The Stall -- caused be evaporate cooling and nothing more? Or: To Foil or Not?

Don't know who this Blonder guy is, he's never given me any advice. But based on what I've learned on this forum from Smokin Okie, cal, Tom, RibDog, MaxQ, Pags, and the observations of many other fine cooks on this forum...

I now recommend you foil the top of your smoke box and the bottom of your smoker. Your meat should not be foiled. OK, I'll let you foil it right before you put into the cooler to rest.

Personally, I've never foiled and have never had a dry brisket or pork butt. I know the plateau is there, and I just plan for it.

But to each his own, let us know how your next foiled one comes out.

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Shaver:
Excellent article; good experiments and info:

http://amazingribs.com/tips_an...nique/the_stall.html
http://www.genuineideas.com/Ar...sIndex/stallbbq.html

The Stall. The Zone. The Plateau. It has many names and it has freaked out many a backyard pitmaster. I know because they email me right in the middle of their cook. Panicky.
...
Based on Blonder's data, I now recommend that you wrap pork shoulders and beef briskets at about 150°F, after about 2 hours in the smoke. By then it has absorbed as much smoke as is needed. If you wrap it then, the meat powers right through the stall on a steady curve and takes much less time. It also retains more juice.

Just my .02 cents but I've been fooling around with barbecue for about 30 years now...fairly seriously on both a backyard & professional level for the past 10 years. While I'm continually looking for ways to improve, I've also tried just about every trick in the book...including foiling and hot and fast cooking. I know what works for me and it usually comes down to what the essence of barbecue is...low and slow cooking.

As Andy says, who's Blonder? Don't recall his name being mentioned in any of the top KCBS, IBCA or MBM teams. Maybe I just overlooked his presence. In any case, what works for him isn't my cup of tea. The reasons are too numerous to mention.

A scientist is a scientist. Barbecue is barbecue. A plateau is a plateau. So moisture creates the plateau. While there fat and collagen render. What's for dinner?

Another thread on his post was started earlier this week...

http://forum.cookshack.com/eve...1028883/m/8522911717