I ran across this graph and experiment. It confirms what Smokin' and Tom has been telling all of us. I thought it was interesting to see and read...so I thought I would share. holding meat in a cooler
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That's some good information to use as a guide. I think having a way to monitor the temps of the meat in the cooler is essential if you're holding the meat for a long time.
The one variable they didn't test was how mass affects the holding time. Last weekend I cooked 32 butts for a fundraiser and was able to hold 16 butts per cooler (5-day Extreme cooler). The last butts to come out of cooler, which were the first to go in, were still at 163 at 9 hours in cooler. I take real care to preheat the cooler and use towels to fill open space as I added more butts.
The one variable they didn't test was how mass affects the holding time. Last weekend I cooked 32 butts for a fundraiser and was able to hold 16 butts per cooler (5-day Extreme cooler). The last butts to come out of cooler, which were the first to go in, were still at 163 at 9 hours in cooler. I take real care to preheat the cooler and use towels to fill open space as I added more butts.
Good information.
Additional things he didn't cover.
Get one of the "5 day coolers" it will last longer.
Also, get a smaller cooler, minimize airspace
AND... tape the top shut. Air escaping is how the temp drops.
Additional things he didn't cover.
Get one of the "5 day coolers" it will last longer.
Also, get a smaller cooler, minimize airspace
AND... tape the top shut. Air escaping is how the temp drops.
Yea. Mass does help keep things hot. I've got a 5 day extreme cooler that I use when I need a longer hold time. It works very well.
Good post/presentation and good followup.
Should be great for new folks,since we discuss bits of it all the time.
The comp folks may have some comments ,down the road,about effects on meats/cook temps,etc.
Should be great for new folks,since we discuss bits of it all the time.
The comp folks may have some comments ,down the road,about effects on meats/cook temps,etc.
I have a coleman "extreme" cooler (what isn't extreme these days?) and other than super thick walls it features a latching lid with a seal. That seal of the lid is definitely the weak link on most insulated coolers.