1st Boston Butt on 18" WSM and I goofed somehow.


 
R

Randy Cooke

New member
3 3/4LB Boneless Boston Butt Fat Cap on and butt tied.

Used Chris Lilly's Injection and Rub(I halved the recipe) and posted below for reference.

Injected solution, wrapped in cling wrap and refrigerated for about an hour while I made some Big Daddy's Carolina Sauce.
Removed from fridge and applied rub.
Temp ooutside was about 5 degrees Celsius.
Fired up the WSM using Minion Method.
Putt butt on top rack of WSM
Lid Temperature showed about 220-230 for the first 4 hours (Never even peeked :-))
After 4 hours I put a Redi-Chek probe on the grill and inserted meat probe into the butt.
WSM was reading about 210 with grate at about 240 to 50 for 2 hours.
Internal temp rose from about 160 to 175 and kinda stayed there. I took 2 readings with 2 diff thermometers.

Here is where I might have went wrong?

I took the meat off at 175 after a total cooking time of 6 hours (We were straving) .
I tented in tin foil and let rest for 30 minutes.
My wife and I went to pull the pork and it was un pullable (IS that a word?). Forks would just not do it, it was just too tough.

The pork was actually moist it seemed so we went ahead and just cut slices and put it into a bun with sauce. It was good but not great.

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Any help would sure be appreciated. I am not going to give up even though this was a little disheartning (I am soo glad I didn't invite anyone over :-))
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For reference Rub And Injection:

Chris Lilly's Injection and Rub
Recipe Adjustment Factor is 0.5 Times Original Amounts (Original Amounts in parentheses.)
Pork Butt Injection

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Apple Juice (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup Water (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup Sugar (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons Table Salt (1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce (2 tablespoons)

Combine All Ingredients and stir until sugar and salt are dissolved.

Pork Butt Shoulder Rub

2 tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup White Sugar (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup Paprika (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Garlic Salt (1/3 cup)
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt (1/3 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons Chili Powder (1 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon Oregano (1 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (1 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin (1 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper (1 teaspoons)

Combine All Ingredients and Mix thoroughly.

Thanks to all any any that can help me out!

Randy
 
Yes, removed too early. Butts (and other meats) will 'plateau', i.e., linger at a particular point, for some time. If temping, you'll see this manifest as a temp reading that linger for a while (often several hours, depending on cooktemp) or even falls a bit. This is when substantial rendering is occurring. Though the meat has cooked through, rendering is not yet sufficient enough tho allow the meat fibers to be pulled apart easily; it's unpullable.

As your pic shows, the internal fat content is still substantial and looks quite firm. Additional cooking - probably at least several more hours - would have been necessary to hit the pullable stage.
 
Yeah, I did the same thing on my first butt. As Kevin said, you hit the temp plateau and pulled it off the smoker too early. But it looked great and I'm sure it tasted great.
 
Randy-

Had the same issue on my first few pork shoulder smokes...BBQ is all about trial and error...keep working at it and you'll be fine!
 
My rule of thumb is to pull at 172 for slicing and let it rest about an hour. Take off at around 185 for pulling a bone-in. I almost always refrigerate overnight before pulling-- which I think preserves the moisture
 
I let mine go to 195 or so before I pull off the WSM. I let it rest for at least 90 minutes, longer if possible. It's done when the bone pulls right out clean.
 
What everybody else said...keep that butt on until at least 190. I usually go to 195. With the temps you report in the 210-230* range, plan on a good 13+ hours plus allow 1-2 hours rest time. You can foil the butt and place in an empty cooler or in the oven (turned off, of course
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) to keep it warm during resting. I did a small 5Lb. butt that I thought would be done in 9 hours and it took 13. Just give yourself plenty of time...don't be scared of the plateau as it WILL happen...and it'll be done when it's done.
 
If you wanna shorten the cook time, or if you should get behind, smoke to 160-165* internal then double foil with 1/4 cup apple juice or wine and finish to 195* in a 350* oven
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....you'll run right thru the plateau quickly, saving hours, and still, pull moist, smokey pork
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Randy, if you want a better cook next time . Read the tips Chris has painstakingly put together on this site. It will cut down your learning curve immensely.
 
I did my second smoke this past Saturday and did pulled pork. I smoke the pair I got for 16hours, rested for 2 hours and pulled for dinner Sunday night.

I started on Saturday night at 10pm using the minion method and some pecan and cherry wood nestled in the coals. I didn't have to refuel either. The two butts were done around 1pm Sunday.

I used the Mr. Brown recipe on this website, it has a bunch of tips and works out well.
 
Agree with the others - I go to at least 195.

I didn't have to read your text to know what went wrong. As soon as I saw it wasn't covered in black bark, I knew. Been there, done that.
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The best estimation for traditional low and slow butt cooks is two hours a pound, but this does NOT apply to half butts. Apples to apples, half butts typically take LONGER than that. If you want traditional low and slow bbq in six hours, try something like loin back ribs next time.
 
When done properly, the butt will come out of the smoker looking like a burnt up piece of charcoal. It will look ruined to the uniformed, but the black outer crust is very tasty bark loaded with spices and flavor, and inside is moist, tender pork. Like others have said, I can tell from your picture you didn't cook your's long enough because there is no bark. Leave it in the smoker longer.
 
Originally posted by TDPurcell:
When done properly, the butt will come out of the somker looking like a burnt up piece of charcoal. It will look ruined to the uniformed, but the black outer crust..."

NO, NO, NO....and no offense, but for the SAKE OF THE BBQ TRADITION, I am gonna make a point:

Whether the black bark tastes good or not, when it comes to bbq, "MAHOGONY is beautiful", not "BLACK is beautiful."

If you want outside bark at a bbq joint, you might ask for "brownies", but never "blackies".

I HAVE had some black bark that tasted burnt. However, I have NEVER had mahogany bark that wasn't simply delicious!

How many trees have black bark? Let's just call 'em meteorites if they're supposed to be black.

Keep it low and slow with good smoke and fat toward the fire. It's gonna look great, not black!
Click to expand...
 
Originally posted by Dave Russell:
Originally posted by TDPurcell:
When done properly, the butt will come out of the somker looking like a burnt up piece of charcoal. It will look ruined to the uniformed, but the black outer crust..."

NO, NO, NO....and no offense, but for the SAKE OF THE BBQ TRADITION, I am gonna make a point:

Whether the black bark tastes good or not, when it comes to bbq, "MAHOGONY is beautiful", not "BLACK is beautiful."

If you want outside bark at a bbq joint, you might ask for "brownies", but never "blackies".

I HAVE had some black bark that tasted burnt. However, I have NEVER had mahogany bark that wasn't simply delicious!

How many trees have black bark? Let's just call 'em meteorites if they're supposed to be black.

Keep it low and slow with good smoke and fat toward the fire. It's gonna look great, not black!
Click to expand...

Most bark is dark brown to black in color and, to people who never have smoked meat before, a smoked pork shoulder looks like a burnt piece of meat comming out of the smoker.
Click to expand...
 
Most bark is dark brown to black in color and, to people who never have smoked meat before, a smoked pork shoulder looks like a burnt piece of meat comming out of the smoker
Click to expand...



It's MOSTLY a matter of presentation, since most black bark will still taste fine, but the point is simply this:

NONE of a properly barbecued pork shoulder, or anything else for that matter, HAS to be black, and if it isn't black, it doesn't look BURNT, does it?
 
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