First pork butt


 
T

Tony V

New member
Just got my 18.5 WSM on Friday. First smoke on Saturday. Here are the particulars:

Loaded 13.9 lb's of K in the ring
Used 25 lit coals (MM)
3 fist size chunks of Apple wood
5.5 bone-in BB (from publix)
Used 12" clay pot base inside of water bowl
Maverick ET-73

The WSM was, as everyone on this site already knows, amazing. Held 225 - 250 for 12 hours. Never touched the coals.

Now for some newbie questions. Even after 12 hours the temp high was 188-189. A small portion of the butt had that "butter" feel, the majority did not. That small portion was great, the rest was somewhat dry (nor did it pull easily). It was almost like dark and white meat chicken. The "dark" meat was good while the "white" meat was not that good.

Any suggestions for improvement next time?

Slathered and rubbed
http://i777.photobucket.com/al...%202010/P1000103.jpg

After 12 hours
http://i777.photobucket.com/al...%202010/P1000107.jpg

Pulled pork
http://i777.photobucket.com/al...%202010/P1000109.jpg

Thanks
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">That small portion was great, the rest was somewhat dry (nor did it pull easily). It was almost like dark and white meat chicken. The "dark" meat was good while the "white" meat was not that good.Any suggestions for improvement next time? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes. Cook longer.

The reason it seemed dry and did not pull easily was because it was undercooked. More time was needed.

Butts sometimes go through a plateau in the 180s. This stall can last some time. Eventually the temp will move up again. Bumping the cooktemp up 25? at the stall can move it along more quickly. Foiling the butt will do the same (and might be worth considering if you're running out of time. To shorten the cook from the beginning you can target a higher temp range, say, 240-260, or 250-270.

Glad your cook went pretty well!
 
Congrats on the cook!
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"Edit" i forget to say...i pull mine @ 190 then rest in foil for about 1 hour

Well i like my butt to have a mix of shred and sliced. But i remove a alot of the fat when i slice pull mine.I might try taking it too 200-205 and just pull all. yes i know its not about temp but i get the same cuts doing them the same temp every time/pulling them the same internal/same resaults every time.

I will try this in the 200+ internal and se how they hold up and the fat content inside and compare the resaults.(btw i do my PP low &slow 225-250)
 
Tony, Welcome to the forum and the world of WSM BBQ. #1 on above. Good suggestions. I would definitely foil at about 160 meat temp. Cook till the majority of the butt is done, not the minority. With bone in, the bone will release from the meat when done, use that in conjunction with the probe test. You can hold the butt wrapped in a cooler for an hour or two after it comes off the smoker. This will add to the moisture reabsorbtion and to the tenderness if is it wasn't quite done when you pulled it.

Mark
 
I have had the same thing happen and it sounds like you were stuck in the plateau and it needed more time. That has been one of the toughest things for me to get used to is to just let it ride. You have heard it a million times, but bbq is done when it's done. I find that foiling helps get through the plateau. Looks good though! Tell ya what, box up the stuff you don't want to eat and send em to me!
 
How long did you let it rest?

I agree with the others - it was not done.

IMO, 189º is too low for PP. I target 200º but sometimes will pull it at 195º - depends on how tender it is.

I think a clue is the bone in pic #2 - it's not separating from the meat. Did you try wiggling it?

And I prefer 250º~275º.
 
I guess I didn't trust the Maverick enough. I would have thought 12 hours for a 5.5 lb butt was long enough. But everyone is right - it is done when it is done!

I let it rest an hour double wrapped in foil and in-between 2 towels in a cooler.

Next time, I will cook at a slightly higher temp and target 195 'ish. I may also foil at 160 and finish that way.

Thanks for all the advice!

Tony
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tony V:
I would have thought 12 hours for a 5.5 lb butt was long enough.

Tony </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

If it makes you feel better I would have thought the same thing.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by PaulFisher:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tony V:
I would have thought 12 hours for a 5.5 lb butt was long enough. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>If it makes you feel better I would have thought the same thing. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I would have too ... until I met my first butt that wound up taking over 3 hours per lb. Not all butts are created alike.
 
I'm pretty new to this, but I have pulled mine from the smoker with internal temps in the 195-200 range and then foiled and wrapped in towels and stuffed in a portable cooler for several hours. One cooked a little hot and was done sooner, and one cooked a lot lower and took longer. But BOTH when unwrapped from the foil, were just fall apart tender. I pulled the bone out of each with one hand like pulling a knife out of butter.

My buddy just tried one over the weekend and pulled his from the smoker at abt 185 internal temp. Then foiled and wrapped in towels and stored in a cooler for several hours. But it was NOT fall apart tender. It was tasty, but it just wasn't done yet when he pulled it. It needed more time.

It's done when it's done as others have said and you almost CAN'T cook it too long. I recommend allowing a cushion of time before serving and if it's done early, just foil and store until you're ready to pull it. Rather than bumping up against serving time with a butt that's really not done yet.
 
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