pork butt temperature

[Guest]

I have a question regrading the internal temperature of pork butt for doneness. From reading here and elsewhere, most people seem to pull their pork off the smoker when internal temp is somewhere between 185-195 degrees. I recently viewed a Steve Raichlen TV show where he instructing people that pork is medium at 165 (although he was grilling tenderloin). So ,I'm left to guess that the pork butt requires a higher temp to break down connective tissue and fat? Obvoiusly the tenderloin is a leaner cut of meat. Am I understanding this correctly?

Regards,
Robb

 

[adam clyde]

yes, you are exactly right. Butt at 165 would be fatty, grissly and tough. Higher temps breaks down the connective tissue.

Tenderloin has almost none of that connective tissue or internal fat, so if you were to take it to a high temp, it would be tough and dry.

One side note though, frankly, I think 165 is still way too high for tenderloin. lean pork is well cooked at a lower temp than that. I take my loin, for example, to about 140.

*

On edit, I realize that the USDA recommended temp for pork is much higher (160) ... I'm just not too worried, so I don't think I need to go that high. Frankly, if I go that high with loin or tenderloin, it's not worth cooking to me, because it will be tough and dry.

 

[Craig Castille]

Adam is right. I take tenderloins to 130's before resting.

Butts are unique in that each one may have a different finishing point. Some I've pulled in mid 180's and some mid 190's. It's about how they feel when I determine when they are done.

For me, average temp at pull time (before rest) is probably high 180's. But, like I said earlier, might be different on the next one.

 

[Rich Langer]

Butts are ready when the bone is loose in the roast - about 185 to 215 (a wide range because each butt is different)

 

[Calle]

Paul Kirk writes in his Championship Barbecue book that if he plans to slice the butt, he cooks it to about 165, but if he wants to pull it it should go to 190-205...