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Charles Howse

Charles Howse

TVWBB Wizard
Hey Ya'll,
I have an '05 18.5" WSM that I've used a lot.
I've for sure cooked hundreds of Boston Butts on it, with great results.
Now I'm having trouble and aren't sure what to do.

I have a Party-Q and a Maverick et73 (or whatever the number is)
I smoke butts at 250°, with no water in the pan. So much easier, and recommended by Harry Soo, no less.
I don't trim at all, smoke 'em Fat Cap down and don't open the lid until it's time to test for done.

Here's the problem. The Money Muscle, the Horn and most of the Tubes are done perfect, but the meat just below the Fat Cap (that has been closest to the fire) isn't done.
I've let it go until I couldn't see outside, then taken it inside to the oven and called myself finishing it there, but still, tough under the Fat Cap.

Would anyone be interested in helping me troubleshoot this?
 
I hear ya. I cook them about the same temp with a dry pan also. The only difference between you and me is I trim the entire fat cap off and use it for sausage. You might try that.
 
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I wouldn't recommend cutting off the entire fat cap but I would def trim it down. Real big fat caps don't render well and insulate the meat a little bit
 
I just had to google "horns and tubes." All I know is under the fat cap is meat. The part that's too hard to eat is bone. I'm clearly not smart enough to troubleshoot this. Maybe the meat under the fat cap is too tough because of too much direct heat? Maybe you need something insulating in the pan.
 
Have you tried smoking half the time fat cap down, and then fat cap up for the balance of the smoking time?
 
Bob H. - I haven't, but I keep thinking of all those BBs I've had come out perfect without ever taking the lid off.
 
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Charles Howse said:
Dustin Dorsey - Probably not too hot. The temp in the fat cap is a good 20° below the MM.
Click to expand...

It was a shot in the dark. I've done some brisket cooks where the side facing down seemed tougher and dryer but if you temped it, then something weird is going on. Good luck! I haven't gotten to do a long cook in a while and I'm dying to do one soon.
 
To All...
I believe I have solved my problem.
Yesterday I trimmed the fat cap off of a thawed butt, then Salted it with Kosher Salt, wrapped in Saran Wrap, and refrigerated overnight.
This morning, I removed from the fridge, unwrapped, and rinsed thoroughly. Then applied rub to all 6 sides.
Cooked @ 250* about 11 hrs to 198*, then wrapped in a double layer of HD foil and continued cooking to 208*.
One of the best Pork Butts I have ever done. Every single muscle was equally tender and shredded easily.
Note to self: Write this down!!!
 
Charles, I know you can't judge doneness 100% by temp but I think it is a guide...there is the natural thermometer, the bone too.
If I was having doneness issues such as you describe and, I've had similar issues, I would be temping those butts. who knows what you might learn?

Second, what is your resting procedure? It seems the longer I rest in foil with liquid, the better the texture of the meat (no it doesn't help the bark but thats another story).
 
Hi Steve! I have a Maverick that I've always used, also have a Party-Q (love it!). I usually don't remove the fat cap, cook to 203*, don't foil, and don't rest. Now that I think about it, that seems like a poor procedure. I think I read something once about no need to foil if you're going to eat right away. That could be the root of the problem. I think I have gotten away from the "stick it all over to test for tender", and "wrap in foil and rest for..." Looks like I have some new rules to go by, but it's my fault, because I've always been one to want to try something new.

BTW, No. 5 is still my go-to Catsup based sauce. I like Jack's Old South Competition vinegar sauce also.
 
Hi Al, that meat was tough. Wouldn't pull, had to take a knife to it. I think I've got it figured out now. Going to manually test for tender and rest in foil from now on.
 
Glad you enjoy N0.5. That foil wrap and rest allows the meat to continue to 'cook' until it cools, ensuring doneness. My favorite rest technique includes pre-heating the cooler with the hottest tap water I can find. The butts will keep 4-5 hours in a regular cooler without going below 140*
The sweet spot for me is a 2 hour rest.
 
Probably the best of the worlds !
Do not trimm ALL the fat cap.
Just leave a thin layer of fat that progressively will melt through the cook and leave a great bark on the lower side.
This way works good for me!
 
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