Crust on meat

Unknown

Recently cooked a brisket and a pork butt in the BGE (on different weekends.) Both had a fairly hard crust formed on the outside. For the brisket, cooked at 275, used meat thermometer, the v-rack and drip pan. The butt was the same except cooked at 300. Other than the crust, the meat was great. Someone said the meat should be wrapped in foil. I suppose that might eliminate the crust, but won't it affect the barbecue taste? How should I proceed next time to keep the crust from forming? Anyone experience here? Knowledgable input is welcome.

Unknown

O P Bruce,[p]300 is pretty high for a butt. Most recommend 200-240. I think a lower temp with longer cook time will lessen the crusting. You're losing some of the smoke flavor by going that high in temp also. I can't help with brisket, i've never done one. But I'll bet Nature Boy can.

Nature Boy

O P Bruce,
You are definitely cooking at the high end for those cuts, which should be done lo/slo. 250 indirect works best for me. You will still get somewhat of a crust...but a lot of people like the crust...and have nicknamed it "Mr. Brown".[p]If you don't like the harder crust, wrap in foil after you oull it from the egg. let it rest in the foil in a warm cooler with towels for 30 minutes to an hour (or longer if you need). The crust will still taste good, but won't be as hard.[p]Have fun!
NB

Carolina Wizard

O P Bruce,
IMHO the crust is desirable, and if done properly...it's the best part. Usually this is where the dry rub seals in the juices of the meat and picks up the most smoke flavor. If yours did not tast good then maybe it got too charred from too high of heat. Of course that would make it bitter and not desirable. If you are using sugars in your rub it is easier to burn and should be the low temp like around 225 - 250 degrees. [p]

Cornfed

Nature Boy,[p]Smokin' Todd made pp recently. My favorite was to take a "strand" of pulled pork and bite the portion that was the crust plus maybe a half an inch of pink smoke ring. The flavor was awesome! It was like there was a party in my mouth, and everyone was invited![p]Cornfed

Unknown

Irish Smoker,
Thanks. It's interesting that the BGD cookbook consistently shows 250-300 as the recommended cooking temp. I'm beginning to find the cookbook is just not accurate! I'll try lower temps in the future. Any idea about how long per pound we're taling about here?

Cornfed

O P Bruce,[p]That cookbook would be better if it listed over and over on each page the following text:[p]http://www.biggreenegg.com/wwwboard/wwwboard.shtml[p]Cornfed

Unknown

Nature Boy,
Thanks for the advice. Personally, I don't like Mr. Brown! Any idea how long per pound we're looking at with these lower temps?[p]

Unknown

Carolina Wizard,
Thanks. I don't want the crust but everyone is saying the temps are too high. I'll try that. Thanx!

Nature Boy

O P Bruce,
2.5 hours per pound has been my average experience.
The longer the butt sits at the plateau temps 160-170, the better it will taste![p]Use less sugar in your rub, or turbinado sugar (which doen't burn except at high temps). And the foil after you pull it off the egg. Remember though, the crust is where most of the seasonings are![p]NB

Char-Woody

O P Bruce, I agree with most and dropping that temperature to 250 or slightly less will give you more time for the internal to cook without over crusting the exterior. The crust is great stuff. But is sounds like your's is overkill.
Good luck on the next one.
C~W[p]

JimW

O P Bruce,
The cookbook is really not a very good source of information on cooking temps, etc. I haven't looked at mine since the day I got my egg. Look to the forum for advice on using the egg.
JimW