   It don't hurt to rest it, just doesn't make much difference in dinning experience.  (Exception is to rest and insulate meat to further dissolve collagen in meat)

I've never left a piece of steak on my plate swimming in juice.  By the time, I'm done eating, it has all been absorbed back in,  Yeah the 1st few bites, I did dip in juice (added flavor)  but after a few bites, the juice seemed to disappear back into the steak, or steak slices.  So my theory is cut and serve hot and fresh,  The juice will take care of itself as you eat.

Wife and I order a 24 oz. Prime Rib EACH  at Lucky's Steakhouse, and get three meals  a each out of it.  One when we're there, another prime rib dinner at home, and 3rd one using left overs for French Dip dinner.  That comes out to 9:00 bucks each, for six prime rib dinners. 

I can't do that good at home, price-wise!

I digressed there a bit.

Who cares if you rest it or not?  You either dip in juice in the first 3 to 6 bites, or you have it in all the rest of bites, as it re-absorbs anyway (even sliced), on the plate.  I've never had a meat juice filled plate when I was done eating.  Have you?   Really???

I used to wonder why Lucky's never brought cup of as jus with steak like most others do.  It's because they cook there roasts right, and it provides it's own.  Actually I could use a little more au jus towards the end.  No more juice on the plate to dip in.  LOL

As for carry over temps?  I don't trust that much.  I had underdone turkey, because I believed it would carry over another 10* after coming out of oven.  Used Maverick, and it didn't raise  a single degree.  Just held steady a few minutes and then dropped.  Yes, I tented it with foil just like "as on TV" advises.  I do get some carry-over with large solid roasts though.  Usually about 4* to 7*  Not really worth the wait.

Bunch of Ca-Ca if you ask me. 

Cook it to temp your want to eat at, and then eat!  LOL  The time it take to plate with other stuff is resting time enough.

If people aren't ready to eat for some reason, then by all means keep meat warm and insulated.  It'll be okay.  Who ever refused a good dinner kept warm for them?

Think of it this way.  Are you cooking for yourself, friends & family, or cooking for the president? 

Not arguing, or trying to stir the pot. 

Just my opinion and experience.  Willing to have my mind changed, or change what I do it, if it really works.  Heck... I try everything once at least!

Edited and added:    Some of my best disasters happened that way!  LOL
 
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 A good read on that link Grillmonkey.  Confirms what I've noticed in personal life.

 I always bought into the resting meat too, "as seen on TV", and cookbooks.  And used do it to some extent. But don't worry about it anymore other than large roast like prime rib.  And then I only let rest a short time, and uncovered, before serving.  I only rest meat now, if I'm not ready for serving.  In other words my meat is done before the other stuff, or someone is late coming to dinner.   It don't hurt to rest it, just doesn't make much difference in dinning experience.  (Exception is to rest and insulate meat to further dissolve collagen in meat)

I've never left a piece of steak on my plate swimming in juice.  By the time, I'm done eating, it has all been absorbed back in,  Yeah the 1st few bites, I did dip in juice (added flavor)  but after a few bites, the juice seemed to disappear back into the steak, or steak slices.  So my theory is cut and serve hot and fresh,  The juice will take care of itself as you eat.

Wife and I order a 24 oz. Prime Rib EACH  at Lucky's Steakhouse, and get three meals  a each out of it.  One when we're there, another prime rib dinner at home, and 3rd one using left overs for French Dip dinner.  That comes out to 9:00 bucks each, for six prime rib dinners. 

I can't do that good at home, price-wise!

I digressed there a bit.

Who cares if you rest it or not?  You either dip in juice in the first 3 to 6 bites, or you have it in all the rest of bites, as it re-absorbs anyway (even sliced), on the plate.  I've never had a meat juice filled plate when I was done eating.  Have you?   Really???

I used to wonder why Lucky's never brought cup of as jus with steak like most others do.  It's because they cook there roasts right, and it provides it's own.  Actually I could use a little more au jus towards the end.  No more juice on the plate to dip in.  LOL

As for carry over temps?  I don't trust that much.  I had underdone turkey, because I believed it would carry over another 10* after coming out of oven.  Used Maverick, and it didn't raise  a single degree.  Just held steady a few minutes and then dropped.  Yes, I tented it with foil just like TV advises.  I do get some carry-over with large solid roasts though.  Usually about 4* to 7*  Not really worth the wait.

Bunch of Ca-Ca if you ask me. 

Cook it to temp your want to eat at, and then eat!  LOL  The time it take to plate with other stuff is resting time enough.

If people aren't ready to eat for some reason, then by all means keep meat warm and insulated.  It'll be okay.

Think of it this way.  Are you cooking for yourself, friends & family, or cooking for the president? 

Not arguing, or trying to stir the pot. 

Just my opinion and experience.  Willing to have my mind changed, or change what I do it, if it really works.  Heck... I try everything once at least!  LOL
Yeah, I'm not one of those people that takes something on faith. If I'm going to do something a certain way, I want to know why.
 
I've smoked grilled cooked a ton of tri tips. I like to rest them for 30-45 minutes prior to slicing & serving. I have left the probe in once just to see how much the to continues to raise. It was a 3 pound tip. I cooked it to 130, foiled and let rest. The temp went up 5* then by the time I went to slice 40 minutes later the temp had dropped 10 degrees. I'm sure ever Chuck would be a bit different. Also I would assume if you piled them all together you'd have a greater increase in temp do to thermal mass.
 
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