Pulled Pork That Didn't -- A Happy Mistake


 
E

Eugene A

TVWBB Fan








OK, so I tried a variation of Mixon's recipe for pulled pork. I followed his recipe for the rub, and that was it. I put the pork butt on the smoker, and let it smoke for roughly 7 hours, to an internal temp of 177 (ET-732). The smoker temp was up, and it was down, but the variations weren't as bad as when I did my first cook a week or so ago.

Anyway, I didn't tent the pork butt during the cook as Mixon recommended. I couldn't "pull" the pork. Instead, it sliced beautifully into nice firm slices. The flavor was there, albeit a bit on the salty side, but flavorful nevertheless.

My questions are: 1. did not tenting the pork during the cook have anything to do with it not being "pulled pork?" 2. did the fact that I didn't cook the pork to an internal temp of 205, as Mixon recommended, have anything to do with the pork not being pulled? 3. should I care?

I did pulled pork in the oven (350 degrees for six hours), and the meat fell apart as I was removing it from the pan. Yes, I was basting it every hour, which I didn't do on the smoker. My wife says the next time we should let it go all the way on the internal temp, to 205 degrees. I figured that the recipe said to cook for six hours OR to an internal temp of 205 degrees. I figured that whichever happens first is what I'll follow, although I did go the extra hour.

So, my barbecue brethren and brethrenettes, what say you? For the record, this was my inaugural cook, for an extended cook time, on the WSM; and it was my second cook in total, the first one being baby back ribs.
 
For a second cook, that ain't too bad. And you already learned a valuable lesson --- BBQ is done when it's done. Not when it hits a magical stopwatch time.
At least the "mistakes" are still edible and usually tasty.

1) tenting didn't have any effect with it not being "pulled pork."

2) not cooking it it an internal temp of 200ish had everything to do with the pork not being pulled.

3) you shouldn't care, unless you want to make pulled pork. :)

I just made a pulled pork for the umteenth time again last night/today. My average cook time on the WSM is about 12 hours running at 265ish. Give or take 30 degrees. I don't worry too much about temp fluctuations and let it do it's thing. Once I got used to the smoker, after half a dozen cooks, overnight butt cooks are the only way I do them now. Once the internal temp hits 190, I start checking for doneness.

Take a probe of some sorts (skewer, thermometer, ice pick, etc...) and insert it into the butt. If there's resistance, and it doesn't slide in like butter, it ain't done. After you determine it's done, wrap it in foil, then a beach towel, and place in a cooler/microwave/oven and let it rest for an hour or more. You can easily hold like that for 4 hours. Now, it's ready to pull.

That's my default way of cooking/pulling and like anything else - other opinions will vary.

PS - I prefer to trim the butt and remove the fat cap. Leaves more surface area for the good stuff - bark. :wsm:
 
+1 for everything Chad said. I'll add one additional note. Butts are not all created equal when it comes to being done (tender). I've had some tender at 190 and some go as high as 205+. Your probe is your best friend when cooking bbq.
 
One of the most important lessons I've learned since perusing this board is that time and internal temp are merely guidelines to get you close. What everyone said above is spot on to what I have experienced. Exactly as Chad described, I also let my butts go until 190 then start checking for tenderness with the temperature probe. It should also be noted that the probe temp generally drops a few degrees when I remove it from the spot its been throughout the cook and move it to another, so once it recovers back to 190, I check it again. They're usually perfectly probe tender by 195 but I have heard of others having to go over 200...

I'm glad to hear the flavor was still good so were still able to enjoy it. With all the helpful info the people here have to offer you'll be a pulled pork pro in no time.
 
Great smoke ring!!! Pulled pork was one thing it took me a while to get and am still working on!! Great work, remember it is just bbq and it is fun!!! I had a but got for like 3 more hours than I thought last night. You just don't know sometimes.
 
For the record, my wife was right in concluding that the next time we should let it go to 205. That means that I'll have to get outside of my comfort zone, leave the ease of propane, and jump headstrong into the realm of loooowwwww 'n sloooowwww charcoal.

Thank you, everyone, for your advice and encouragement.
 
Just my humble opinion, I have had the best results with hitting 196, and then foiling and resting a few hours. It 'seems' as though the butts are a little more juicy. I have taken my butts to over 200 and then foil and rest, it seems the butts are just a little more dry. Again just a personal observation but it might be worth trying different finish internal temps.
 
