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problem with pork butt


 
S

Simon

New member
Hi all,

I am a new member in the UK but getting addicted to this style of bbq....I have a problem with dry pork butts and I know someone out there has the answers..
Ok I had about a 7lb shoulder joint,boneless, and I left the skin on, cos it was all nicely tied, and folks over here like the skin. Set my weber off around 9 pm using the minion...up to temp in around an hour and put the pork on. Cooked over night (i went to bed and didn't check it till the morning) about 7.30 it was looking good, temp at around 255f.
Checked meat temperature and left it again for some hours.
Finally took it off at 10.30 so it had just over 12 hours (which I think is in the ball park) the meat was 193-196f over the three or four points I checked it, and the probe went in real easy.
Wrapped it, toweled it and into a cool box...
Now my guests were a little late so we didn't eat until around 1.30 - 2pm, took the meat out, and tried to carve it with a very sharp knife, and it fell to pieces like it should...I had no chance to cut a 'slice', but it was dry!!! No juice, I cant understand.
Did I leave it too long resting (it came out the cool box at around 155f. The meat was of reasonable quality, the fat content was ok...I moisturised and dry rubbed, the flavour was good, but it just wasn't 'there'.
This is about the third one I've done with the same results.
Now I am new to this so it might be the bindingly obvious, but I still want to know...
Thanks

P.S. I did a 14 lb Turkey on it for Christmas day, which my wife was dead against, and it came out perfect using the recipe on here, and I mean the best turkey ever tasted!! We had a house full of people and everyone loved it.
 
Simon,first of all,welcome to the forum! As you probably know,there is a ton of information and a whole bunch of really good folk on here!
Now to the issue at hand. I think you might be overcooking the shoulder a bit much. For slicing,I wouldn't take a shoulder much past 180*. Also,a shoulder is usually better suited for pulling or shredding. There are better cuts for slicing,such as hams or loins.
But the great thing about food,is unless it's totally raw or burned to a crisp,it's usually edible. Try again,shoot for lower temp and I'll bet that solves your problem. Happy cooking!
 
I know this doesn't directly answer your question but it's hard to know exactly what's going on. I like to dress my pulled pork after I pull it. I mix in at least 1/2cup of a vinegar and pepper sauce that I make. It's never dry that way regardless and I think the vinegar cuts the fat quite nicely and it doesn't need anything else, sauce-wise.
 
Thanks for the replies...Phil, I didn't want to slice it, it was for pulling, I was just giving an indication of how soft it was. In other words it wasn't underdone, and coming off at 195 ish shouldn't be overdone...
 
Don't overcook by holding too hot, too long. Problem solved, and I bet I'm just confirming your own suspicions.

Yes, you can keep bbq hot for hours, but the devil's in the details, and one man's dry pulled pork is another man's pulled pork, pre-saucing.
 
Dave, thanks for that..I'm guessing I should take it off 10 degrees earlier and leave it to cook out in the cooler. That's what I'll try next, either that or eat it sooner.

What does anyone recommend for a simple sauce. I would prefer something thinner rather than ketchup thick, more like a gravey?
 
Originally posted by Simon:
Dave, thanks for that..I'm guessing I should take it off 10 degrees earlier and leave it to cook out in the cooler. That's what I'll try next, either that or eat it sooner.QUOTE]

Simon,

Foiling and holding bbq is not part of the cooking process, I understand why you did it though. Always tent the meat under foil for 20 min to "STOP" the cooking before you wrap and hold. No matter, when holding for more than 2hrs will change the end product, it still will be fine though. Don't cook to a final temp because depending on the cut/quality of meat and your cook style from start to finish can cause the meat to be "probe tender" from the upper 180's to the low 200's. Once you nail your cooking style down as far as consistently doing the same thing and using the same cuts and brands of meat then you can use temps as a range for doneness.

Good luck
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