Think I screwed up the butts


 
Bob Swaskoski

Bob Swaskoski

TVWBB Fan
I think that I really screwed up and I need some help here guys.

I had 2 butts, one 7lb and the other 8.5lb both bone in. While trimming the fat, I ended up separating the butts into a boneless and bone-in section. Don't ask me why....newbie mistake, not the first....

Anyway, I put them on the cooker at 10pm last night at about 250. at 3am I took the dog out and the cooker was at about 240. Everything looked good so I went back to bed figuring that they would cook at least until 7am. Second newbie mistake; I do not have a remote thermometer. I got up, the cooker is cold and the meat temp is about 125. They look pretty done but I have no idea what to do next. Wrap them? Pitch them? Any help would be appreciated!
 
Hi Bob -

I'm a relative newbie myself, but possibly an overzealous food-safety nut at times. And I'm going to tell you what you don't want to hear (but were probably expecting). If the weather in PA has been under 90 last night (I'm sure it was) the USDA says food just sitting there for 2 hours or more at this temperature should be discarded. See this link:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/facts...nity_Meals/index.asp

You might chance it - but if all your guests come down with a food-related illness on your first smoke, that would certainly put a damper on future guest list responses. I would discard the meat, chalk it up as part of your education, and then move forward.

The real question is how did this happen? I would guess that you either ran out of fuel or you completely closed off the air vents and the charcoals were extinguished - since you only left it alone for 4 hours.

Good luck - and don't write off the WSM. A few more bits of insight from the expert members here and you'll be up and smoking in no time.
-andy
 
Thanks Andy. As I sit here and ponder my fate, I was thinking that this will be an expensive "teachable moment" in my use of the WSM and that I will indeed need to throw out the butts and start working on menu changes. I guess that my confidence was up from the chickens that I did on Saturday and the ribs on Sunday so I felt that I was ready for an overnight cook.
 
I don't know what you ended up doing but I doubt I would have pitched them.

If:

-the cooker was at 240 at 3am they cooked for 5 hours (and if you essentially halved them they cooked pretty well)

-you checked at 7am and the meat seemed done, it is not likely the cooker dropped in temp all that fast

-you did not handle the meat during the temp drop (you didn't, you were sleeping) then it is unlike the meat became contaminated with Staph. aureus, the bacteria most responsible for post-cook food borne illness

Wrapping would not be good because the temp is too low - but not low enough - so the trapped heat would set up perfect conditions for Staph growth (and because you would handle them to wrap them, the possibility of contamination is high. Instead, they should be pulled or chopped and cooled quickly, then the meat chilled well in the fridge. One would then thoroughly reheat for serving.

If you still have the meat and you wrapped it earlier, while warm, I would suggest pitching it. It was too close to Staph's favorite temp range for outgrowth. Meat needs to be wrapped while quite hot or, once cooling, it needs to be cooled quickly, then chilled.

(Btw, the Danger Zone is actually 50-130, not 140 (that's the temp used for consumers - it has no basis in science) - but use an accurate tip-sensitve thermometer, not a bimetal analog; if the food was properly prepared, taken to safe temps, cooled relatively quickly for storage, then there is no basis in science to reheat to 165 - or any particular temp. 'Just warmed up' is good enough, provided safety protocols were addressed when the food was originally cooked. If they were not, reheating to 165 might not help a bit. You might find this compilation of interest.)
 
I'd give one to my neighbor that I dont like and see if he is out and about 3 to 5hrs later. If not pitch the one I kept for myself, Ken
 
I'd follow KK's advice. I think I'd bury a packer in my garden as a rub if he told me to
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!!

If you are still figuring out what to do. Try looking at a high heat cook. You could finish it in time and have brisket or ribs.
 
I appreciate the feedback guys. I opted to toss the butts just to be on the safe side. I've had bad pork once before and the money spent is not worth the risk. Now for plan B...might just throw some ribs on for a few hours or may even be forced to take the cover off of the grill...she has not seen daylight since I started using the WSM!
 
Properly handled at the time of discovery the risk would be virtually nil. Barring that though, I too would pitch them.

For future reference: Butts don't require trimming so don't bother unless you prefer them trimmed (I never trim them). Take off just the exterior fat; avoid making deep cuts into the flesh. Just work the surface. Trimmed partially or not at all, any excess fat is easily removed after the butts are cooked and rested, during the pulling and/or chopping process.

If you get up during the night to check your cooker, check the coal quantity after taking a look at the temp. The temp can look good - but this can be achieved by only a few handfuls of fully lit fuel. If that's all that's left at the point you check it won't be long till they go over the hump and start burning out.

Have a good Plan B cook and enjoy your day.

[Funny, Michael.
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]
 
Plan B - Kentucky Fried Chicken & Pizza. The butt story will make for a good laugh when your guests have had a few drinks.

Even if you avoided the miniscule chance of spoilage or contamination the stress of waiting for guests to get sick isn't worth it.

Had a similar issue with brisket (with no real issue) and it forced me to grab a reliable remote therm.

James
 
Plan B was going to be ribs but then when the heavens opened and poured rain all over western PA for the majority of the day, it became Plan L for leftovers! I had some ribs and chicken left as well as a few ABT's (hard to believe) from Saturday and Sunday so everything got warmed up with a few other sides and we finished it all off. Obviously, I would have rather had the pulled pork but the Boss agreed that it was the safest course of action and she recommended that I look into one of those remote thermometers....twist my arm....
 
One thing I have learned over the years is to trust your gut feeling!

Missing out on a questionable meal is much better than a Dr. or ER visit.

Good luck in the future!
 
Good call Bob. Glad you had a plan 'L' to execute. I'm sure you all had a great time regardless - and it is nice when the Boss agrees with the game plan.
 
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