"Ed Pawlowski" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 7 Feb 2010 01:31:08 -0800 (PST), tutall
> >
> wrote:
>
>>>
>>> I've done them at 350 with excellent results
>>
>>Didn't want to scare him.
>>
>>Barry, smaller cuts like ribs seem to do better at the lower
>>temps,
>>but big chunks of meat like butt or brisket? Not so much. Crank
>>er up
>>to whatever is easy on your cooker. On raw wood, mine runs hot,
>>so I
>>save raw wood for things that can:
>>A. take a lot of smoke
>>B. tale a lot of heat.
>>
>>Brisket and butts! And chix, don't forget the chix.
>>
>>
>
> Sure, very logical if you think about it. The meat needs some
> time at
> 160 degrees for the collagen to break down. On a thin rib, it
> hits
> and passes 160 very fast so you don't get the reaction needed if
> you
> cook at a high temperature. With a butt with a cross section of
> 6" or
> more, it takes a while for the heat to penetrate, for the fat to
> render, so the collagen is breaking down for some time, much
> longer
> than the thin strips.

IOW, are you saying that if you force the temp past the collagen
break-down stage through too much heat, that it won't break down?
Interesting. I'd never considered that.

--
Nonny

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