James Harvey
TVWBB Pro
I have a 6 pounder and was thinking about doing it this afternoon (starting at noon). I'd like to finish around 8. Can I do this at a higher heat and still stay tender?
How High Can I Cook a 6LB Butt and Stay Pullable?
- Thread starter James Harvey
- Start date
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Here ya go, James. Little different texture and not as good bark, but if pressed for time I'd so about the same route as Chris A. did here:
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/pork3.html
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/pork3.html
James Harvey
TVWBB Pro
Thanks Dave. I was expecting I might have to use the "Texas Crutch" to get this done in time. I'm wondering if I do the butt at 275, can I keep the tenderness and bark but reduce my cooking time without foil?
The butt turned out to be just over 7lbs and went on at 1pm EST. WSM is at 250 and climbing now using my Stoker set to 275. I used the Renown Mr. Brown rub.
It's pretty cool and windy here so let's see how that goes...
The butt turned out to be just over 7lbs and went on at 1pm EST. WSM is at 250 and climbing now using my Stoker set to 275. I used the Renown Mr. Brown rub.
It's pretty cool and windy here so let's see how that goes...
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Unless you foil, it shouldn't be done by 8pm as you mentioned in your OP, but no problems cooking at 275* with no foil as far as tenderness and bark goes. (That's the fastest I'd cook though without employing foil, though.)
I've got little experience cooking butts at that temp in the wsm, but 1.25hr/lb. is a good timeframe for cooking 7-9lb butts at a "true" 275*. Good luck with it, and if you've got to make the 8pm deadline as OP, I'd foil no later than an IT of 160*. That'll help you get through the stall quicker and you could even bump up the temp some just to be on the safe side if still trying to make your OP 8pm pulling time. Good luck with it.
I've got little experience cooking butts at that temp in the wsm, but 1.25hr/lb. is a good timeframe for cooking 7-9lb butts at a "true" 275*. Good luck with it, and if you've got to make the 8pm deadline as OP, I'd foil no later than an IT of 160*. That'll help you get through the stall quicker and you could even bump up the temp some just to be on the safe side if still trying to make your OP 8pm pulling time. Good luck with it.
James Harvey
TVWBB Pro
I've decided to foil to try and hit my time goal (160F sounds good). I can push it for an extra hour or so if I need to. I moved the Stoker back to 250F an hour in as I couldn't get to temp @ 275. The wind is pretty bad here so I'm getting overshoots now. Right now I'm 3 1/2 hours in, Pit is 264F and the meat is 124F. I'll see how it goes and probably report back in a few hours.
James Harvey
TVWBB Pro
Just foiled the butt at 152F, 5 hours in and current temp holding at Stoker 250F. Let's see how quickly it goes from here. If I can get to 180F by 8:30pm I may unfoil and finish at a higher heat for 30 minutes to dry out the bark.
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Sounds good, James. Should've mentioned to you that you could foil sooner than 160*. With it no water in the pan you probably hit the plateau and got some bark a little sooner. Hope it turns out well for ya. Got some roadside split chicken breasts on one kettle and a mess of wings on the other.
Mike Willis
TVWBB All-Star
James, my first pork butt was a low and slow. My second (and all others) have been high heat, foiled pan and no water, foiling the butt at @ 160 degrees. While I REALLY admire those who start their cooks at midnight or sooner and go 12-16 hours, I am MORE than happy (as is the wife) with 6-9 hour high heat cooks. I want a simple cook - no special thermometers, no "stokers"... just simple barbecue/smoking.
I encourage you to go the route you prefer. The happier you are with the results, the more you need to "stay the course". My way isn't better than yours, but it's better for me . That's what is so much fun about smoking! I embrace the "Texas Crutch" (although I don't like the phrase) because it allows me the opportunity to cook something that appeals to us... but may not appeal to others who prefer the low and slow but that's OK with me. My pork steaks are started on the Weber kettle but finished in the oven... that's how I roll.
It all revolves around what makes YOU HAPPY!!
Enjoy the cook and the advice from the many friends here on TVWBB!!
I encourage you to go the route you prefer. The happier you are with the results, the more you need to "stay the course". My way isn't better than yours, but it's better for me . That's what is so much fun about smoking! I embrace the "Texas Crutch" (although I don't like the phrase) because it allows me the opportunity to cook something that appeals to us... but may not appeal to others who prefer the low and slow but that's OK with me. My pork steaks are started on the Weber kettle but finished in the oven... that's how I roll.
It all revolves around what makes YOU HAPPY!!
Enjoy the cook and the advice from the many friends here on TVWBB!!
James Harvey
TVWBB Pro
Love the Roadside Chicken Dave. This is my go to for grilled chicken now.
I'm now at 187F and am thinking of unfoiling and tossing it into a 280F oven for 30 mins to harden the bark (I added a post specific to this here a few minutes ago). I'm not sure if I should just leave it and serve with a softer bark and not take the chance of losing some IT and extending my cook time but let me know your thoughts if you see this soon enough.
I'm now at 187F and am thinking of unfoiling and tossing it into a 280F oven for 30 mins to harden the bark (I added a post specific to this here a few minutes ago). I'm not sure if I should just leave it and serve with a softer bark and not take the chance of losing some IT and extending my cook time but let me know your thoughts if you see this soon enough.
