# Can it rest too long?



## iconnolly (Feb 27, 2015)

Hi,

Pork butt came off just now at 205! Feels pretty good but i dont need to feed people for another 3 hours. Its wrapped in foil, towels and in the cool box. Stupid question, but will leaving it rest for 3 hrs have any negative impact? Ie will it start getting cold or become hard?

Thanks


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## seenred (Feb 27, 2015)

As long as you leave it wrapped and covered in your cooler, the temps will hold fine for 3 hours.  Its gonna be good!  Thumbs Up

Looking forward to the qview!

Red


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## brooksy (Feb 27, 2015)

You will be good! Just don't open the cooler keep heat in


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## tropics (Feb 27, 2015)

iconnolly said:


> Hi,
> 
> Pork butt came off just now at 205! Feels pretty good but i dont need to feed people for another 3 hours. Its wrapped in foil, towels and in the cool box. Stupid question, but will leaving it rest for 3 hrs have any negative impact? Ie will it start getting cold or become hard?
> 
> Thanks


It may still be hot when you go to pull it.


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## timberjet (Feb 27, 2015)

I have had it stay too hot to handle for 4-5 hours. You will find that a 3 hour rest makes for better PP. than A shorter rest time would.


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## fendrbluz (Mar 2, 2015)

Red you originally helped me with my first butt and I love my sweet apple butt :). But this subject came up  let me ask you last time I smoked all night and next day it got done sooner then I thought I brought temp up to about 202 I pull and wrapped up in a towel then I have some stretch wrap I wrapped real tight and stuck in a cooler and went fishing for like 5hrs when I got couldn't believe it was still hot when I shredded it but it was a little mushy not like it usually is so you think that was a little long.


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## timberjet (Mar 5, 2015)

Wrapping in foil allows a little steam to escape, not much mind you but you end up with a better finished product than using plastic. Just my 2 cents. I recently started using freezer paper for this and it works real good too.


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## seenred (Mar 5, 2015)

Fendrbluz said:


> Red you originally helped me with my first butt and I love my sweet apple butt :). But this subject came up  let me ask you last time I smoked all night and next day it got done sooner then I thought I brought temp up to about 202 I pull and wrapped up in a towel then I have some stretch wrap I wrapped real tight and stuck in a cooler and went fishing for like 5hrs when I got couldn't believe it was still hot when I shredded it but it was a little mushy not like it usually is so you think that was a little long.


Every cut of pork butt is a bit different, and tends to get done at slightly different temps.  This one sounds like it was slightly overcooked, and the longer rest certainly would have added to that, because it will continue to cook for a while if its wrapped tight and placed in an insulated cooler.  The internal temp of a large cut of meat could rise another 5-10 degrees while resting.  Steam will continue to braise the meat for a long time while it rests.  

Red


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## jirodriguez (Mar 5, 2015)

My rule is if I am resting it for over 3 hrs. I pull it out of the smoker about 10° early. That way it rests, still pulls nicely, but doesn't become mushy. Unfortunately you really don't know if that is going to happen till you get to the end of your smoke and it finished up earlier than expected. So you have to pay attention once it hits 190° internal temp.


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## fendrbluz (Mar 6, 2015)

Thank you both very much


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