A pitmaster's tip on resting meat that I finally tried

In my experience, I used to cut the resting time short because I was always in a hurry. After a chat with a pitmaster at a local event, I let my last brisket sit for a full four hours in a faux cambro. The meat was so much more tender and juicy, which totally changed my view on patience in BBQ. Your mileage may vary, but for me, it was worth every minute.

3 comments

3 Comments

allen.ivan2mo ago

Wait, you let a brisket sit for four whole hours? I can't even imagine the willpower that takes. I get antsy after like 45 minutes. What do you even do during all that time, just stare at the cooler? I guess if it was that much better, maybe I need to try it, but man, that feels like a huge commitment. How do you keep it hot enough for that long without it getting weird?

robin_henderson812mo ago

Four hours? That's a wild amount of time to let meat sit. Most folks cap it at an hour or so before they carve in. How do you even plan a meal around that kind of wait? Sure, juicy results are good, but that's practically a part-time job. I'd be tempted to just eat it anyway and call it done. Really hard to believe that's necessary for every cook.

brown.emery2mo ago

That whole rule comes from restaurant kitchens cooking massive roasts. A regular home grill just doesn't need that marathon rest. It's all about the meat's internal temp evening out, not the clock.