I Guess I'm Doing a High Heat Butt !!! (Pic Link Added)

[D Larsen]

Well, I bought a small (3.9 #) butt, and wanted to do it today in the 225-250 grate temp range. The WSM isn't cooperating...nice slow rise in temps (using clay pot) initially, but just kept rising, even with all bottom vents closed. It's finally stable at ~340, so I'll use the meat probe temp and the "feel" to decide when to yank it and/or foil it...the meat's at 170 now....

Had one episode when the temp all of a sudden dropped dramatically....asked myself...."What the heck ?" Pulled the lid, and the butt or the grate probe had shifted so it was under (and touching) the butt ! I need to try the "whittled cork" holder to make sure my probe doesn't shift !

Pics and details of cook will follow, along with a post for help on what I discovered about my out-of-round condition during this cook !

Dean...

 

[dsitterson]

Once you go high it's hard to go back. I just leave the vents open and let the wsm do it's thing when it's done it's done

 

[D Larsen]

Thanks, D...

That's my approach....we'll eat it when it's done ! Thankfully we don't have guests for dinner, though

The butt is now at 187....just put my first fattie on

Dean...

 

[Tom Chips]

That might be your problem, if it's out of round, you might be entraining air when you don't want it, jacking up your temps.

How many coals did you have lit when you got it going? I personally am a big fan and believer of high temp cooking, but I would be frustrated not being able to go low and slow if I chose to.

Hope it all turns out tasty. It always does with pork butt.

Did you go bone in or boned?

 

[D Larsen]

Tom,

The out-of-round is definitely my problem....I'll show the problem in another post !

On the coals, I used a mix of K and Rancher (last of that Rancher bag)....used 20 K briqs in the chimney to get things going !

The butt is at 191 now, and the probe test shows it's done (except for a place or two)...looks good ! I'm going to pull it and foil/rest....the fattie is still on ! The butt was a bone-in....

Thanks for the post !

Dean...

 

[Tom Chips]

Sometimes I like to foil my finished PP, because the heat and trapped steam will soften the bark a bit, making it a slightly more pleasing texture.

But you can get relatively the same final result if you pull it warm and let it sit all mixed together. Plus that gives you the option to add in all sorts of various flavorful enhancers such as vinegar, apple juice, raspberry puree, stock, etc. to achieve your final flavor profile you want.

 

[D Larsen]

Yikes ! Had to make a beer run, and when I got back, the fattie was at 180 ! I was shooting for 160....

Pulled it so we'll see how it turns out....

Dean...

 

[Bryan S]

How'd everything turn out Dean. I'll fix that out of round thing for you on my next visit. Hope all turned great for you, pics?

 

[D Larsen]

Okay, had some problems with Groupee and logging in, but I'm back now

Here is the link to the pix....

The small bone-in butt was not trimmed, and rubbed with McCormick Pork Rub the night before.....McCormick is HQ'd right here in MD, and I have to admit, I LIKE this store-bought rub !

Went on ~11:45 AM; Temp took an hour to climb to 225, but just kept going; Off ~4:25 PM and foil wrapped. I used hickory chunks (I love hickory !), but I did throw some foil packets of apple chips on, too....all I have.

The JD fattie was rubbed with Boog Powel's "Memphis" rub and pulled off late, due to my need for more cheap swill

The pork pulled GREAT, and had a nice bark....the wife pulled it with 2 folks, while I stood there and ate all those fatty bark pieces she wanted to throw away

I don't have a scale, so I have no idea what kind of "yield" I got from this small butt. We had "leftovers" which we're eating tonight !

Sammies were just out of this world ! She ate her's with Steve's No. 5 sauce, while I used Kevin K's "Kinda Carolina"....we stuffed our faces ! Sorry about the lousy "plate" photos, but we just wanted to eat it....the heck with artful pix !

Had some great local corn to go along with it...

I have no idea what kind of rolls we used (potato, Kaiser, etc)...I think they were a Kaiser roll from the grocery store bakery....when we buy stuff, it usually molds up before we eat them all, but I had frozen these. I'm curious to see how tonight's leftovers go 'cause the wife found something called a "hearty sandwich" roll at the store today....bigger than a "normal" burger roll or a Kaiser, which is a good thing 'cause it'll hold more pork !

I don't have a Foodsaver, so we're going to try a microwave reheat...

Sliced the fattie and put in the freezer, but I'm a little worried about it.....very "salty" ! The "ends" were barely edible, but we'll see how the slices taste with breakfast tomorrow

My last pix is an attempt to show the out-of-round on my WSM between the middle section and the charcoal bowl...smoke was sometimes coming out of this joint, so I suspect this is my problem with the high temps (along with a loose door). I'll try the foil gasket next time to see if it helps....any other suggestions welcome !

Dean...

 

[D Larsen]

Added 1 pic of tonight's "leftovers"...

Reheated the frozen PP in its zip lok bag slowly in the microwave...~2-3 minutes per run....moved to a bowl when defrosted and slightly warm, and added a "spritz" of apple cider vinegar and a sprinkle of McCormick rub, tossed, and nuked some more ~ 30 %

The beans were a straight can of Bush's "Grilling Beans" (Steakhouse version ?) The pasta salad was one the wife waiting in a huge line for at the deli counter

She had some sort of "lemon pasta" deal, but got the feta pasta for me !

We swapped sauces tonight....I used the Steve's No. 5 and she used Kevin's "Kinda Carolina".

I gotta say....this meal was every bit as good as the "original", pulled off the WSM ! The pork came out moist and flavorful....Steve's sauce adds a great little bite without being overpowering, while Kevin's allows the real smoky taste of the pork to shine through !

Not bad, for a meal that took maybe 30 minutes to prepare !

Dean...