Best Coolers For Resting Meat

Best Coolers For Resting Meat

Smoking a big cut of meat is one of the most satisfying experiences.

After allowing the heat and smoke to transform a tough hunk of meat into fall-off-the-bone goodness, you can’t immediately dig in. You must allow the meat to rest and slowly cool down which is best done in a cooler.

After the smoked meat rests, the meat is juicy and tender. This is what makes smoked meat irresistible.

Although resting the meat in a cooler might seem like a step you can skip, resting meat is one of the most important steps in order to allow the meat to turn soft and juicy.

Now let’s cover the main reasons why you should allow the meat to rest in a cooler before going over the best 5 coolers for resting meat.

Why Do You Let Meat Rest In A Cooler?

Slicing into meat that just came out of the smoker or grill is a horrible mistake as all the meat juices will pour out of the meat leaving you with dry cuts.

Allowing a big piece of meat to rest for a long period of time improves its texture and the overall eating experience.

In fact, Jeff Savell, professor of meat science at Texas A&M University stated that “all cooked meat benefits from holding.”

Savell points to the distribution of moisture as the key to successful holding. Raw meat, he explains, is 70 percent water. Cooked meat is about 55 percent. Heat disrupts the proteins in the meat. Resting, or holding, allows the moisture to regroup around the proteins.

npr.org

So allowing the meat to rest will allow the meat to redistribute the moisture which leads to juicy and tender cuts of meat.

How Long Can Meat Stay Warm In A Cooler?

The standard advice on food safety is that you can safely keep food in the “danger zone” for a maximum of 2 hours. The USDA defines the danger zone as food with an internal temperature between 40°F and 140°F.

So as long as the meat is kept above 140°F then the meat can stay in the cooler or a heating rack for as long as you want and will be still safe to eat.

Generally, pitmasters like Aaron Franklin will allow their meat to rest for 2 to 3 hours after coming off the smoker. So meat can be kept in a cooler for as long as the internal temperature of the meat remains above 140°F.

Generally, meat can be allowed to rest in a cooler for up to 4 hours.

Can I Leave A Brisket In A Cooler Overnight?

In the right conditions, you CAN leave a cooked brisket out overnight, or up to 8 hours. In order to do this safely, you will have to keep an eye on the internal temperature of the brisket, making sure it holds above 140°F.

However, it is better to not leave a brisket in a cooler overnight in case the internal temperature of the meat drops below 140°F for more than 2 hours.

Cooked or raw meat can spoil if they sit at an internal temperature between 40°F and 140°F for more than 2 hours. So make sure that the cooked meat is kept warm when resting.

Should Meat Rest Covered or Uncovered?

When resting cooked meat, always keep the meat covered.

Whether you cover the meat in tin foil or butcher paper, the meat should be covered to help retain the heat and allow the meat to slowly cool down.

Not to mention, if the meat was placed in a cooler uncovered then the cooler could get dirty from all the meat juices. So covering the meat will also help keep the inside of the cooler clean.

What To Look For In A Cooler

The main criteria to assess when searching for the best cooler to rest meat are:

  • Size
  • Insulation
  • Durability

Let’s cover the top 5 coolers for resting meat and the specs of each one.

Best Overall: RTIC Hard Cooler with 3 Inch Insulated Walls

Dimensions (LxWxH): 24.75 x 11.75 x 13 inches

Insulation: 3 inches that can keep ice for up to 10 days!

Durability: Heavy-duty plastic with rubber latches

RTIC coolers are similar to YETI coolers where they have commercial grade insulation, heavy-duty materials that can withstand any outdoor conditions, and are a large size that can fit almost anything.

The RTIC coolers come in sizes ranging from 20 quarts up to 145 quarts. However, the 65-quart size is the most rectangular in shape which will accommodate even the longest racks of ribs or briskets.

These premium coolers are known to work so well that you can still have ice 10 days later! The insulation on these RTIC coolers is top of the line which means allowing the meat to rest in this cooler will also be ideal.

You want the meat to cool down as slowly as possible so placing the meat in a well-insulated cooler is a plus.

