The 200 internal thing is where I'd push back a little. Collagen keeps breaking down for a while past that, even in the cooler, so a longer hold does more than just drop temp. Not saying 4 hours is the magic number though, your 2 hour wrap clearly did the job.

My grandma used to do the pickle juice thing with her bean soup and I always thought she was just being cheap. Tried it myself last winter when I had maybe a quarter cup of brine left and the soup was flat. Changed the whole pot, no joke. Now I do the same with the juice from a jar of banana peppers, that stuff goes in chili and even into the water when I'm boiling rice. Also olive brine if you're doing a white bean thing. Two tablespoons is plenty, you don't want it tasting like a salad.

Painted my whole garage last time plans got canceled.