Strange butt cook


 

Don Reed

TVWBB Pro
I'm sure this has happened to others, but it was a first for me. Picked up a 8# butt at Harris Teeter the other day, the first thing I noticed was the shape of it once I took it out of the cryo, most of the ones I get are,for lack of better explanation, almost a solid block you know sguare looking.This one wasn't as uniform in shape and thicker on one end than the other and because of the layer of fat running through it,I could have torn it into 2 seperate pieces with no problem.Rubbed it then tied a couple pieces of string around it to keep it together. I thought at first it was maybe boneless and maybe that was why it was shaped and split the way it was but I did find a bone in it and it looked a lot like the blade bone I see in most butts. It cooked a little different than what I've experienced in the past as well. It plateued around 160 then stalled again at 195,thats what got me. After it sat there at 195 for about an hour I decided to give the bone a wiggle because it was very easy to see and of course it was loose as it should be. It pulled a little different as well and didn't have much of the deep color I normally see. It tasted just fine so no complaints,it was just wierd thats all.I did use apple and a little hickory on this cook where as normally I use all hickory and it cooked for 11.5 hrs. Note on the bright side, I used the WSM and I didn't have to add any fuel during the entire cook,I liked that.The first butt I've done on the WSM to I might add and because of the strangeness of the cook I didn't take pics but you've all seen pulled pork before. Still curious about the butt though.
 
Hmmm... that layer of fat could be the cause of the 'double' plateau.

Could it have been mis-trimmed shoulder?

Glad it turned out okay.
 
Hi Don, a couple of the butts I had bought for my daughter's grad party were mis-trimmed like that. Seems that packers like Swift Premium are hiring real hackers who don't know their way around a piece of meat! Probably a bunch of illegals they pay a couple of bucks an hour to! Profit over pride....

Anyway, the WSM is great like that and does an awesome job!!
 
Probably not trimmed properly. I have had butts to stall at the higher level. Sometimes if they stay at that heat for 1/2 hour, I wrap em. I am now using the "Competition" Kingsford and last week ran my WSM 17 hours, most of the time with all vents closed and never added one briquette.
 

 

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