Any reason for concern at 18hrs?


 
J

Jack Henry

TVWBB Member
per my earlier thread, I started a 10.5 picnic yesterday at 4PM. Had to be away from it quite a bit, but it appears it was running between 200-250 most of the cook (there's a gap between 6:30PM when it was 245 and 1:30AM when it was 190, and another between 2AM at 180 and 7AM at 266 in which I'm not sure where it was, but close enough for me).

Question is the probe has the meat only climbing from 177 at 7AM and 180 now at 10AM.

I know it is ready when it is ready, and I've read about plateaus (although I thought they occured at around 165 most times), so is there any reason to be concerned about drying out the picnic while I wait for around 195-200?

Thanks
 
Pull it off when it's tender.

I've taken butts off anywhere from the low 180's to around 200.

I do think you can dry it out by cooking too long.
 
Any advantage to foiling at this point if it is not tender? Hate to lose bark buit up over 18hrs, but I'd rather have juicy pork.
 
I'm with craig: check for tender, and the main reason why meat becomes dry is overcooking, i.e., cooking too long.

Shoulders sometimes plateau a second time ~ 180. If it's not tender yet it will need more time. You can leave all as is, bump up the cooktemp a bit, or foil the meat. Bumping the temp will speed the cook somewhat, foiling will speed it more. Your choice, depending on any time issues you may have. You can also bump the temp and foil.
 
I have quite a few stall between 165 and 180*. With that being said once they reached 185* I had to keep an eye on it because it would start to ramp up quickly.

Not sure if you have been mopping or spraying this cut but that will definitly add to the cook time.
 
Thanks guys. I'd missed the part about the second plateu, but I'm sure now that was what's going on. It is moving up. Just checked with a fork and there was still a bit of tug to it, so I'm going to leave it on and keep an eye on it.

Vince, yes, I've been hitting it with an apple juice spray every hour or so for the last 5 hours.
 
With you basting I'm sure that is what is doing it. Next time do just as you did this time and leave the mop/spray out. See if you see any difference in the meat quality and also the cook time.

I personally have laid off spraying my butts and I really did not notice any differnce in the moisture for what it's worth.

One thing that I have not been doing is using water in the pan. Just a foiled clay saucer and pan for butts. It's been working well for me.

Also I usually allow my butts to go to 200*+. I have noticed by doing this that most of the fat is rendered and the pull is excellent! Good luck with the finished product. Vince
 
I just had one take over 14 hours. At 0900, it was at 171, wsm at 250. It DROPPED to 162 for a full hour then climbed back up to 190. I just pulled it off and it's resting comfortably in a cooler with a 8.5 lb brisket. Never had that happen to me before but I have read about it. Guess it was renedering all at once!
 
Jack I'm from Ma. so maybe we had the same shoulders. I had mine yesterday stall at 160 I foiled then it stalled at 18 hours with a 189 temp and never went up again. I finally threw it in the oven at 350 in a foil pan with a bit of water and steamed it. Finally it finished. I've done well over 75 shoulders and this was a first.
 
Thanks all.

Well, after 20 hours and one ruined Poler therm (dumb me left it on the cooler the meat was resting in and my three year old decided to see if it would float in the bucket he was playing with), the product turned out "ok." Of course, everyone loved it, but I find it has a lot of dry patches. Pretty tender, great bark, good flavor, but a bit dry in spots.

I think it fell victim to, as Craig and Kevin pointed out, cooking too long. There are about nine hours over the course of the cook that I'm not sure of the grate temp. Normally wouldn't mind but when I got to it after the first five hours, the grate temp was pretty far under 200, and could have been there a while. After the second four hour "lost time" the temp was over 250, and again no idea how long it was running high.

I also may not have rested it long enough as folks were ready to eat (about 45 minutes).

So, next time:
- Better guaging of temps to hopefully be able to get to tender in a shorter amount of time (the silver lining in the ruined therm: I now get to order a Marverick with no guilt.

- Longer rest. No matter what.

Here are a couple of pics of the finished product:
http://img63.imageshack.us/g/1000595.jpg/

Thanks again.
 
Butts seem to have a mind of their own sometimes. I have had some take 14+ hours and some the same size that were done in about 8-9. The first time they were done early, I thought for sure I must be looking at something wrong. I check temp several times with several therms. The bone was really loose and it was fork tender so I assumed it must be done. I pulled them off foiled for about 5 hours (since they were ready so early) and pulled. They were great! I guess it just depends on the make up of the meat.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top