Mushy Butts

cameraman · 01-20-2013, 02:08 PM

I cooked a couple of butts yesterday. At 190 I did my first probe. Resistance. At 195 I wiggled the bones, tight. Same at 200 but decided to probe after the wiggle. Mega butter. I threw the butts in the fridge and called it a night. Pulled them this morning and tasted a small bowl. Really tasty but kind of on the line of tender and mushy. Any thoughts?

BB-Kuhn · 01-20-2013, 02:27 PM

Get a new thermometer, maybe. And/or make sure you're probing the right area where it's the thickest and not near the bone.

You shouldn't have much or any resistance at 195. I usually remove and rest at 190 and it'll climb a bit more.

If you take it out at 200+, you'll still gain another 5-10 deg easily while it rests. If your thermometer was off by let's say just 10 degrees (not too hard to believe) you would have mushy 220 degree swine. Fridge may not save that. I'm sure it's still delicious, but mushy is not the best, obviously.

Try to do a calibration on your thermo. If it is off, either replace it or at least get a good idea where it's really at.

The_Kapn · 01-20-2013, 02:31 PM

"Temp" don't mean nothing except that is is time to "probe".

Sounds like your butts were, as you said, "on the line".

Just adjust your "feel" (not any temp) the next time and you will be spot on.

TIM

Ron_L · 01-20-2013, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cameraman

I cooked a couple of butts yesterday. At 190 I did my first probe. Resistance. At 195 I wiggled the bones, tight. Same at 200 but decided to probe after the wiggle. Mega butter. I threw the butts in the fridge and called it a night. Pulled them this morning and tasted a small bowl. Really tasty but kind of on the line of tender and mushy. Any thoughts?

The internal temp is really irrelevant, but based on what I read above, you probed at 190 and they weren't ready. At 195 you wiggled the bone, but didn't probe. When you did probe again at 200 they were over cooked. So, sometime between 190 and 200 they were done, but since you didn't probe you missed it.

Bludawg · 01-20-2013, 02:57 PM

Guess I'm strange I like a Plump mushy Butt. When the bone pulls out it's done. Where they Enhanced Pork?? That stuff goes from good to paste in a 10th of a second.

cameraman · 01-20-2013, 03:42 PM

It wasn't pasty, it was on the cusp between tender and mushy, not a total loss by any means but not the texture you hope for. Temps were good -- ET732 and a quick read dial thermo. Probe placement was good. I was not going by temp. I was using temp as a guide to starting my probe. I guess my point was the bone wiggle let me down. I mistakenly thought they were interchangeable tests. It was an RD butt btw.

1911Ron · 01-20-2013, 03:48 PM

When i probe it it is for tenderness not temp and i probe a few spots when i do, trying to avoid bone.

tish · 01-20-2013, 04:10 PM

Dave, I'm sure I'd have done the same thing. I wiggle that bone to see where I am. Maybe as you hit your 190s, it couldn't hurt to start probing no matter whether the wiggle is there, or not. I know I'll be checking sooner on my next one, based on your experience here.

cameraman · 01-20-2013, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tish

Dave, I'm sure I'd have done the same thing. I wiggle that bone to see where I am. Maybe as you hit your 190s, it couldn't hurt to start probing no matter whether the wiggle is there, or not. I know I'll be checking sooner on my next one, based on your experience here.

Yeah that's my take away too. I thought the two tests were interchangeable. Guess not.

01-20-2013, 02:08 PM	#1
cameraman is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-30-09 Location: Nashville, TN Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Mushy Butts I cooked a couple of butts yesterday. At 190 I did my first probe. Resistance. At 195 I wiggled the bones, tight. Same at 200 but decided to probe after the wiggle. Mega butter. I threw the butts in the fridge and called it a night. Pulled them this morning and tasted a small bowl. Really tasty but kind of on the line of tender and mushy. Any thoughts? __________________ Dave Photography is my passion, truth my obsession. No wait, Stieglitz said that. 22.5 WSM 22.5 OTS Weber kettle Smokey Joe (RIP) a dorky little headlamp.