Matt Heebner said:
Just my humble opinion, I have had the best results with hitting 196, and then foiling and resting a few hours. It 'seems' as though the butts are a little more juicy. I have taken my butts to over 200 and then foil and rest, it seems the butts are just a little more dry. Again just a personal observation but it might be worth trying different finish internal temps.
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I take EVERYONE's advice to heart, although I don't necessarily follow everyone's advice. I know what I'm trying to accomplish. I listen (or in this instance, read) to what folks say, roll that into what I'm trying to accomplish, and then come up with a unique plan that incorporates a little bit of everyone's advice. Your personal observations will find a place in my 'cue bag of tricks.

By the way, I posted the photograph of the sliced pork on the American Barbecue Association (I think that's the name) facebook page, and a few people posted negative comments, e.g. that is looked overdone and dry, and it certainly was a mistake albeit a happy one. I shot back that it tasted good to me, and that it wasn't dry or overdone.
 
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The pork butt that you show came with a "Doneness Indicator" the bone - when you can wiggle it, when the pork butt shakes like jelly, it ready. Let it rest a while then pull it. Really this is variation of the probe test - and the thing to remember is "its ready when its ready"
 
How anyone who knows BBQ could say that looks overdone and dry for pulled pork is beyond me. Forget meat temps and just worry about your pit temp plus or minus 30 degrees. Foiling will speed up your cooking time. If you learn to cook by feel, instinct and look instead of by what a gadget tells you you can turn out good BBQ just about anywhere on anything.

BBQ becomes moist and tender when all those little fat fibers surrounding your muscle fibers break or render down. The juice/moisture comes from those fat fibers. If you cook away all that your BBQ becomes dry and crumbly. If you don't cook it enough you get dry tough BBQ.

Remember bbqing is supposed to be fun and relaxing. That's why I tell my wife I have to keep an eye on the cooker at all times.
 
Bob Sample said:
How anyone who knows BBQ could say that looks overdone and dry for pulled pork is beyond me. Forget meat temps and just worry about your pit temp plus or minus 30 degrees. Foiling will speed up your cooking time. If you learn to cook by feel, instinct and look instead of by what a gadget tells you you can turn out good BBQ just about anywhere on anything.

BBQ becomes moist and tender when all those little fat fibers surrounding your muscle fibers break or render down. The juice/moisture comes from those fat fibers. If you cook away all that your BBQ becomes dry and crumbly. If you don't cook it enough you get dry tough BBQ.

Remember bbqing is supposed to be fun and relaxing. That's why I tell my wife I have to keep an eye on the cooker at all times.
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Bob: It's ALWAYS fun, especially the anticipatory part, getting the cooker ready, lighting the coals, setting up the digital thermometer, the rub...the destination is only part of the experience. Getting there is what makes it AN EXPERIENCE!

My biggest beef [pun intended] is that the recipe says a certain temp and a certain cook time; and when I question it I'm told "well, it really doesn't have to be x hrs, and it really doesn't have to be x temp." Well, then, if it really doesn't have to be, then why don't you say that??? I've learned from others in this forum and in other forums (or is that "fori"? I don't remember my high school latin class very well) Anyway, what I've learned is that the time and temp are a guide and not a specific. I'm anxious now to exercise my barbecue instincts to see whether or not I LEARNED anything.

And regarding my wife's input, she knows enough to leave the barbecue and grilling up to me, to stay out of my way, unless I ask for her help, and to let me do what I do. So far, it's worked well, as she's liked most of what I've been preparing on the grill. Let's see if I can keep up the winning streak.

Thanks for your input.
 
rich langer said:
The pork butt that you show came with a "Doneness Indicator" the bone - when you can wiggle it, when the pork butt shakes like jelly, it ready. Let it rest a while then pull it. Really this is variation of the probe test - and the thing to remember is "its ready when its ready"
Click to expand...

Rich: I admit that I forgot the part about the bone. And what you said is exactly what I've been hearing from my other barbecue brethren and brethrenettes...it's done when it's done. We're in a hold pattern now, what with the holidays and such. I may not resume my barbecue quest until the new year...maybe, unless I can squeeze in a rib rack/pork butt/brisket or two between Thanksgiving and Christmas, or anytime between now and the new year.
 
I feel you, brother! My first crack at pulled pork was done on a chargriller duo, cos pos! I started at 2am and couldn't figure out why I couldn't reach temp?... Cuz' at 2am I was reading Celsius! Dumb b--ta-d! Had a great roast! Don't feel bad...
 
I looked back at my notes from several cooks and saw that I liked the texture best when cooked to about 195. When I went higher, it lost some "tooth" and was a tiny bit mushy.

Many may like it that soft, but like i to pull but still have integrity.

Cook times varied from 12 to 21 hours, depending on size and quantity of butts, outside temp, WSM temp, etc.
 
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