Runner Up – Best Overall: YETI Tundra 45 Cooler

Dimensions (LxWxH): 25.5 x 16 x 15.5 inches

Insulation: 2 inches of pressure-injected polyurethane foam.

Durability: Heavy-duty plastic with rubber latches

YETI coolers are what really started the movement of having rugged, high-quality coolers that could keep ice frozen for multiple days or keep warm food warm for long periods of time.

If you’ve ever used a YETI cup then you know YETI products do an incredible job at keeping cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot.

The YETI Tundra 45 cooler is a similar size to the RTIC 65-quart cooler above so you can fit the same amount of food or drinks in these coolers.

Not to mention, these YETI coolers will be able to keep the warm food warm for a very long time. Bonus points for being able to use this cooler for camping and trips to keep your drinks and uncooked food cold for days at a time.

Third Place – Best Overall: Igloo Polar Cooler

Dimensions (LxWxH): 38.3 x 17.3 x 17.75 inches

Insulation: Minimal vacuum insulation

Durability: Heavy-duty plastic with plastic latches

The Igloo Polar cooler is a large 120-quart cooler that can easily fit a lot of meat at the same time.

However, this cooler may be too large if you are cooking for a family of 4 or small groups. That being said, this cooler can still be used to rest just one brisket.

The main benefit of the Igloo Polar cooler is that it is more cost-efficient than the premium YETI and RTIC coolers. However, the insulation and build quality of the Igloo is not as good which is why this cooler is priced less.

Overall, this is a great cooler to have for resting meat or storing drinks during those summer parties.

Best Budget: Coleman 24-Can Party Stacker Portable Cooler

Dimensions (LxWxH): 22.25 x 8.25 x 13.63 inches

Insulation: Minimal vacuum insulation

Durability: Hard plastic that can bend or break

Coleman is a familiar budget brand that makes a variety of coolers. From tiny lunch box coolers to larger coolers with wheels, Coleman does make a style for almost every occasion.

Although this cooler is intended for beer or canned sodas, the size of the cooler is perfect to allow one brisket, 3 racks of ribs, and even a pork shoulder to rest.

The rectangular shape will accommodate most longer meats, not to mention the smaller size will ensure that the meat stays warm for a while.

Keep in mind that these Coleman coolers are great budget coolers but are not heavily insulated so the meat will cool much faster in these Coleman coolers compared to more premium YETI or RTIC coolers.

Runner Up – Best Budget: Coleman Rolling Cooler

Dimensions (LxWxH): 23 x 18 x 18 inches

Insulation: Minimal vacuum insulation

Durability: Hard plastic that can bend or break

The Coleman rolling coolers are great coolers for everyday occasions including resting meat.

Having a cooler with wheels makes transporting drinks to picnics and summer parties a breeze.

The Coleman rolling cooler is actually what I have used for a few years when resting my brisket, ribs, and pork shoulders after smoking. The cooler does the job of allowing the meat to rest for 2 hours before slicing the meat.

Not to mention this Coleman rolling cooler is fairly tall so you could stack a lot of meat in here if you needed to rest a lot of meat at the same time.

I highly recommend this cooler if you want a great all-purpose cooler that you can also use to rest meat in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Brisket Rest Too Long?

Generally, brisket should rest for 2 to 3 hours. Brisket can safely rest as long as the internal temperature remains above 140°F. That being said, resting brisket any longer than 2 to 3 hours will not benefit the brisket.

Pitmasters such as Aaron Franklin allow the brisket to rest for 2 to 3 hours to allow the moisture within the meat to spread out. This means that the brisket will be tender and juicy when you slice it in the brisket after it has rested.

Slicing into a brisket that has not rested will result in the meat pouring out juices which will leave you with dry and tough slices of meat.

Should I Rest My Brisket In A Cooler?

The brisket should be rested in a cooler for 2 to 3 hours so that the brisket will be juicy and tender. Resting the brisket allows the moisture to spread out in the brisket so that the slices of the meat are not dry.

Slicing into a brisket that has not rested will result in the meat pouring out juices which will leave you with dry and tough slices of meat.

Steven

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