Publix pork butts


 
D

Dave Russell

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Hi everybody. I did my first butt cook the night before last on my new little wsm and everything went well, with the exception of not quite enough moisture content. Anybody have any experience with Publix grocery store pork butts? I don't think I'll ever buy any again as they come trimmed already, but I'm just wondering if the dryness was the meat's fault or my own. (I usually use Excel butts.)

I pulled the 7.5 pounder at about 200 degrees, cooked pretty slow for 16 hours. The roast had great bark and tenderness, but in pulling, I noticed little fat left. Could it be that most was already rendered? Pardon my rambling queastions, but.....
Could it be that low and slow on the wsm yields drier meat than on other pits that don't take as long? (I could've cooked this size in a little over half the time on my drum cooking direct and flipping butts every few hours, BUT I don't like a burnt grease taste on my bark.)

SO...whether the meat was unusually lean or not, what IS the best (safest?) temp target or zone (measured at the vent with a probe) for a wsm?

As far as moistness "fixes", I really don't want to foil in the cook unless I can learn how to do it without messing up my bark, and I'm not sold on injecting. Maybe I'd be a fan if I found a better recipe than the ones I've tried, though.

Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I already appreciate all the info I found in researching bbq on the wsm, like suggestions to try dense lumps. (The B and B lump did great, and I only fueled once, at about 12 hours.) Thanks to all for any tips!
 
I just did one with a WSM 22 last weekend. I cooked mine slightly faster. My lid temp was probably around 220-235 for most of the cook and I yanked it out after about 10 hours, with an internal temp in the low-mid 190's.

It was very moist and almost all of the internal fat had rendered away.

I turned and mopped it toward the end; other than that, I didn't do too much with it.
 
Dave,

I almost always use Publix butts and have never had a problem unless of course I mess up. I think they have some good quality meats there.
Better could no doubt be found, but good stuff for the price.
 
There aew scant differences in pork raised on industrial farms. (Publix buys from Excel as well as IBP/Tyson.)

Dryness comes from overcooking. That the butts were trimmed didn't help. (I never buy brisket from Publix because it overtrimmed.)

Pick a target in the low 190s and check the pork. Don't pull at a specific temp: check it and see how it feels. If the butt is tender/soft/pullable it will feel that way. If it doesn't - if not there yet - cook longer and check again.

I don't like foiling buts nor do
I like injecting butts that will be pulled. (Butts cooked correctly don't need additional moisture.) I do use a finishing sauce. I remove the bark in nuggets (with meat attached) and pull the rest, adding a T or two of finishing sauce to each handful of pulled meat and tossing well. Then I fold in the bark. This adds a background flavor layer, adds textural and flavor continuity and works with any sauce(s) I'm serving. (I always serve sauces on the side.)
 
Originally posted by dwayne e:
I just did one with a WSM 22 last weekend. I cooked mine slightly faster. My lid temp was probably around 220-235 for most of the cook and I yanked it out after about 10 hours, with an internal temp in the low-mid 190's.

It was very moist and almost all of the internal fat had rendered away.

I turned and mopped it toward the end; other than that, I didn't do too much with it.
Click to expand...

Dwayne, thanks for the reply. I assume by lid temp, you mean lid temp opposite the vent, and I'd say you cooked WAY faster, but that's cool by me going by your results.
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It makes me wonder.Why is the traditional target temp 225? I'm starting to wonder if that is a way to avoid starting a cook real early in the morning when you want it for supper, not lunch the next day! Just go real slow and you can still go to bed at a decent time! Seriously, I did a lot of searches on this site and found that 18 hours of cooking time for pork butts was what a lot of folks reserved.
 
Originally posted by Rick TFC:
Dave,

I almost always use Publix butts and have never had a problem unless of course I mess up. I think they have some good quality meats there.
Better could no doubt be found, but good stuff for the price.
Click to expand...

Rick, thanks for the input. Kevin says they use Excel meats, so I guess the only legitimate complaint goes to the extent of trimming.
 
