at what temp. do you pull your smoked butt?


 
S

StanSulli

TVWBB Fan
I have a boston butt in my smoker right now. I have my own internal temp. preference for it being done which i won't reveal now but i will later.

What i want to know is at what internal temp. do YOU pull your smoked boston butt?

I see guys saying the take it out from anywhere from 180 - 225. That"s a pretty wide spread, too wide if you ask me.

So at what temp. do you take your butt out of your smoker and why that particular temp.?
 
I don't cook by temp. Temperature is just a guide. As far as Boston butts go, if it's done, and by done I mean the bone pulls out easily with very little effort, and it's at 195, fine. If the bone doesn't do that until 203, so be it. It's done when its done.
 
I too use the temp. as a guide. When it hits 190 -195 I use an icepick to see how tender it is.

If the pick just glides in with no resistance in several spots i call it done and take it out.
 
While I am way more particular about going by feel and probe test on brisket, I'll generally take a butt off at 203. If I catch it with plenty of wubba earlier I'll pull it. I don't go by the bone test. Generally, they'll pull clean at 203. I'm gonna turn the thing into pulled pork anyway so in all honestly you can probably pull it sooner if you're gonna shred it. I'm don't mess around with the "money muscle." I'll eat it as bbq sandwiches and use the leftovers for quesadillas or something.

As far as to why 203, I got that from amazing ribs website I guess. Going by feel it tends to work out well a lot, except when it totally doesn't.
 
It also depends on what temperature you cook at. If you cook hot and fast you will pull at a higher temp that lower and slower. Weather you foil can also have some impact on IT doneness as well. That being said, if I am cooking at 250* a good rule of thumb will be between 190 and 195 IT in the thickest part of the butt behind the MM.
 
Bruce Bissonnette said:
I don't cook by temp. Temperature is just a guide. As far as Boston butts go, if it's done, and by done I mean the bone pulls out easily with very little effort, and it's at 195, fine. If the bone doesn't do that until 203, so be it. It's done when its done.
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+1

I would never take it off under 195, jmo.
 
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I cook totally to tenderness. When it become tender is dependent on the animal's life style, if you will. If it had a hard working life with lots of movement, then it's contractile fibre proteins (actin and myosin) and the connective tissue (elastin and collagen) will be larger and more developed then if it led a sheltered, easy going life. As such, denaturing will complete at a higher temperature.
 
Bob Bass said:
I cook totally to tenderness. When it become tender is dependent on the animal's life style, if you will. If it had a hard working life with lots of movement, then it's contractile fibre proteins (actin and myosin) and the connective tissue (elastin and collagen) will be larger and more developed then if it led a sheltered, easy going life. As such, denaturing will complete at a higher temperature.
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WOW Bob! (Insert sound of my head exploding here..)
You just took this thing to a whole new level!!
Wow!
Tim
 
Well it all depends on whether the contracting ratios have had an opportunity to override the polynoms before the bodzidies reaches the expected apertures. This will cause the reflected contracting fibers to release the antinebules juices causing the pork to transmit the correct indications of being done.
At least that’s the way I can tell if it’s ready.
 
I start probing my butt for tenderness when it reaches 190 IT. every few degrees I poke until I feel it is tender. on average I would say I pull my butts around 200-203 degrees.
 
My apologies to everyone. The science behind bbq has been one of my interests ever since taking Harry Soo's class. Even taught it for CBBQA's advanced judging classes earlier this year.

Often go overboard when one hangs their hat on bbq being 'done' at a repeatable temperature. Rich... Thanks. Totally forgot that aspect of the process !
 
Agree with everyone else about when to pull it off. It's usually around 200 for me.

In regards to what the OP said, I can't believe anyone would wait until 225 to pull it off. Way too late imo.
 
Bob Bass said:
My apologies to everyone. The science behind bbq has been one of my interests ever since taking Harry Soo's class. Even taught it for CBBQA's advanced judging classes earlier this year.

Often go overboard when one hangs their hat on bbq being 'done' at a repeatable temperature. Rich... Thanks. Totally forgot that aspect of the process !
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I love hearing about the science so keep at it!
 
Bob Bass said:
My apologies to everyone. The science behind bbq has been one of my interests ever since taking Harry Soo's class. Even taught it for CBBQA's advanced judging classes earlier this year.

Often go overboard when one hangs their hat on bbq being 'done' at a repeatable temperature. Rich... Thanks. Totally forgot that aspect of the process !
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Bob, I really did like the science you put into the discussion and hope you didn't take offense to my goofy response. It's always nice to learn the whys and wherefores of what we do with anything. But that opening you gave was just to good to let it go.;)

Me I probe at about 195 and usually it's tender by 203. But I use temperature strictly as a starting point, it's done when it's done.
 
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I usually pull mine off around 185-190° and after it sits in the double wrap and a towel in a cooler then I get about 205° and to me its perfect for pulling.
 
Craig Alumbaugh said:
I usually pull mine off around 185-190° and after it sits in the double wrap and a towel in a cooler then I get about 205° and to me its perfect for pulling.
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I've heard of temps continuing to climb a bit after removing from the smoker like this, but never in the 15-20 degree range.
 
Bry H said:
I've heard of temps continuing to climb a bit after removing from the smoker like this, but never in the 15-20 degree range.
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I thought the same thing. I have never seen my butts rise more then 3-4 degrees off the cooker and normally it stays the same.
 
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