Meat science?

[Mike Southard]

Happy Memorial Day!
I’ve made many great briskets and pulled pork, beef & pork ribs all with a low & slow to 203 and this seems to be the ideal temp for tender juicy flavorful meat.
I’ve seen several posts where people do chicken or steaks low and slow to 203 that supposedly do not dry out but I can’t afford to experiment with this and am wondering if any of you can let me know the science behind this?
I’ve had well-done steak at 160 that is horrible, how does taking it to over 200 not turn it into jerky?
Same with chicken, white meat over 170 for me is dry and inedible, but there’s vids of it at 200+ still juicy.
Thank you!

 

[Slimpicker]

OKAY, first of all, I don't think anyone takes chicken to 200°, second 'steaks' shouldn't go to 200° either...
chuck Roasts can, briskets should, Ribeyes NEVER, and some 'rear' cuts try to go to 200° to imitate a brisket but they never will be the same.

You can google the science of it anywhere... I'll let a couple others explain that.

 

[Slimpicker]

Basic Meat Science For Cooks

What is meat and how does cooking alter it? Discover the science of what meat is made of, including water, fat, protein, connective tissue, salt, and other minerals. And find out what happens when meat meets heat.

amazingribs.com

 

[Mike Southard]

Thank you slim, there are literally hundreds of posts on juicy chicken over 200, that’s why I’m asking, because I had thought the same as you before seeing so many.
here’s one :

 

[Slimpicker]

I have taken my chicken to 180 before on a Traeger, but that's because Traeger has this unique way of 'skinning" over almost every meat it cooks... I basically had my chicken POP like a zit when I cut into it, but never on anything but the Traeger have I done this.

So I can see this actually 'working', but I have no REASON to go to 200 with chicken, it's wonderful on a Traeger and juicy as anything.
I usually wait for my lowest reading probe to hit 170, I've never had a dry chicken on Traeger

 

[Timmy]

Over 200 IMO they get mushy.