Help about first butt


 
J

John Boehm

TVWBB Fan
I did my first Mr Brown today with two 7 lb butts. I first checked them at the 10 hour mark and to my surprise they were done, regestering 195 degrees, whoops. I foiled them and wraped in towels in a cooler. I'm not planing to serve until 4 and a half hours from now. Is that too much sit time? What are my options?
 
I agree with Kevin... Temps should still be fine in 4 1/2 hours.

I'm going to smoke two butts tomorrow night... Can't wait!!
 
Ah! paul h hits the mark with his question about how tender was it to probing? Will only add that, I have noticed one time it is tender at 205 degrees and next time it might be 215 degrees. I only use the temperature to alert me to start probing. But final temp depends on how the probe feels, am I poking thin air or a chunk of cheese?
 
I stuck a fork in and the meat pulled easily out with it. It was very tender and everyone said they loved it. I was wondering though, if you hold it for a long time (almost 5 hours, still hot when pulled) wont it continue to cook, perhaps to overdone? As a whole I thought it was very good, though some pieces seemed dryer. Here they are
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John Boehm:
I was wondering though, if you hold it for a long time (almost 5 hours, still hot when pulled) wont it continue to cook, perhaps to overdone? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You won't have a problem with the butts continuing to cook since you are wrapping after they are done and just holding them. If you are worried about overcooking, allow the meat to rest with a foil tent for 5-15 minutes depending on the ambient temperature, (longer if it is warm, shorter if it is cool), and then tightly wrap in foil and towels. The long rest shouldn't hurt a bit!

Now, if you were wrapping mid-cook, you would definitely need to vent the meat before resting as it would surely continue cooking during the rest otherwise.
 
Well, you can have butts - or any meat taken to tender or to a specific visual finish like medium-rare or medium - overcook in the foil during holding. This is especially so if cooktemps are on the high side but it can happen even with low/slow. Either take to almost done before wrapping and holding - or do as Vincent suggest, tent first for a bit then wrap and hold.
 
John, I remember someone suggesting once that after cooking, if you want to reduce or eliminate residual cooking, let meat sit open on the counter for 10-15 minutes to let the excess heat dissipate.Then wrap in foil.Time might be off. My memory is slipping
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