Pit Controller - Holding Temperature

[Verminskti]

Hi guys.

So yesterday I cooked up a brisket which turned out great with 'Bovine Bold' rub. Trouble is I cooked it up for 1800 and it was ready for 1400 I've had them go both ways but yesterday that cow just got to temperature (and then some)

I'm currently looking for a pit controller and there's a feature that might be of use to me but I'm not sure if it's worth paying for (and potentially customs as it goes over the threshold)

The IQ120 has an option for when the meat gets to temperature to change the pit set point. So for the brisket, as the meat got to temperature (203F) it could change the pit temp from 250f to 165F to hold the meat and not overcook it.

Now I know that some it could potentially dry the meat out but I would only want that hopefully for an hour max. It's just I will be renovating a house and using the BBQ as part of my cooking without a kitchen arsenal. I don't want to be halfway through a job and worry about the maverick beeping early.

Does that sound reasonable? Would it work safely? What holding temp would people use? Is it worth getting the IQ120 over the IQ110?

[GingerBen]

You could wrap the brisket in foil then a towel and stick it in a cool box to hold it. I've done this for a few hours and it still comes out warm. Pork butts stay hot for about 4 hours from my experience. Might be a cheaper option than a pit controller.

costco have good Igloo cool boxes at the moment at very good prices.

[Swindon_Ed]

BBQ Guru also have a holding feature and they have a reseller in the UK which means you don't have to worry about shipping and VAT.

I own both IQ's and BBQ Gurus and the guru is made much better. I've gone through 2 probes on my IQ and have hardly used it, but I'm still on the original probe on my guru which gets used almost every weekend.

[Verminskti]

Yeah I've done the old faux cambro before and it can hold when something finishes early. My issue would be if I'm halfway through a job as a joint is cooking or (after the house is done asleep, coming off nights) and the joint finishes early...

I kind of answered my own question thanks to a review on here http://www.bbbqs.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=3842

I went to buy one and it flagged as suspicious activity on my card, didn't go through and I had to go to work. After work, in the middle of instructing my solicitor to complete on the house my phone died though and a run to town to buy a new one means I need to reevaluate getting one at all let alone the 120. FFS.

Ed, the reason I didn't fancy the BBQ Guru was I thought the fan/probe system looked better in the IQ. Do you have to drill a hole to use it as well? I don't fancy drilling into my Excel 20E.

[TakingtheBrisket]

You get different adapters for the guru to fit different bbq vents, where as the iq has a dog bowl like adapter to pretty much fit all