Some say nothing tastes better than a slow-cooked, tender and juicy piece of meat.
We can only agree, but what happens when you’ve let your meat cook for hours and it doesn’t seem to want to finish?
Well, then you’ve landed in “The Stall”.
Don’t worry – your Pulled Pork is just taking a power nap.
The Stall, The Zone or The Plateau:
is a phenomenon that most people who grill or smoke meat will run into sooner or later.
It is a point during the cook where the temperature of the meat simply stops and refuses to climb, which can definitely lead to a rise in your own blood pressure and frustration. But relax, your brand-new 3000 SEK Wi-Fi thermometer isn’t broken, “You just been Stalled”
According to scientists who have studied grilling and cooking for over 20 years, The Stall is a natural part of the meat-cooking process.
Once the meat has reached a certain temperature, usually around 60–70 degrees Celsius, moisture starts to evaporate from the surface.
This evaporation cools the meat down, which makes the temperature stall and not rise as quickly as before.
How do I get out of The Stall?
Don’t worry, there are things you can do to deal with The Stall.
A common technique is to wrap the meat in butcher paper or a towel during the later part of the cook.
This helps trap the moisture so it doesn’t escape from the meat, and at this point you can raise the temperature slightly to shorten The Stall.
So, how long does the stall last?
Well, how long is a piece of string?
Unfortunately there is no exact answer to that question. It depends on many factors, including the type of meat you’re cooking, the temperature you’re cooking at, and so on.
But it usually happens when the meat has reached a temperature of around 65–75 degrees Celsius.
But can’t I just turn up the heat in the grill?
Be careful. The higher the temperature, the less likely The Stall is to occur. But the risk of the meat cooking too fast is imminent.
You want the meat to cook at as low a temperature as possible to get it as tender and nice as you can.
At a higher temperature your expensive brisket will most likely be dry when you take it off.
So what happens if you don’t do anything about The Stall?
The meat will eventually make it through
The Stall on its own, but it can take hours.
If you have the time, you just have to wait, but if your guests are arriving in an hour, it may be time to bring out the butcher paper or the aluminum foil.
If not, mix yourself a nice G&T or two and wait.