Pork butt


 
DennisT said:
Did my first pork butt this weekend. Hot and fast, about 5 hours. Turned out great- made pulled pork sandwiches for my daughter and her friends, with leftovers.

Have a few chuck roasts for Poor Man's Burnt Ends this weekend
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5 hours? How much did it weigh? Mine take about 15 hours
 
Lew Newby said:
For me, it's 325 to 400.
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What is the different in the tenderness doing hot and fast vs. Low and slow. I did a pork butt this past weekend and keep the temps below 250 the whole cook, I have been going 275 to 300 the last few cooks, and this one was more tender, more moist then the last half dozen I have done a little hotter. My goal is not too back to 225 again, but to try to hit 235 to 245ish for the whole cook. I would just love to hear your thoughts on the difference.
 
I like cooking in the 275 to 300 range myself. It saves time. The time window for "just right" is narrower than at lower temps. I start probing for tenderness at 190 IT and sneak up on it. It's easy to overcook the meat. I've had cooks that were dryer and less tender when I missed the window. If I get it right I don't notice a difference in moisture and tenderness.
 
Do you stop and let rest strictly based on tenderness or do you aim at a certain IT? I hear 203-207 is magic.

Lew Newby said:
I like cooking in the 275 to 300 range myself. It saves time. The time window for "just right" is narrower than at lower temps. I start probing for tenderness at 190 IT and sneak up on it. It's easy to overcook the meat. I've had cooks that were dryer and less tender when I missed the window. If I get it right I don't notice a difference in moisture and tenderness.
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I know a lot of folks cook to a specific IT but I learned without electronic meat probes so I cook to "probe tender". Now, having a meat probe sure simplifies things. When my Thermapen probe slides in with minimal resistance I pull the meat off the cooker. I've had butts go to 205 before they're ready. Two weeks ago I did four 8.5 lb. Butts and they all finished at 195 or 196 IT. That cook was at 280 to 300 and the meat was moist and fell apart when I pulled it. I once pulled a Prime Brisket off at 192. I almost doubted that it was ready but I took it off and rested it. Moist, tender, and delicious.
 
Lew Newby said:
I like cooking in the 275 to 300 range myself. It saves time. The time window for "just right" is narrower than at lower temps. I start probing for tenderness at 190 IT and sneak up on it. It's easy to overcook the meat. I've had cooks that were dryer and less tender when I missed the window. If I get it right I don't notice a difference in moisture and tenderness.
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Lew,
That makes so much sense. I would say that two or three of my higher heat shoulders were perfect and you would never know they were not cooked at 225, but the other three or four, got a little tougher (especially on the bark) and drier inside, even they I work hard to pull them at probe tender (anywhere for 195 tp 205 in the past). I think the window for perfections is a lot smaller at a little higher temps. One of my first post on this forum was what is the best temp to cook shoulders at and I have been trying the higher temps lately, but I think I am going to let myself work at few in the 230 to 250 range and see if that is how I best prefer to cook them. On a side note, I watched the first episode of the new Netflix BBQ comp show and the one guys cooked pork shoulder made into pulled pork in 5 hours! And it was one of the judges favorite items.
 
ChristopherC said:
Do you stop and let rest strictly based on tenderness or do you aim at a certain IT? I hear 203-207 is magic.
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Once it hits 185 I do my first tender check with the probe, then I really start to monitor it once it hits 190, and once it hits 190+ I am really just looking for probe tender to be ready to pull it. After 190 temp becomes less important then through the other times on the cook.
 
Lew Newby said:
I know a lot of folks cook to a specific IT but I learned without electronic meat probes so I cook to "probe tender". Now, having a meat probe sure simplifies things. When my Thermapen probe slides in with minimal resistance I pull the meat off the cooker. ...
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Exactly
 
Been a busy week and didn't get to check on my post. Yes hot and fast - 350 to 375. Haven't tried low slow pork yet so don't have a comparison.
 
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