Just thought I'd share something I read on the BGE forum at Reddit. For years I've been under the assumption that the stall in rising meat temperature in my smoker was due to collagen in the meat breaking down into gelatin. It looks like science has proved me wrong. There isn't enough collagen in any cut of meat to stall the temp for that long. Collagen is breaking down but that's not what's causing the stall. Evaporative cooling and moisture loss account for the majority of the extra time. Here is a link to the article that opened my eyes. http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_tech...the_stall.html

Cam wrote:
> Just thought I'd share something I read on the BGE forum at Reddit. For years I've been under the assumption that the stall in rising meat temperature in my smoker was due to collagen in the meat breaking down into gelatin. It looks like science has proved me wrong. There isn't enough collagen in any cut of meat to stall the temp for that long. Collagen is breaking down but that's not what's causing the stall. Evaporative cooling and moisture loss account for the majority of the extra time. Here is a link to the article that opened my eyes. http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_tech...the_stall.html
Interesting. Thanks for the post!

Earl

On 11-Apr-2014, Earl > wrote:

> > Just thought I'd share something I read on the BGE forum at Reddit. For
> > years I've been under the assumption that the stall in rising meat
> > temperature in my smoker was due to collagen in the meat breaking down
> > into gelatin. It looks like science has proved me wrong. There isn't
> > enough collagen in any cut of meat to stall the temp for that long.
> > Collagen is breaking down but that's not what's causing the stall.
> > Evaporative cooling and moisture loss account for the majority of the
> > extra time. Here is a link to the article that opened my eyes.


> > http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_tech...the_stall.html
> Interesting. Thanks for the post!
>
> Earl

That link doesn't open for me.

Brick said that.

On 4/11/2014 9:51 AM, Cam wrote:
> Just thought I'd share something I read on the BGE forum at Reddit.
> For years I've been under the assumption that the stall in rising
> meat temperature in my smoker was due to collagen in the meat
> breaking down into gelatin. It looks like science has proved me
> wrong. There isn't enough collagen in any cut of meat to stall the
> temp for that long. Collagen is breaking down but that's not what's
> causing the stall. Evaporative cooling and moisture loss account for
> the majority of the extra time. Here is a link to the article that
> opened my eyes.
> http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_tech...the_stall.html
>

That's why I love this newsgroup, perfect timing. A neighbor just
started smoking his first pork butts (2 four pounders) at 6:30 this
morning. He called me about 2:00, in a panic, "They are stuck at 150
for the last hour! HELP!"

Yesterday he told me he saw "on the internet" that he should figure an
hour a pound, so "four hours for 4 lbs, right?". I told him to allow at
least 10 hours total, probably more like 12, but to cook by temp. When
they hit 200, off the fire, wrap, and store for a few hours.

I told him the "stall" is normal, sent him the link and calmed him down.
Now I just have to hope that it turns out ok and he saves a little for me.

On 13-Apr-2014, k > wrote:

> On 4/11/2014 9:51 AM, Cam wrote:
> > Just thought I'd share something I read on the BGE forum at Reddit.
> > For years I've been under the assumption that the stall in rising
> > meat temperature in my smoker was due to collagen in the meat
> > breaking down into gelatin. It looks like science has proved me
> > wrong. There isn't enough collagen in any cut of meat to stall the
> > temp for that long. Collagen is breaking down but that's not what's
> > causing the stall. Evaporative cooling and moisture loss account for
> > the majority of the extra time. Here is a link to the article that
> > opened my eyes.
> > http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_tech...the_stall.html
> >
>
> That's why I love this newsgroup, perfect timing. A neighbor just
> started smoking his first pork butts (2 four pounders) at 6:30 this
> morning. He called me about 2:00, in a panic, "They are stuck at 150
> for the last hour! HELP!"
>
> Yesterday he told me he saw "on the internet" that he should figure an
> hour a pound, so "four hours for 4 lbs, right?". I told him to allow at
> least 10 hours total, probably more like 12, but to cook by temp. When
> they hit 200, off the fire, wrap, and store for a few hours.
>
> I told him the "stall" is normal, sent him the link and calmed him down.
> Now I just have to hope that it turns out ok and he saves a little for
> me.

