Pork butt that wouldn't get above 163 degrees...... arghhh!


 
Scott Terril

Scott Terril

TVWBB Member
Yesterday I smoked a 5.5 lb pork butt. I followed Mike Mills' recipe from his book, "Peace, Love, and BBQ". The meat was very tender and the flavor was great. (The slaw that went with it was a big hit too.) Pulling the meat however, was a nightmare. I gave up after about 5 minutes and just sliced the meat and then chopped it with a cleaver.

The problem is that I couldn't get the internal temp to rise about 163. It hit 160 at about the 5 1/2 hour mark and was at 163 at 7 hours.

Alls well that ends well, but it still nags at me. (Not unlike my lovely wife when I allow the mopping sauce to boil over on the stove, but that was a different smoke.) My WSM temp was fine. I have a lid thermo and a Maverick and both read a pretty constant 235 to 255 throughout the cook. I even moved the meat probe, but the internal temp read about the same. The only problem I can see is that I may have been opening the lid too often. The recipe called for mopping the pork every 30 to 45 minutes. Maybe towards the end of the cook that was the problem. Next time I might try not mopping again after the meat hits 160.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Thanks.

Scott
 
When I smoke a butt, I usually think in terms of 14 hours, not 7. so, maybe that's the issue. the butt should really be soft and easy to pull when it's ready.

I've had the odd butt get stuck at 175 after 16 hours, and then I jus crank up the heat quite high for an hour, and that always does it.

Cheers.
 
Thanks for the input Mike! The recipe called for only a 4 to 6 lb. butt roast and listed a cooking time of 5 to 6 hours. Mine was 5 1/2 lbs., so my cooking time was about right according to the recipe. Maybe even a little long at 7 hours. I think I will try your suggestion of cranking up the temp if the next one seems to get stuck.

Scott
 
In a word: plateau. Once pork butt hits the mid-160s, fat rendering and connective tissue breaking down have an actual cooling effect. It's not unusual for the temp to "stick" somewhere in that range for a few hours. Once that phase is complete, the temp will begin a steady march upwards. Don't be afraid to cook pork butt hotter-- I typically start out at 250° grate temp, and, by letting the water pan run almost dry, allow it to ramp up to 300° towards the end. Your 5.5 pounder would have probably taken me 8 hours. At 215 to 235 (your estimated grate temp) throughout, it should have been more like 9 or 10 to reach 195 to 200 internal, which most people shoot for for pulled pork.
 
Thanks Doug! I had read about the plateau effect, but did not realize it would last quite so long. I guess I just wasn't patient enough. Five hundred and thirty-seven choruses of "Daddy, when is dinner going to be ready?" could test even the patience of Job.

Scott
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Doug D:
In a word: plateau. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Bingo. I've had butts plateau in the 160 range for 6-7 hours. This was on an offset, so I just kept feeding it fuel. Eventually I reached 195.
Also, if this was a bone in butt, the bone will pull out easily when it's cooked enough for pulling.
 
For pork butt, figure around 1 1/2 hours per pound at the temps you were using and about an hour to wrap it and let it rest when planning your cooking times.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I followed Mike Mills' recipe from his book, "Peace, Love, and BBQ". </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Scott, some of the info in that book is incorrect regarding cooker temps and amount of time it takes until done. If you are new to Q, I would go by the experiences of people here on this forum rather than what that book says.
 
Scott, I agree with everyone else. I have had butts get stuck for 3 or 4 hours sometimes at that low of temps. That plateau can get old real quick especially when the family is waiting to eat. Been there done that!

After about 2 cooks like you had I started allowing at least 8 - 10 hours (sometimes longer) for a 5 - 6 lb. butt and life is much better. At a internal temp of 195 - 200 it will pull very easy and almost fall apart.

Randy
 
You guys are awesome! The nefarious pork plateau is not! Next time I will plan 8 to 10 hours.

I am very new to Q. I got my WSM for Christmas and have only done about a dozen smokes.

My results have been:

BRITU - awesome, people wept

Brisket - good flavor, a little tough, dentures were broken, dogs used for pull toys

Italian sausage fatty - went so fast I didn't get any

Pork loin - very average at best. maybe need to to injecting for better flavor

KC Strip loin - tasty, but I cooked it too long.

Pulled pork sandwiches with slaw - end result was great. wife somewhat miffed that I bent the tines on every fork in the silverware drawer trying to pull.

Thanks for all the help!

Scott
 
Scott, as much as I like Mills' book (esp. his recipe for cole slaw) I've had amazing results by following the instructions here, especially with pork butt.

I've only been doing BBQ for a few years, but I think you opened the lid too many times for basting. Following the Mr. Brown instructions on this site, I didn't baste my butt (insert joke here) until hour 8 of a 13 hour cook.

I had to laugh a bit at the bent tines story. I once tried to pull a premature butt and had no luck at all. Chopping helped.
 
Scott, this place is it for Weber owners and anyone really wanting great advice on smoking food. I did a 7lb butt yesterday and it hit the guaranteed plateu for several hours right at 159. It sat on that so long I was thinking my Nutemp was broken. It finally started moving and hit 182 after 11 hours.

Question: I pulled it like noted above, wrapped in Reynolds Wrap for 30 minutes and mine too was very difficult to shred. I ended up slicing it as did Scott. What is the ideal temp to pull a butt?

Thanks.

Steve
 
Thanks. I asked this question before I read the material on Pork Butt in the cooking section and they recommend minimum of 190. I should have read it first, but thanks.

Steve
 
I figure a minimum of 2hrs per pound of butt then start it 2hrs before I think I should have to, so a 7# butt I would allow 16 hrs. If it gets done in 12 hrs. it will keep fine wrapped in aluminum foil and towels in a cooler until its time to serve.
The last 6-7# butts I cooked took between 14 and 16 hrs to cook. I also had a 10#er on with the other 3 and it took 24hrs. That was the longest I ever cooked a butt.
You just never know they may cook reasonably quick and they may take forever. Always leave yourself plenty of room.
 
I agree again with the above ideas. I always take mine to at least 195. Have done a few at 205 or so. At that point they begin to get to mushy for me.

Allow plenty of time always and take to 195 or above, wrap in foil and hold in a cooler, it will continue to cook a bit and stay above 140 for several hours, that way you can take out of cooler and pull just in time to eat. It will pull very easy.

Randy
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by David Lohrentz:
some of the info in that book is incorrect regarding cooker temps and amount of time it takes until done. If you are new to Q, I would go by the experiences of people here on this forum rather than what that book says. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I tried to point this out to Jamie Purviance when he was here awhile back. He insisted that the (insufficient) time in his recipe was right, despite our overwhelming evidence otherwise. Seems like most of us join forums like these when we are having a crisis like Scott's - because a cookbook has misled us into thinking that a butt can be slow-cooked in an hour per pound...

http://tvwbb.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3700016774/m/2140060284
 
When I used a probe therm in the past (I don't anymore with butts or briskets), I would pull when the butt reached the 190's. I would then transfer it to a dry cooler for as long as I needed (2-4 hours) before shredding.

Nowadays, when I am for checking for done.....I just use a spatula.....if the butt wants to break in half by putting a spatula under the middle of the butt when it's slightly lifted......then it's done.


If I am still curious about the internal temp on the way up, I'll check occasionally with a thermapen.
 
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