How important is it?

[boatguypdx]

I have two shoulders i have been smoking today. My question is, how important is it to let them rest in a cooler? I have the smaller of the two wrapped in foil and a towel resting in the cooler now. And the second shoulder is still on the smoker at about 190* heading for 205*

I have to be to work at 4 in the morning and don't want to rush anything. But I also don't want to ruin two great looking roasts after an all day smoke.

 

[ron50]

The rest allows the juices to be reabsorbed into the meat. If you have time it's great but if you don't stick them right into the fridge. They will still be delicious.

 

[bmudd14474]

What ^^^^^ said.

 

[scarbelly]

The rest is very important to allow the meat to reabsorb the juices
If not and you need to put into the fridge then do so with all of the liquids with the meat when you pull it out of the smoker
When you reheat it just pull off the fat and reheat with the liquids

 

[schoolbob]

I agree with the above, and I can tell you that I have done it both ways -- several times. whenever I have to skip the rest period because I started too late, the meat is not nearly as moist and tender as when it rests.

I will also add, that you never want to squeeze the meat when either carving or pulling, or all of your juices will spill out that way as well.


This all has to do with heat and pressure, and the pressure lessens as the meat cools and the temperature evens out.

 

[rivet]

Maybe I'm reading too much into your question, but you DO NOT have to let it rest in A COOLER. I've put mine in a pan, covered it in foil, wrapped it in a bathtowel and placed it in a cold oven for an hour and it was perfecto!

What you DO want to do is let it rest. I usually let min rest for 20 minutes or so, but I will admit that the last ones resting for an hour were textbook perfect.

The cooler idea is simple and effective and works best when you have other things going on in the kitchen inside the house.

In a pinch, you'd be fine just panning it, foiling it, then wrapping it in a couple towels and letting it sit on the counter, for that matter. Don't sweat the details, bud. You're gonna be okay

 

[schoolbob]

I agree 100% with what Rivet said. It doesn't have to be a cooler. It will just stay warmer longer. If you are ready to eat. let it sit on the counter.

When braising, say a beef roast, you do the same thing; pop it out of the oven and let it sit on the counter for half an hour.

 

[jirodriguez]

.... and dont make the mistake I did one time... foiled and put it in the cooler, it was way late, so I left it in the cooler till morning (about 5 hrs). It was still almost to hot to handel, but it had continued to cook and the meat was almost mushy.... leason learned

.

 

[rw willy]

I did the same thing.
I should have toweled it on the counter for a half hour or so then placed in 'fridge.
Oh well, we still ate a very nice pork butt. So all is good with the world.