I agree. The meat source is largely insignificant, and doneness is likely the culprit
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I do, on the other hand, choose to foil with 1/4 cup applejuice once I have smoked to 165* internal. I then finish to 190-195* internal in a 325* oven, starting to check for doneness around 190ish. I pull it and lightly season, including the drippings ... moist, smokey meat, and saves time
icon_wink.gif
We prefer it that way..others have methods that finish to their tastes, as well
icon_smile.gif
SMOKE ON!!
icon_cool.gif
 
Originally posted by K Kruger:
There aew scant differences in pork raised on industrial farms. (Publix buys from Excel as well as IBP/Tyson.)

Dryness comes from overcooking. That the butts were trimmed didn't help. (I never buy brisket from Publix because it overtrimmed.)

Pick a target in the low 190s and check the pork. Don't pull at a specific temp: check it and see how it feels. If the butt is tender/soft/pullable it will feel that way. If it doesn't - if not there yet - cook longer and check again.

I don't like foiling buts nor do
I like injecting butts that will be pulled. (Butts cooked correctly don't need additional moisture.) I do use a finishing sauce. I remove the bark in nuggets (with meat attached) and pull the rest, adding a T or two of finishing sauce to each handful of pulled meat and tossing well. Then I fold in the bark. This adds a background flavor layer, adds textural and flavor continuity and works with any sauce(s) I'm serving. (I always serve sauces on the side.)
Click to expand...

Kevin, thanks so much for the tips and the sauce suggestion. This was my first overnighter so I guess I was trying to milk it out so the meat would not be in the cooler for so long. From now on, I know I'll check really good as soon as the meat is in the upper 180's. You can always chop it!
icon_wink.gif
 
Originally posted by ron "Rondo" hanson:
I agree. The meat source is largely insignificant, and doneness is likely the culprit
icon_frown.gif
I do, on the other hand, choose to foil with 1/4 cup applejuice once I have smoked to 165* internal. I then finish to 190-195* internal in a 325* oven, starting to check for doneness around 190ish. I pull it and lightly season, including the drippings ... moist, smokey meat, and saves time
icon_wink.gif
We prefer it that way..others have methods that finish to their tastes, as well
icon_smile.gif
SMOKE ON!!
icon_cool.gif
Click to expand...

Thanks, Rondo. I don't have any objections to shortcut barbecue, and I always get more sleep the night before. I have had some funky texture with my bark that way, though. What temp do you smoke it at? Sugar in the rub?
 
Dwayne, thanks for the reply. I assume by lid temp, you mean lid temp opposite the vent, and I'd say you cooked WAY faster, but that's cool by me going by your results.
icon_smile.gif


It makes me wonder.Why is the traditional target temp 225? I'm starting to wonder if that is a way to avoid starting a cook real early in the morning when you want it for supper, not lunch the next day! Just go real slow and you can still go to bed at a decent time! Seriously, I did a lot of searches on this site and found that 18 hours of cooking time for pork butts was what a lot of folks reserved.
Click to expand...

I tried to "sort of" follow the Mr. Brown recipe from this website since it was my first attempt at pulled pork on the WSM. The cook described on the website was about 14 hours......and it ran a couple of hours over because he didn't have his vents open at the beginning to get the WSM up to temp quickly. It also called to pull the meat once it gets to 190*........with a cook temp around 225*. I started too early the night before and it was done early in the morning. Next time, I'm going to start er' up at Midnight and it should be done in time to pull and serve before kickoff!
 
No doubt, my Q would've been better if I had pulled a bit sooner. Also, I bet most all of the pork nowadays is about the same. However, I bet that the pork they had back in the day sure made better pulled pork. The hogs have been bred to be leaner for a good time, now, from what I understand. I do remember seeing something on tv a while back about fatter pork available to pitmasters from a certain producer, but I don't remember who it was.
 
Yes. Americans demand lean (yet they get fatter and fatter). Ironic.

You need only find s source for heritage breed, pastured pork. I like Berkshire, Duroc and Old Spot, but there are other breeds that survive without the fat being bred out of them. Start here - then call and check on availability and be sure to ask about the fattiness of their breed and whether their feeding program supports this.
 
