Butts sticking to grate


 
M

Malvin C

TVWBB Member
Smoked four butts on my 18" WSM last night and into this morning running about 235* and bumping up to 250* at the end when I added some extra fuel and things got a little hot on me. When I went to take the butts off after nearly an 18 hour run, all four stuck to the grates. I've only done butts two other times on the WSM and neither time did they stick as bad as they did this time. Is this normal or is their some amatuer mistake that I am likely making?
 
after 18 hours they're probably fall-apart tender. Did you re-arrange them at all during the cook? I dont think i'd be too worried about it unless you started with nasty grates.
 
18 hours for 4 butt's? I;d bet good money your therm temp was way off and reading no where the real temp...Your real temp was probably way lower that's why they stuck to the grates and took so long ..Did you end up trying them since you didn't say that part abut the cook/
 
It seems that I always have some part of the butt stuck to the grate. I assumed it was just the sugar part of the rub carmelizing and sticking.
 
Pretty sure pit probe is accurate. I didn't foil and based on reading, I thought 18 was okay. You think it went too long? The pork was still good. Not the best I've done, but far from bad.
 
That's where the big heavy duty spatula comes in handy. I seem to always have sticking. As some have said, spraying with Pam seems to help and I've assumed the sugar is the culprit. However, when a but is done, it's not uncommon for it to be falling apart. Combine that with some sticking and you have a small mess. So I slide a spatula under mine when I take them off. It helps by scraping the bottom and releasing the sticking and it gives you something to support the butt on the way out of the cooker.
 
Appreciate all the replies. While this is only my third time on the WSM, I've done others in my Gaser, and never had an issue. I'll grab a big spatula next time.
 
I'll cast a third vote for the big spatula. Plus it reduces my risk of dropping the butt between the grate and the plate.
 
What has helped me with doing butts on both my kettle, pre-WSM, and the WSM is to tie them so they come off in once piece. I do this even if they are not boneless. Pam spray also helps.
 
Malvin,
I think it is fairly normal to get some sticking. I've had money muscle drop down to the grate and stick as well. It messed up my entries and I was feeling pretty bad. Not Jordan Spieth bad, but pretty bad. So I do a couple of things that help with the sticking directly and indirectly. I usually season my fat cap and then cook the pork butt fat cap down. I make sure the money muscle isn't sitting on grate, if you are worried about the money muscle.
And then when the pork butt is ready, I slide the butt back and forth on the grate to "release" it from the grate and then pick up. That’s a SYD trick. I ensure there is room to slide the butt on this axis when I place the butt down at the beginning of the cook. Then I pick it up. I haven't had a serious problem in years though it does sometimes stick but that’s one of the best tasting treats you can have. If you are really worried, then I’d use Pam.
Donna
 
(Gee, sounds like we've entered "Pork-Butt Wedgie Land"...:p)

Three little tricks that I use for Pork Butts:

1. Spray or oil the grates just before dropping the meat on

2. Removal Trick #1 = I lift them off quickly, using this process:
2a. Have a large piece of foil (enough to wrap the butt up) laid-out on a jelly-roll pan (I Always rest mine in foil)
2b. Drape a chunk of foil over the meat (top and two long sides) to protect yer hands/gloves for step 2c.
2c. Grab the meat and the foil with my hands and a set of heavy leather gloves
2d. Set it down on the foil and wrap it up

3. Removal Trick #2 = Grabbers / Leverage:
I use a set of cheap stainless breadboard scrapers / dough knives (rectangular pieces of relatively heavy SS with one long rolled edge or handle attached)
Work one gently under the meat from both sides, simultaneously (sort of "clamshell" style)
Use the scrapers to lift the meat and plop it onto the foil in the same manner as 2 above
(I find that the long handles on spatulas just get in the way)

Hope this helps!
 
I use non-stop foil underneath in order to avoid the sticking issue. Fold a piece just big enough to sit underneath. Love this foil.
 
Jerry, can you recommend a spatula for this purpose? Maybe a link to the one you are using on amazon.
Thanks

Jerry N. said:
That's where the big heavy duty spatula comes in handy. I seem to always have sticking. As some have said, spraying with Pam seems to help and I've assumed the sugar is the culprit. However, when a but is done, it's not uncommon for it to be falling apart. Combine that with some sticking and you have a small mess. So I slide a spatula under mine when I take them off. It helps by scraping the bottom and releasing the sticking and it gives you something to support the butt on the way out of the cooker.
Click to expand...
 
Dave Harris said:
I use non-stop foil underneath in order to avoid the sticking issue. Fold a piece just big enough to sit underneath. Love this foil.
Click to expand...

Non-stick foil is a great idea, or try parchment paper. Shawn W ( on the old forum) used that under his meatloafs and the smoke still permeates the meat. I liked the tip and took it a step further and used it under some butts ( when my grate looked cruddy) and it worked like a charm.
Pop some holes to let the grease drain and add a culvert like this> to channel fat away.

Tim
 
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