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Resting Brisket Without Cooler
You should always be resting your brisket, but don’t have to with the use of a cooler.
There are other methods available to ensure a brisket can be rested for periods of 8 – 12 hours, just like a cooler would allow you to do.
Other methods of resting brisket include resting in an oven, placing it on the counter, and even just wrapping it in butcher paper, towels or foil.
Is it recommended to rest a brisket without a cooler
It is generally recommended to let your brisket rest, not necessarily only in a cooler.
There are quite a bit of alternatives to resting a brisket.
The main purpose of resting a brisket in a cooler would be heat insulation.
This provides a safe and well heated environment that allows the brisket to gradually come down in internal temperature.
This slow decrease in internal temperature is what allows all of the moisture, collagen, and juices to begin seeping back into all parts of the meat.
The after product is an amazingly tender and flavorful brisket!
Since all that matters is finding a way to let your brisket come down in internal temperature over a relatively long period of time – don’t think that you HAVE TO use a cooler while resting it.
How long to let brisket rest without cooler
Usually, when you are resting your brisket inside a cooler, you can expect the meat to hold internal temperature for up to 12 hours.
Without a cooler, you can still accomplish this, and it is recommended to keep the same time frame.
These time frames can be easily accomplished with the use of particular wrapping techniques or simply placing the brisket in another type of well insulated warming device.
Resting brisket in oven
One such device to let your brisket rest is placing it in an oven. It is well insulated, and even allows you to control the ambient temperature, allowing more control over the resting process.
You would want to use the oven for resting your brisket if you want a stable, controllable ambient temperature to be present.
It’s recommended to set the temperature to around 140 – 170 degrees in order to keep the brisket nice and warm.
Keeping the brisket warm in the oven while resting will let the temperature slowly come down in internal temp.
This is an excellent way to ensure a well rested brisket.
How long can brisket rest in oven
Brisket can usually rest in the oven for a period up to 8 hours.
This is accomplished primarily through the use of ambient temperature heating.
When placing a brisket in the oven to rest, you will want to set the ambient temperature to around 140 degrees at a minimum.
This ensures that all temp are stable and the meat can completely rest.
Rest Brisket On Counter
Direct wrapping possibilities with placing a brisket on a counter to rest include wrapping in foil or butcher paper.
You could also consider wrapping the meat with a towel of some kind to further insulate the meat and make it easier to carry around.
Resting Brisket In Butcher Paper
Resting brisket in butcher paper can be a fantastic way to get a great piece of barbecue while still retaining the bark.
One of the great things about resting any piece of barbecue in butcher paper is that it still provides the much needed insulation during the resting period, but also helps to preserve the seasoning and bark you worked so hard to create.
Should Brisket Rest Wrapped Or Unwrapped?
Brisket should be wrapped if you anticipate resting it for a period up to 8 hours.
Anything shorter than 8 hours, and you could consider resting it unwrapped.
Both methods work quite well and produce similar results.
Resting Brisket Wrapped will help the meat become insulated and will allow the internal temperature to come down a lot slower than if you were to rest it unwrapped.
There is no real risk of overcooking the meat if you were to wrap it directly after smoking, just make sure you let the brisket expound it’s residual heat when first taking it off the smoker and before you actually wrap it.
That way there is no carry over heat.
Should I Wrap Brisket In Towel?
Wrapping a brisket in a towel can help with carrying the meat from location to location.
It does not serve as an effective way to provide insulation regarding resting, but can be a great addition to further allow handling of the meat.
Resting Brisket Overnight
If you want to rest the brisket over night, consider placing in an ice cooler or warming oven.
Both can accomplish resting the meat appropriately.
Warming oven’s can help ensure that the internal temperature of your brisket never goes below 140 degrees, and can be a lot cleaner of a way to rest it.
With ice coolers, they can be more messy in terms of grease getting every where and having to clean it.
Despite the mess resting a brisket could introduce, an ice cooler certainly provides excellent heat retention.
Resting VS Holding Brisket
Holding a brisket is different than just resting a brisket.
Resting a brisket is when you directly pull it off the smoker for the first time and need to let the internal temperature come down to allow the juices to replenish the rest of the meat.
Holding a brisket is characterized when you want to start getting ready to serve it, and need to keep it warm before doing so.