Resting and holding smoked meat
A rest lets juices settle; a hold lets you finish early without serving late.
Why rest
While meat cooks, the juices are driven toward the center. If you slice right away, much of it runs out. Resting for a short time lets the meat relax and keep more juice. The temperature of a large roast also keeps rising several degrees after it leaves the smoker, so pull it a little before your final target.
How long
- Steaks, small roasts, chicken pieces: 5 to 15 minutes. For USDA's 145°F minimum on beef, pork and lamb, the rest is at least 3 minutes.
- Whole chicken, turkey breast, pork loin: 10 to 30 minutes.
- Whole turkey: 30 to 45 minutes.
- Brisket, pork butt, short ribs: 1 to 2 hours wrapped.
Holding in a cooler
For long cuts, wrap the meat in foil or butcher paper, wrap that in towels, and put it in an empty cooler. It stays hot and tender for a couple of hours. Keep hot food at 140°F or higher: USDA's "danger zone" is 40 to 140°F, and food should not spend more than about two hours in it in total.