Need help: 1st butt post-mortem

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Hi all, this is my first post. This forum is fantastic and really helped convince me the Weber was the way to go. I'm amazed at all the help and good tips people offer up, as well as all the great articles.

However, my first cooking experience didn't go to well. I think I know how to "debug it", but I'd like to solicit the groups help.

I bought my WSM 3 days ago, along with some hickory wood chunks and 20# bag of Kingsford. I found a 4# Boston Butt and rubbed it down for 24 hours.

I setup shop last night at 5pm, invited the friends over for beer (the key ingredient, right?) and fired it up. The Butt went on at 6pm sharp.

Let me cut to the chase: At 1:30am, I couldn't wait any longer. I had a Polger-style remote thermo stuck in the Butt the whole time and never registered higher than 170. I pulled it apart anyway, but it took quite a bit of effort. It certainly didn't have that "fall off the bone texture". It was pretty tough, but I don't really know what to expect. There were some good bits here and there, but nothing I would want to share with my family. /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

My grate temp (right above the water pan, right?) was a steady 200-225. I was amazed at how easy it was to keep this temp. I didn't measure the temp at the top of the lid--I guess I could put something through the vent hole? (kept it open the whole time, of course).

Here's where I think I did wrong: I used 1 chimney full of Kingsford. After 30 min., I added it to WSM and sprinkled another 10 briquettes on top, along with 6 chunks of hickory. The secondary briquettes lit up a couple of hours into the cook, but by 1am, there didn't seem to be much fuel left. Just not enough fuel. I never got over that 165-170 internal plateau I've heard about.

Lessons learned--tell me what you think:

1. Start earlier in the day. Easter's on Sunday, so I'm going to start tomorrow at 8am.

2. Start with 2 chimeny's of Kingsford (for two 5# Butts).

3. Just cook the darn thing longer to see if I can get past 165 degrees internal and stop at 200.

If I don't get good results this time, it'll be hard for me to justify a $250 investment on 4# of bad pork! Thanks for any feedback guys!

Scott
 
Suggest you use the Minion Method, This will allow you to have a long/slow cook without the need to add fuel during process for the 2 butts. Also will ensure you do not have too hot a fire at the beginning using 2 chimney's ful of fuel.

Suggest you start either night before (1o PM) and get it set to temp you want (11:30PM) and let it go oevrnight. Check it in AM when you get up. If done, place in a cooler, meat well wrapped in foil. WIll stay hot for sevral hours. Hard to ruin pork , very little chance of overcooking due to fat content.

Happy Easter
 
Pork butt the internal temp needs to get closer to 195? to be finished if you want to pull it. At 170? it will still be tough and not even good sliced product.
A 5 pound butt will take closer to 12 plus hours to finish. You need to take the time you can't rush BBQ and do it right.
Jim
 
Dont feel alone Scott, Just think of the learning curve as part of the fun. I too have been stuck in the temprature plateau for several hours and it seems like an eternity. Good Que is worth the wait. The Minion method is the best way to light and get a nice steady temprature with a minimum of hassel!! If you need quicker results try some ribs on your other grate while doing the pork shoulder. Also in you post you indicated you were taking the temprature on the lower grill right above the water pan. I take my temp on the top grate which is hotter. If i was just dong one pork shoulder I would only use the top grate.

Enjoy and welcome !!!
 
First, start those butts Saturday night! My butts have been averaging about 2.5 hours/pound to reach the 195-205 temp range. Thats 12 1/2 hours for a 5 pound butt. If they get done early wrap them in foil and towels and put in a cooler to keep them warm (above 140 degrees) until dinner time.

Second, use the Minion method and FILL that ring up with charcoal, then dump 20-40 lit coals on top, add hot water to the pan, put your butts on the top grate (or one on the top and one on the bottom depending on room), start with all bottom vents 100% open and adjust as the temps come up to your target 225-250 degrees. Your bottom vents will be open "roughly" 25% when on temp (it may be more or less depending on your conditions)

Third, hang your remote thermo probe in the lid vent to keep track of temps. You wont need to start checking the meat temp until the morning. Also when you do check the meat temp, check it in several places because the butt has several muscle groups that will probably give you different readings.

Fourth, have patience. Butts take a lot of time, usually more than you expect, so add extra time to avoid being rushed.
 
I think the most important thing is to get the internal temps up to at least 195. There is a period called a "plateau" that the temp seems to stay steady for a while...that means the fat is rendering or melting and that is a good thing. The temp will rise after a while, just be patient.


It definately takes a while...I don't go by time as much as temp...but be prepared for 12 hours or more depending on the size of the butt

and be sure to use lots of charcoal...my first butt I didn't use enough...fill that ring all the way up!!!


Good luck
 
Scott!

Hang in there, it will get better. We've all had a false start here and there. Now you've got it out of your system. I think you have gotten excellent advice from your peers. The only thing I might add is that if you can't wait, and can't get it over the plateau (which Jim Minion is right, you really need to get to at minimum 190 to have decent pork) you should wrap it in foil to speed the process up. It will work fine, just don't admit it on the board!
 