Dave, I use Bad Byran's Butt Rub", off the shelf (I add 1 cup brown sugar), good stuff and yes it does have a little sugar of its own
icon_smile.gif
You asked about smoker temp; I just keep the needle of the stock Weber thermometer somewhere around Vertical!!
icon_biggrin.gif
...plus or minus 20-30* doesn't bother me
icon_cool.gif
SMOKE ON !!
 
Originally posted by K Kruger:
Yes. Americans demand lean (yet they get fatter and fatter). Ironic.

You need only find s source for heritage breed, pastured pork. I like Berkshire, Duroc and Old Spot, but there are other breeds that survive without the fat being bred out of them. Start here - then call and check on availability and be sure to ask about the fattiness of their breed and whether their feeding program supports this.
Click to expand...

I tell you what. If I was to ever get crazy and cook a whole pig, I might just check out a farm that has traditional breeds. I'm gonna do some checking just to see, though. I'm afraid what the price might end up being, though!
 
Originally posted by ron "Rondo" hanson:
Dave, I use Bad Byran's Butt Rub", off the shelf (I add 1 cup brown sugar), good stuff and yes it does have a little sugar of its own
icon_smile.gif
You asked about smoker temp; I just keep the needle of the stock Weber thermometer somewhere around Vertical!!
icon_biggrin.gif
...plus or minus 20-30* doesn't bother me
icon_cool.gif
SMOKE ON !!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, Rondo! The local grocery sells that rub, or did. I might give it a try. My son and I both had leftover Q today, and it was really good...super smoke flavor (seasoned hickory and "not too seasoned" peach from the local orchard, 3 to 1, peach) and a super rub I tweaked from the first recipe I ever used. I'm just sayin'...it could've been a little moister. I didn't add anything at all this time, no apple juice, no nothing. I believe I'll mix up some NC vinegar dip and Kevin's mustard sauce next time just in case. ( I usually have a vinegar dip made up.) I like those kind of sauces over sweet ones most of the time, anyway.

Thanks for all the input!
 
I'm afraid what the price might end up being, though!
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Well, it's not cheap. But I've yet to be disappointed with products bought directly from farms. I like supporting family farms, like not supporting industrial farms (especially pig farms and their horrid conditions), and find I get what I pay for.
 
Aside from Chicken I don't think I have ever bought anything to put on the smoker from Publix. Not sure why; I could sling a dead cat and hit a Publix in any direction from my house. Most of the pork is trimmed and/or deboned. I was able to get a case of tri-tip roasts from them that turned out pretty good. As posted earlier, Publix tends to over trim their brisket. I get most of my meat at Sam's. They seem to have a better selection and posted case prices.
 
Maybe I can answer about the Publix butts, I am a meat supervisor for Publix in Tennessee and Alabama (21 years). I oversee 35 meat/seafood depts.

We do not use Excel pork or IBP/Tyson pork. We do use Excel beef along with other suppliers. Our pork comes from a few suppliers, Smithfield (mostly) right now its been Seaboard Farms, and Praire Fresh which alot of comp teams use, at least in Tn and Alabama. We also use pork from Carolina Pride sometimes. We used to use nothing but Lundy's but our demand is too high.
Our pork is never injected or pumped and our specs require most of our items to come in pre trimmed. We do pay extra for it. Sometimes the cutter gets carried away and trims it up even more! Just ask to see some butts in cry-o-vac to pick them out not trimmed.
I will say alot of teams use our pork, again it is not pumped which makes a big difference, a bit more $, but your getting meat and not "salt water". I would say if it was dry, it was a bit overcooked. Also most stores do not carry packer briskets alot, they just carry trimmed flats, but packers are available and can be ordered no problem. Stores get trucks 3-4 days a week. Don't let the meat mgr tell you they can't get packers! They can!

PS- Dave, Ray Dashnaw is the Meat Mgr and Allan Milsaps is the Asst Meat Mgr at our Lebanon store. Tell them your concern and they will make it right for you. Let me know if I can help.



Best,
 
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