Shades of yesteryear. When you said "Take it off at 200", I thought
about the battle royal that comment would have made ten or so years
ago. Just suffice it to say that I take mine off at 185F having decided
over the years that 200 produces more bark then I want and 175
leaves me too close to 'not done in the middle somewhere'. Ten
other guys are likely to give you ten other answers and all of them
are right for the person doing the cooking.

Just like a lot of folks like to smoke at 225 or so. I cook at about
270 and Big Jim cooks as high as 300. Nobody runs away from
our food, so it's crazy to say it's wrong.

I used to wrap and let it rest for a few hours, sometimes overnight.
I got tired of the extra work and didn't notice enough difference to
matter, so I don't wrap and hold anymore. I just let it cool and eat
it or pack it up and freeze it.

Brick said that

On 4/13/2014 5:55 PM, wrote:
> On 13-Apr-2014, k > wrote:
>
>> On 4/11/2014 9:51 AM, Cam wrote:
>>> Just thought I'd share something I read on the BGE forum at Reddit.
>>> For years I've been under the assumption that the stall in rising
>>> meat temperature in my smoker was due to collagen in the meat
>>> breaking down into gelatin. It looks like science has proved me
>>> wrong. There isn't enough collagen in any cut of meat to stall the
>>> temp for that long. Collagen is breaking down but that's not what's
>>> causing the stall. Evaporative cooling and moisture loss account for
>>> the majority of the extra time. Here is a link to the article that
>>> opened my eyes.
>>> http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_tech...the_stall.html
>>>
>>
>> That's why I love this newsgroup, perfect timing. A neighbor just
>> started smoking his first pork butts (2 four pounders) at 6:30 this
>> morning. He called me about 2:00, in a panic, "They are stuck at 150
>> for the last hour! HELP!"
>>
>> Yesterday he told me he saw "on the internet" that he should figure an
>> hour a pound, so "four hours for 4 lbs, right?". I told him to allow at
>> least 10 hours total, probably more like 12, but to cook by temp. When
>> they hit 200, off the fire, wrap, and store for a few hours.
>>
>> I told him the "stall" is normal, sent him the link and calmed him down.
>> Now I just have to hope that it turns out ok and he saves a little for
>> me.
>
> Shades of yesteryear. When you said "Take it off at 200", I thought
> about the battle royal that comment would have made ten or so years
> ago. Just suffice it to say that I take mine off at 185F having decided
> over the years that 200 produces more bark then I want and 175
> leaves me too close to 'not done in the middle somewhere'. Ten
> other guys are likely to give you ten other answers and all of them
> are right for the person doing the cooking.
>
> Just like a lot of folks like to smoke at 225 or so. I cook at about
> 270 and Big Jim cooks as high as 300. Nobody runs away from
> our food, so it's crazy to say it's wrong.
>
> I used to wrap and let it rest for a few hours, sometimes overnight.
> I got tired of the extra work and didn't notice enough difference to
> matter, so I don't wrap and hold anymore. I just let it cool and eat
> it or pack it up and freeze it.
>
> Brick said that
>

I've done the cook at 300ish and I've done the cook at 225-250, and I
can't tell alot of difference either way. Check that, there is a
difference, but I'm not sure how much it matters to the taste. When I
have pulled off the fire at less than 190 I ended up doing more slicing
than pulling, but it still tasted pretty good.

Neighbor was using an electric smoker and I wasn't sure that he could
cook at temps over 250 or so, but he said he ran it up to 275 when it
stalled.

He did bring me some (and some slaw and a bollito), turned out pretty
good. Couldn't tell if there was much smoke ring (he used hickory chips
moistened and foiled) but it tasted pretty good. Maybe a bit dry, but
sauce it and heat it up tomorrow for lunch and I think it will pass just
fine.

Not nearly enough activity on the newsgroups anymore, I kinda miss the
battle royals sometimes. Shame, but things change and it doesn't do any
good to complain about it. I've tried the facebook thing and I just
don't like it so I don't do it anymore. Give me simple text and some
opinionated assh*les over folks with a mouse and too much time on their
hands any day.