Internal temp on butts, when to pull


 
R

Richard Diaz

TVWBB Pro
I'm cooking my first butt tonight. I've already trimmed and seasoned, plan on putting on around 10pm at 250 degrees until done. It's a 7 lb bone in but from Publix. I've read several postings and I have seen a lot of "pull at 190 wrap in towels or foil and place in a cooler for a couple of hours" and "once at 190 check and re-check until the meat is tender and the blade comes out cleanly." I like the pulling out the blade cleanly theory as its a good gauge of when it is done. If I wait until the blade comes out cleanly can I let it sit on my counter top with an aluminum foil tent for an hour then pull apart? If I pull at 198 then put in a cooler it will continue cooking and turn to mush. Or should I just pull at 190, warp in towel or aluminum foil and place in the cooler. What are your thoughts? Lastly how long will it take to cook at 250?
 
My .02: I start checking for "done" between 190 and 195; I've had butts done in the low 190's to 205. If I can wiggle the bone and meat cleanly comes out I remove, wrap in foil, wrap in a towel and throw in a cooler until I'm ready to pull. I also will use the fork twist technique.

I've had them sit in a cooler as little as 1 hr and as long as 5 hours. The only time I had an issue with it continuing to cook to long and turning into a tuna fish consistency was when I heated my cooler with boiling water prior to lining with towels and throwing the butts in there.

If you don't want to go the towel/cooler way I'd probably at least go with foiling and wrapping in a towel and sitting it on the counter for the hour vs. tenting. I just feel wrapping in foil gives me a moister product, however, I have no scientific proof or support. That said, I've never had a complaint about one of my butts and they're ALWAYS very moist.

I'm sure others will chime in with their thoughts and hopefully more scientific support than I provided.
 
Agree with Larry.

I target 200º but start testing about 190º. Then I'll rest it in foil for at least 30 min, if not 1 hr.
 
I've never paid to much attention to temperatures when bbqing. Before I joined this site I never stuck a thermometer in a piece of meat. Then I read about the stall so I wanted to see it for myself. I just used to check the temp of whatever I was cooking in and went from there. After 20 years you kind of get a feel for the time it takes to cook a piece of meat. My only problem has been distractions such as company,beer,music,sunshine so sometimes dinner can be a little late but nobody complains.Except my wife.
That said I've never screwed up a butt by tenting it in a pan and letting it cool to a point where you can pull it without burning your fingers off. Take the juices in the pan and pour them in the pulled pork along with some more of your rub
 
I sometimes foil at about 180-185 and let it continue on the WSM to 190. The do a fork twist test. If it is done I towel the foiled pork and let it rest on the counter for an hour or until I can't stand to wait any longer and then pull.
Try different ways to develop your own technique. It is hard to go too wrong after all the great advice you can get from the site.

Mike
 
Hmmm @250, I'd plan on 14 hours but it will probably come in short. If she's done early just wrap in foil then a towel and throw in a towel lined cooler till ready to pull.
 
If I put her on at 10pm tonight at 250, 14 hours puts me at noon tomorrow 4 hours before the game, I will just it in the cooler then pull. Would you recommend going to 275? How much time would I save and would it be worth it?
 
Personally I wouldn't, I like the lower temps on butts. You can easily hold butts 5 hours in a cooler. I'd maybe start a little later or go with lower temps overnight then take it up to 250 tomorrow morning.
 
Richard, put a 8.4 lb bone in butt on at 9:20 PM and at 8 AM it is 90% tender. Will pull soon and wrap in foil, put in Cambro. We will have pulled pork sliders and coleslaw for the Jets/Patriots game at 1:30pm. Mine cooked from 225-300.I slept most of the time so don't really know the ave temp. Looks mighty good tho. Pic in the photo section, later.
Mark
 
It went on last night at 10:30pm and I pulled it off at 12:04pm at 190, wrapped in aluminum foil and towel and put in cooler. It was very tender I could the meat right off. I have 3 racks going on right now, put them on around 10:30am, running them at 250-275 without water, I normally do my ribs with water at 235-250. I've never done the 3-2-1 method or wrap my ribs but I think I will have to so that they do not dry out. I think I'm going with wrapping them in foil and add some apple juice. They should be ready by 4pm, the bones are beginning to show.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mk evenson:
Richard, put a 8.4 lb bone in butt on at 9:20 PM and at 8 AM it is 90% tender. Will pull soon and wrap in foil, put in Cambro. We will have pulled pork sliders and coleslaw for the Jets/Patriots game at 1:30pm. Mine cooked from 225-300.I slept most of the time so don't really know the ave temp. Looks mighty good tho. Pic in the photo section, later.
Mark </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

MK make sure you post some pictures. Man this stuff is fun.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> I normally do my ribs with water at 235-250. I've never done the 3-2-1 method or wrap my ribs but I think I will have to so that they do not dry out. I think I'm going with wrapping them in foil and add some apple juice. They should be ready by 4pm, the bones are beginning to show. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just a note. Foil doesn't keep the ribs moist, not overcooking does. However foil will keep the bark from getting to hard. If cooking over 275 vent temp this can happen, water in the pan or not.

Hope they turn out good for ya
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Glenn W:
...foil will keep the bark from getting to hard. If cooking over 275 vent temp this can happen... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Glad I'm not the only one to find that out. I took the Missus out to lunch Friday, so I was late getting my rib cook going w/ three whole spares, minus the brisket bone and skirt, halfed slabs divided between the two racks. I smoked 'em at 275-300 with no foil and ended up with some real chewy bark in places, although most of them were REALLY good. Regarding the bark, though, I also came to the realization that spritzing can't help with that on both sides of the slab, unless I'm turning 'em.
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Anyway, from now on, if I'm not gonna foil, I'm targeting 250 at the grate. Funny, that's what most of my bbq books suggest, anyway...Ray Lampe and many others. Anyway, good point.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Richard Diaz:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mk evenson:
. Pic in the photo section, later.
Mark </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

MK make sure you post some pictures. Man this stuff is fun. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Tried to post pics this AM. Will try again.
Mark
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Richard Diaz:
It went on last night at 10:30pm and I pulled it off at 12:04pm at 190,
I </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hard to believe you done a butt in 1.5 hrs???
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mac McClure:
Mark, check your times. It's more like 13.5 hrs.
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</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mac, I guess math is a week point. I see now 12pm/ vs 12 am. Stupid me.

Mark

P.S. good to hear from you!
 
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