Wow, I really appreciate all the responses back from everyone, and so quickly.

I just got back from Costco with round 2: two 7# butts (for only $13!). And I picked up a Foodsaver to make the rub and post-BBQ storage easier.

I'll try the Minion method this time. (Jim: how cool is it to have a BBQ technique named after you?).

Last questions:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>How do I position the butts? Both on top, or top/bottom?
<LI>I like the idea of using my probe thermometer and just dangle into the top chamber from the top vent. Should that stay between 225-250?
<LI>Finally, I've got this nice oven thermo with a stand that I stuck over the coals and peered into with a flashlight through the door. Useful? What should it's range be?
[/list]
Man, this is hard, but I have a feeling the results will be worth it! I live in the S.F. Bay Area and there's *no place* to find good pulled pork. It's all brisket and ribs! (Not that that's such a bad thing).

Scott
 
Position the butts where you have room. With two 7 lb butts, one on top and one on bottom is the most common arrangement. You can rotate them 1/2 thru the cook if you want to even the cook out although its not necessary, it might just take a little longer for the bottom butt to reach temp. If you can fit them both on the top thats great, just remember its hotter near the edges of the grate and you might overcook the meat thats on the edge.

Shoot for 225-250 temp range with your probe in the lid vent. Just make sure the tip of your probe is not touching the meat inside or that will really screw up your temp readings! I use a paper clip or alligator clip to position my probe above the meat when I'm cooking big items on the top grate. Temps above or below wont hurt anthing, but the lower the temp the longer it takes for those butts to reach the magic temps. In fact, many folks (myself included) let the temps climb well above 250 to help get the butt through that 170 degree "taking forever" plateau.

As for the oven thermo on the bottom grate, that's fine to give you a temp differential between lid and bottom grate, just avoid opening the door to look at it except when you need to open the door for other reasons, like to add more water. Opening the door messes with the steady temperature equilibrium you have already established inside the WSM.
 
Here's an update:

I just finished a 13 hour cook of two 6# butts. Came off pretty nice--just my second cook. Looking back on the first one (described above), I can see was clearly a disaster. I couldn't pull it with a fork, like I could these two.

I followed the "Spice & Smoke" receipe for Mr. Brown. I think the Southern Succor Rub came out a bit too peppery.

Scott
 
My 2 cents:

When I smoke butt, it takes about 27 hours. I smoke 6 at a time. I use the minion method and I add about 10 well lit briquettes on top of a full chamber. I start the night before <the trimming the night before that> and put the butts on at about 6 PM. At midnight, I flip, mop and fill the water pan, then go to sleep. The vents on the bottom are never more than a quarter open. I maintain a steady 200 degrees. When I get up, I fill the water pan, gently stir the coals, flip and mop, open the vents to half then go to work. At 6pm it has been 24 hours... Temp has usually dropped to 160 after the whole day. If I can I come home for lunch and do the routine, but if I can not, I take them out, wrap them tightly in aluminum foil and place them in the oven at 225. They've had all the smoke they're going to get anyway. I check the internal and at 195 they're done !!! It's a beautiful thing /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
 
Scott wrote:
"3. Just cook the darn thing longer to see if I can get past 165 degrees internal and stop at 200."
<snip>

Scott,

You answered your own question.

You seem like a smart guy, who did his research prior to the first smoke on the WSM, you simply became impatient.

Next time out, a bit more fuel, a little more time and a lot more patience.

Regards

Smoking in Chicago,
Gary
 
Hey everybody, this is my first post as well.
I went through the same struggle my first butt the week before- it seemed like it took forever and I took it out of the WSM after 12 hrs at a temp of 180. I thought it was good but not great.

This past weekend after getting some great advice from this site I tried my 2nd butt for a party I was having on Saturday. I started early Friday morning using sand instead of water(no hastle) with Mr. Browns recipie and the Minion method (packed to the top). The WSM held a temp all day around 140 on the top (dome). After 13 hrs the lid temp was down to 210 and the butt was only 170. After 16 long hrs it finally was 180 so I took it out, put in foil for an hour and pulled it. I thought it tasted GREAT /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif and couldnt help myself with a few bites. I put the pulled pork in a tin w/foil overnight, the next day spritzed w. a/juice heated at 250 for 40 minutes and it was a huge hit at the party. I just finished some more leftovers for lunch (still awesome)and had to post a message.
For only my 2nd Butt it turned out very tasty.
I am so glad I found this site and got a WSM. It can only get better.

One question I have is about chicken- Since I had the WSM going I threw some legs & thighs on. I put a rub on and basted after the 1st hour and every 1/2 hr after for a total time of 2 hrs. I thought the chicken was pretty good but nothing special. Any tips on making killer chicken?

Scotty M
 
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