Pork butt fell apart on the WSM


 
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Scott P.

TVWBB Super Fan
I felt like some pulled pork, so I tossed an 11 lb butt on the smoker around 12:30 am. It came from Kroger and I did a mustard slather with a nice all purpose rub. It sat rubbed for about three hours in the fridge.

The pit got up to 275 for an hour or so, but stayed at 250 the rest of the time. I flipped it at the six hour mark, putting the fat side down. I misted it with apple cider every 30 minutes or so afterward. When I went to flip it back at the 11 hour mark, it came apart on me. The bone fell right out. I scooped it all into a foil pan. My thermometer reads about 170 degrees in the thickest chunk.

I have the pan covered with foil with some cider a the bottom of the pan. I'm hoping to keep the smaller pieces moist while the rest cooks. This is the first time I had this happen.

Any thoughts on a possible cause?
 
All the slivers of fat throughout the meat melted away into the butt. Tie it up next time with some butchers twine, it will stay together till your ready to pull it.
 
I agree with Bruce. If the butt was falling apart and the bone fell out,that bad boy was cooked! You can't always go by time when cooking. Go by tenderness. Hope you enjoyed.
 
Not hard to figure the butt was DONE
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As already mentioned, the smaller pieces were 'done'.

But ... why all the flipping?

I just leave them fat side up and usually have to take them off with neoprene gloves.

Kinda like an old delapidated barn, as the fat and connective tissues breakdown, the butt sorta collapses onto itself as a self-supporting structure. But, disturb it and it falls apart.
 
I flip briskets and butts at the half way point, then half of the remaining time. I read that in a Paul Kirk book and have always done it that way.

The butt turned out great by the way. I just didn't expect an 11 lb butt to be done after less than 12 hours at 250 degrees. I usually get the temp up to 192 degrees or so to make sure I can pull it easily.
 
As others have said it was done, however, I'd check your pit probe and your food probe for accuracy, I have a suspicion they both may be off . . . or you could have just gotten a crazy fast butt.
 
You next one will probably take 22 hours to cook!

Funny piece of meat - have a mind of their own. I don't think I've ever had one "done" in an hour per pound, but they usually get done a little quicker than an hour and a half per pound. There there are those that go on forever.......

Pat
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LarryR:
As others have said it was done, however, I'd check your pit probe and your food probe for accuracy, I have a suspicion they both may be off . . . or you could have just gotten a crazy fast butt. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
What Larry said +1. Mine usually fall apart at about 200
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Scott P.:
I flip briskets and butts at the half way point, then half of the remaining time. I read that in a Paul Kirk book and have always done it that way.

The butt turned out great by the way. I just didn't expect an 11 lb butt to be done after less than 12 hours at 250 degrees. I usually get the temp up to 192 degrees or so to make sure I can pull it easily. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Good that the pork was done to your liking.

Butts do not need to be flipped, nor do briskets, especially in a WSM.

Butts and briskets are done when they are tender, not when they hit any specific temp.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by TravisH:
As already mentioned, the smaller pieces were 'done'.

But ... why all the flipping?

I just leave them fat side up and usually have to take them off with neoprene gloves.

Kinda like an old delapidated barn, as the fat and connective tissues breakdown, the butt sorta collapses onto itself as a self-supporting structure. But, disturb it and it falls apart. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ditto - I've never flipped a pork butt. Really see no need. And I've given up all that mopping a few years ago. Fun to do, but with pulled pork you just flavor them with that sauce at the end. Taking time out to mop just adds to cooking time and cycles the temps too much in my opinion.

But(t) - looks like you had a great success. Tie it up next time and you won't have a problem with it falling apart on removal. But I usually use food handling gloves to pick mine up and it goes right into the aluminum pan. I usually pull mine just when done though, I like a little firmness too it (cook till done, not time/temp - they are just guides).
 
Butts and briskets are done when they are tender, not when they hit any specific temp.[/QUOTE]
Kevin,

I would like to have a penney for every time you said that,I'd be a rich.
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Can't stress it enough.
Chuck.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chuck Dugas:
Butts and briskets are done when they are tender, not when they hit any specific temp. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Kevin,

I would like to have a penney for every time you said that,I'd be a rich.
icon_biggrin.gif
icon_wink.gif

Can't stress it enough.
Chuck.[/QUOTE]

How exactly do you know when they are tender?
 
With a brisket, a probe inserted into the center of the flat will go in with no resistance (the same for ribs, with the probe inserted between the bones). The same is true for butts, but with butts the muscles comprising the roast will start to separate from each other as well, and the bone will loosen considerably.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Scott P.:
I flip briskets and butts at the half way point, then half of the remaining time. I read that in a Paul Kirk book and have always done it that way. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

When taking tips from the "experts" it is important to understand where they are coming from and what type of cooker they are cooking on. For instance, I cook a lot on my Big Drum Smoker. The BDS cooks directly over the fire so I must flip my meat or it will char. The same may hold true for an off-set cooker where the heat is coming up from the side and bottom. Kirk probably does most of his cooking on an Off-set so his instructions are geared towards that kind of cooker. On the WSM you have a water pan acting as a buffer from the direct heat so no turning is necessary
 
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