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Well how did it turn out, James? I was quite busy with supper and so full and wooped that I hit the couch right after clean-up. Guy Fiero is hosting tailgating comps but I fell asleep in no time.
Actually, it was Wicker chicken, which is just a commercial vinegar-based marinade/baste that folks grill chicken with, just like you do with the roadside recipe. They turned out just fine, but the pleasant surprise was my wings.
I wouldn't have taken the butt out of the foil to crisp up the bark at that low a temp, but I'm no pro, that's for sure. Just that my experiences cooking butts at higher temps in foil have ended up with 200*+ finishes. It's all about tenderness though, not finished temp. and good bark is icing on the cake if you got it, not the main event. Sure it turned out fine.
Actually, it was Wicker chicken, which is just a commercial vinegar-based marinade/baste that folks grill chicken with, just like you do with the roadside recipe. They turned out just fine, but the pleasant surprise was my wings.
I wouldn't have taken the butt out of the foil to crisp up the bark at that low a temp, but I'm no pro, that's for sure. Just that my experiences cooking butts at higher temps in foil have ended up with 200*+ finishes. It's all about tenderness though, not finished temp. and good bark is icing on the cake if you got it, not the main event. Sure it turned out fine.
James Harvey
TVWBB Pro
So, I took the butt off foiled at 192F to try to harden the bark as my guests were late and I had a little time. The foiling really minimized cook time and I had no noticeable stall from 152 to 192. There was lots of juice in the foil which I just poured off (after most leaked out of my temp guage hole all over my shoe into my sock
. I put the butt into the oven uncovered at 280F. After 45 mins the bark had firmed up nicely, the colour was good and my probes went in easily in all spots (I didn't bother with an IT reading as the meat was tender to my liking). I let it sit uncovered for another 30 minutes and it pulled easily. I did notice that there was more internal fat left than on my previous, non foiled cooks but the meat was perfectly tender with a chewy (not hard) bark. I can't fault this method for a protracted cook time. It beats an overnighter when you have a tight timeline.
As for the Mr. Brown rub, it was peppery but not overly so (I like pepper). Next time I might sub some of the black peppercorns with green and red for a different complexity. I finished it with the Carolina Red from the Mr. Brown recipe which was good but was pretty simple and can use some more thought for next time.
All in all, everyone really enjoyed it. Finishing it in the oven has my house smelling like a BBQ joint. I ziplocked what was left and will reheat it tomorrow in simmering water with some more Carolina sauce.
Overall, can't complain
As for the Mr. Brown rub, it was peppery but not overly so (I like pepper). Next time I might sub some of the black peppercorns with green and red for a different complexity. I finished it with the Carolina Red from the Mr. Brown recipe which was good but was pretty simple and can use some more thought for next time.
All in all, everyone really enjoyed it. Finishing it in the oven has my house smelling like a BBQ joint. I ziplocked what was left and will reheat it tomorrow in simmering water with some more Carolina sauce.
Overall, can't complain
JimS
TVWBB Member
Hi James,
I've done a few butts using the very long cooking Mr. Brown method. A couple of weeks ago I did one using Alton Brown's method that he explained on Good Eats: Right on Q episode. That method used an overnight brine followed by 4 hours (I think) on the smoker, then foil and finish in the oven. I was very pleased with the results, though I did miss the bark some.
I don't have a temp controller and really long smokes require that I get up at zero-dark-thirty and get the smoke going in order to be finished at 9 or 10 at night. That includes some basting and a lot of monitoring of the temp. I'm just not willing to do that (at least not very often). If I want pulled pork, I want to cook it and eat it the same day. So until I get a temp controller, I'll probably be doing it the shorter way.
Jim
I've done a few butts using the very long cooking Mr. Brown method. A couple of weeks ago I did one using Alton Brown's method that he explained on Good Eats: Right on Q episode. That method used an overnight brine followed by 4 hours (I think) on the smoker, then foil and finish in the oven. I was very pleased with the results, though I did miss the bark some.
I don't have a temp controller and really long smokes require that I get up at zero-dark-thirty and get the smoke going in order to be finished at 9 or 10 at night. That includes some basting and a lot of monitoring of the temp. I'm just not willing to do that (at least not very often). If I want pulled pork, I want to cook it and eat it the same day. So until I get a temp controller, I'll probably be doing it the shorter way.
Jim
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
No need for a controller for an overnight cook as there is no need to have perfectly stable temps. Thus, no need to get up and check on things. Put the meat on in the late evening, allowing some time for the cooker (and you) to be stable, then go to bed. Don't bother getting up: no need to check or baste or whatever.
Get up in the morning. Check the meat. Speed the cook if necessary by boosting the temp. Slow the cook if necessary by lowering it.
The anguish over overnight cooks is unnecessary. Cooktemps don't matter much as long as it's cooking. And stability of those temps doesn't matter either.
Get up in the morning. Check the meat. Speed the cook if necessary by boosting the temp. Slow the cook if necessary by lowering it.
The anguish over overnight cooks is unnecessary. Cooktemps don't matter much as long as it's cooking. And stability of those temps doesn't matter either.
