pork butt temps


 
E

Ed Cardoza

TVWBB Pro
What is the lowest internal temperature on a pork butt that any of you have stopped cooking safely at?

Based on whatI am seeing, mine may end up being another 24-27 hour cook. It is at 168* and still climbing. I am using the ECC, as Larry R gave me a box to try this past Saturday and I decided to give it a try on this 9 lb butt I amd cooking. It has been on now for almost 22 hours. The pit temp is holding steady at 225*. Darn it, now I may have to buy some of this stuff.
 
Well, safely is a combination of time at temp.

It's a bit tricky, cause I can't think of a single cook for PB that didn't end up within 5 degrees of 185,either way.

It will be safe, much lower, but not tender enough to be pleasant to eat.

I've never had a PB that weight go more than 8-10 hours. I can't stand the thought of tending a WSM for 24 hours, regardless of how much auto pilot it has.

I cook them higher, and finish much sooner.
 
Raise temp up 20-25 degrees to speed it up a bit.

Don't worry about the time, I cooked a 7.5lb that took just over 20hrs. Next time I did one I took the boards advice and raised the temp.

There is a difference between Low-N-Slow and Low-N-REALLLLLLLLLLLLY SLOW.
 
Ya bump it up. Don't let temp be your only guide. I imagine it's bone in ... the bone is like a natural pop up done button. If it's sticking out a seperated it's a good indication.

Grab the thing with one or both hands. Does it feel like it's going to fall apart?

Use a fork. Stick it in the middle of a muscle, 1/2" or so, give it half a turn then try to lift the tip out. Does it feel like it will pull with the fork? If it will but it's even a little firm it shuld come to with an hour rest in foil. If it won't or requires too much force cook it some more.
 
just foiled the darn thing and raised the temp up to 250*. I have had her on now for 24 hours and she is still at 169*. She's becoming a pain in my butt. It will be fine though, this is the second one that I have had these issues with, but I sure would like to eat before midnight.
 
It's burning with no problems. I just bumped it up again to 275*. Hope it doesn't dry it out, although it shouldn't as it's foiled. I just remembered what I did wrong... I haven't had a beer all day, that's why this darn thing is dragging on.
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OK gang, she's now up to 175 and climbing. Looks like we eat tonight before midnight, just wished I'd been sharp enough to have a few beers during all this stress...
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Nice! I've yet to do a long smoke with it yet but people report it's very long burning. It would be interesting to get your post cook thoughts on it.
 
well so far we are at 24.5 hours and still cooking away. I will let you know in the morning, right now I have to get caught up on my beer drinking...
 
FINSHED... Finally after 27 hours of cooking or more like a hair over 26 hours and she came out spectacular. I must admit though after too many adult beverages I neglected to take any photos, and my guests and I literally got after it. I was totally surprised with the outcome as I would have never guessed something that cooked this long would turn out so good. Thanks to all of you that have given me solid advice on this cook and to Larry R for great charcoal to cook with. I hope to take photos of what was left over as far as the ECC goes, so we can all see how much was needed to do this cook.
 
Wow Ed that was a stubborn one, wasn't it? I haven't had one plateau quite that long at that size. Way to hang in. Now - I've got to find me some ECC. Think I'll start a PA thread on Dennis's web site.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I just bumped it up again to 275*. Hope it doesn't dry it out, although it shouldn't as it's foiled. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
You can (just as an FYI) cook at 275 the entire time.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Shawn W:
Ya bump it up. Don't let temp be your only guide. I imagine it's bone in ... the bone is like a natural pop up done button. If it's sticking out a seperated it's a good indication.

Grab the thing with one or both hands. Does it feel like it's going to fall apart?

I agree. Don't be afraid to look out the windshield when flying the plane. Sometimes the tools can be a little misleading. There's no substitute for experience. (I'm sure there's a pilot out there that will remind me that the pilot's eyes lie much more than the instruments do).
Use a fork. Stick it in the middle of a muscle, 1/2" or so, give it half a turn then try to lift the tip out. Does it feel like it will pull with the fork? If it will but it's even a little firm it shuld come to with an hour rest in foil. If it won't or requires too much force cook it some more. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I just bumped it up again to 275*. Hope it doesn't dry it out, although it shouldn't as it's foiled. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
You can (just as an FYI) cook at 275 the entire time. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree, I cook at 265 pit temp from the get go. Best damn bark I've ever tasted.
 
I guess I have been just one of those guys who settles in for the long haul as I really enjoy long cooks, I had it at 225 for most of the cook and finished at 275 for the last couple of hours, or at least it seemed that long, at any rate the ECC is as advertised. It is virtually oderless and burns wonderfully. After 26.5 hours of cooking I still had about 1/3 of it left that was not burnt. Now I know what I am going to use for my Thanksgiving Turkey as far as charcoal goes. I am going to try the Jack Daniels brine that Larry uses. I am getting very excited for this years Turkey day, as we are have all of our family attend this years feast as small as it is now, it still will be a blast.
For those of you who have decided to share pallets worth of this ECC, you will not be sorry. The only hang up with it is the amount of time it takes to get them going. I use gell packets to start all my charcoal and it took two tries and a total of 45 minutes to get them going well enough to start what is in the bowl. I only lite four pieces, and they just plain burn so consistanly and evenly that I was pretty well impressed.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by derek_d:

I agree. Don't be afraid to look out the windshield when flying the plane. Sometimes the tools can be a little misleading. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Now thats a BBQ tagline!
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Maybe not so much flying a plane but BBQ all the way!
 
I recently smoked a 7.5 lb pork butt for probably 14-15 hrs with a dome temp staying about 250- 235 grate for 12 hrs then high heated during the last 2-3 hrs to 300 deg dome temp. I like to lean towards the 200 deg. mark internal on the butt for easy-fall apart pulling. This was my best butt yet. I used a spray bottle filled with melted butter and clear vinegar to mist a couple times throughout cook and also flipped the butt as started out with the fat side up. It was succulent and flavorful without sauce. The butter/vinegar mist really gave a nice looking bark that was softened somewhat.
 
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