Away Cooks - Maintain 140

[SuperDave]

For those that do overnight smokes or smokes while they are at work and want to use the maintain mode at 140, I thought I would offer up a fun fact and possibly start a thread that we could add.  Yesterday, when I did my prime rib, I set maintenance mode program to keep meat warm while I finished the rest of the meal.  I cut the cook program 5 degrees below desired.  Well, just in the temp fall from 235 to 200 I had gained another 8 degrees in internal temp. These things really hold the heat.  I have no doubt that I would have been over 10 degrees in internal temp gain had I not been there to pull it out when I did.  So, I think it would be interesting to see how different cuts of meat react so we could all learn how early to cut the power in advance of our desired finish product temp.  First data point for beef, think greater than 10 degrees. 

 

[Walt]

If your not going to open the door to bleed off the heat, I think you will find 15 to be closer. Especially if your going to be doing a reverse sear.

 

[BedouinBob]

Hmmm, this may be a difficult thread to pin down. I am thinking of my last pork butt that stayed at 185 for several hours. Not sure what would have happened if I had shut off the power.....

 

[Walt]

I was referring more to items cooked below the stall.  Medium rare is easy to blow past if useing this method. Easy upward adjustments can be made on the grill during the reverse sear.  I have not determined how to get it pink again once overcooked.

 

[SuperDave]

I thought that people trying to program their Auber cooks could learn when to jump programs to maintain something close to 140. It is safe to say that cooking to desired final temp before switching will result in highly over cooked food.

 

[DivotMaker]

I'm with Walt - not sure I'd try a 140 hold on something as temperature-fragile as a prime rib.  Like he said, you can blow past the ideal temp in a very short time, whereas a butt or brisket has a lot of leeway and forgiveness.