01-20-2013, 02:27 PM	#2
BB-Kuhn On the road to being a farker Join Date: 12-27-12 Location: North Aurora, IL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Get a new thermometer, maybe. And/or make sure you're probing the right area where it's the thickest and not near the bone. You shouldn't have much or any resistance at 195. I usually remove and rest at 190 and it'll climb a bit more. If you take it out at 200+, you'll still gain another 5-10 deg easily while it rests. If your thermometer was off by let's say just 10 degrees (not too hard to believe) you would have mushy 220 degree swine. Fridge may not save that. I'm sure it's still delicious, but mushy is not the best, obviously. Try to do a calibration on your thermo. If it is off, either replace it or at least get a good idea where it's really at. __________________ Masterbuilt Electric Smoker / Weber OTG 22.5 Smokenator / Modded ECB

01-20-2013, 02:31 PM	#3
The_Kapn Moderator Emeritus Join Date: 04-08-04 Location: Marianna, FL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	"Temp" don't mean nothing except that is is time to "probe". Sounds like your butts were, as you said, "on the line". Just adjust your "feel" (not any temp) the next time and you will be spot on. TIM __________________ "Flirtin' with Disaster" BBQ Team (RETIRED) FBA and KCBS Cook and Judge. Former owner of a WSM, a Smokey Joe, a Charbroil Commercial gasser (junk), and the legendary "StudeDera". Now cooking with a FEC100, a Traeger Lil' Tex, and a Fast Eddy PG500 Proud Pellet guy cooking on real wood.

01-20-2013, 02:57 PM	#5
Bludawg Babbling Farker Join Date: 07-04-09 Location: Jonesboro,Tx Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Guess I'm strange I like a Plump mushy Butt. When the bone pulls out it's done. Where they Enhanced Pork?? That stuff goes from good to paste in a 10th of a second. __________________ I never met a Cow that I didn't like with a little Salt & Pepper! Certified PORK-A-HOLIC

01-20-2013, 03:42 PM	#6
cameraman is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-30-09 Location: Nashville, TN Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	It wasn't pasty, it was on the cusp between tender and mushy, not a total loss by any means but not the texture you hope for. Temps were good -- ET732 and a quick read dial thermo. Probe placement was good. I was not going by temp. I was using temp as a guide to starting my probe. I guess my point was the bone wiggle let me down. I mistakenly thought they were interchangeable tests. It was an RD butt btw. __________________ Dave Photography is my passion, truth my obsession. No wait, Stieglitz said that. 22.5 WSM 22.5 OTS Weber kettle Smokey Joe (RIP) a dorky little headlamp.

01-20-2013, 03:48 PM	#7
1911Ron is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 04-09-12 Location: Ft. Mudge, Az Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	When i probe it it is for tenderness not temp and i probe a few spots when i do, trying to avoid bone. __________________ YOU CAN NOT COOK GREAT BBQ ON A CONSISTENT BASIS BY COOKING TO AN INTERNAL TEMPERATURE OR BY TIME ( XXX MIN PER LB) YOU MUST COOK BY FEEL! For Brisket and Pork Butts it must pass the poke test(probe like soft butter in the thickest part of the Flat) Ribs pass the Bend Test, These are the only reliable methods to ensure that your cook will be a success. There is one exception to these rules and that is Poultry which must achieve an internal temp of 170 deg in the thickest part of the thigh and 165 in the breast.

01-20-2013, 04:10 PM	#8
tish Babbling Farker Join Date: 11-13-11 Location: york, pa Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Dave, I'm sure I'd have done the same thing. I wiggle that bone to see where I am. Maybe as you hit your 190s, it couldn't hurt to start probing no matter whether the wiggle is there, or not. I know I'll be checking sooner on my next one, based on your experience here. __________________ When all else fails, just ask yourself WWGALD???* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a little pyro at heart! Who's got the hot dogs? Bubba Keg, Weber Genesis E-310 NG Mini WSM, Shhh!!! Michael's surprise <'\__! .// .\\ Puppy baby says 'piss on it and walk away!' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Proud recipient of a certifiably uncertified limited edition MOINK ball certificate!!