Question on when to pull butts off the cooker


 
B

Brian B (Muncy)

TVWBB Fan
Put 2 boston butts 14 lbs on last night @ 9:00. Internal temp is 189 right now. From what I've read here I should pull them at 195 - 200. Do I let it cook a while at 195 or remove it as soon as it reaches that temp? I'll try to put pics up later today.
 
Brant - if your target temp is 195 - and that's a good one, I suggest letting them attain and hold that temperature (the internal temps will continue to go up, of course, but you don't have to worry too much about maintaining smoker temp) for about 30 minutes or so before you pull and rest them. Don't skip the resting. 30 minutes at least and an hour or more is better!

Pat
 
You're pretty much good from where you are up to a little over 200*. Temp is just one thing to judge when to pull. Tenderness is a real key. If a probe can slip in easily, you're good. I also consider how long the butt has been cooking. If it's been a long cook (my last 9 lb butt took 16 hours at 225 +/- a lot
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), so I pulled it at 189. (BTW, that's my Super Bowl pulled pork and it came out absolutely fantastic!)

Rich
 
B Brant, #1 on above. Temp is only a guide. Go by feel.When your probe goes in with very little to no resistance it is done. Also when the bone wiggles free, it is done. Heck, if you are starving, it is done!!!!!!Mark
 
Not sure what I was expecting, but this tastes like a smoked ham. And the off color meat (greenish)off the bone kind of caught me off guard. Noticed some holes in the meat too.
 
No they weren't enhanced. And yeah I threw a lot of the meat out, still debating whether or not to throw the whole batch out. I should have taken a picture of the color. It was where the meat was touching the bone. Not greean as in grass gree but had a greenish color.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">It was where the meat was touching the bone. Not greean as in grass gree but had a greenish color. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Pretty common. Not a concern.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mk evenson:
B Brant, #1 on above. Temp is only a guide. Go by feel.When your probe goes in with very little to no resistance it is done. Also when the bone wiggles free, it is done. Heck, if you are starving, it is done!!!!!!Mark </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Generally (almost always), the bone should just slip out. That's been true for all of mine except the most recent. I said it before but, this butt had much less fat and took 16 hours to get to 190* (including a double plateau). The probe test was good, the time was clearly sufficient, but the bone refused to come out. After breaking it open (easily pulled), I found the bone had a "Y" and a hook -- kind of difficult to pull out of all that meat.

Rich
 
What they said about green close to the bone. Have had that on occasion. Not an issue, tastes great.

Tasted like smoked ham? Has to be salt from somewhere. Does it taste that way no matter where the pieces came from or just the areas close to the bark (outside surface)?

If so - did you use a store bought rub? If not did your rub recipe have salt in it - how much?

How long did you have the rub on the butt? Overnight?

If the salt is throughout then I'm guessing it was enhanced. If it is localized more to the outside (piece with bark on it versus one that came more towards the bone) it sounds like a rub with a good bit of salt (or too much to your taste), or it has to do with how long a very salty rub was left on before the cook.
 
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