Confusing Butt....

[tinman]

I popped two butts in last night at 1:45am...one was just under 8lbs, one was just over. I think my UDS may have been running lower than I thought due to a crappy thermometer, so I am wonderign if the grate temp was hovering around 200. Anyhow, the color is just now darkening pretty good at the 6 hour mark. I probed the big one and it is around 160 internal.....but the smaller one is 175, but the bone in the smaller one is solid in there. I have done tons of butts on my Weber's, and 1. Always had good dark bark in the first few hours of cooking, and 2. had a much looser bone when breaking through the 175 range.
I am concerened that the low cook temp could make a dry butts or leathery bark. I think the last hour it has been up closer to 250 range, and is darkening better. I need these ready for 3 pm....anybody have thoughts here? I have never ruined a butt, but I don't want to start today.:pray:

[IamMadMan]

Pork butts are very forgiving and I don't believe the lower temp will dry out the meat.

You can always foil with a little apple juice to get through the stall if it takes too long.

If you started at 1:45 your target time at 250 - 260 should be around 2:00 pm

[IamMadMan]

I popped two butts in last night at 1:45am...one was just under 8lbs, one was just over. I think my UDS may have been running lower than I thought due to a crappy thermometer, so I am wonderign if the grate temp was hovering around 200.

You'll never know what the actual temp was if you do not have an accurate thermometer.

Now that you have discovered this you may want to look for a better thermometer. Tru-Tel (http://www.teltru.com/s-43-barbecue.aspx) is a very good and reliable brand.


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[tinman]

So do the probe temps sound appropriately on schedual for 2:00 pull? They seem high to me.

[DavidJ]

Timan, I grew up just south of you in Kent! :-)

What are your thoughts on foiling, with a little moisture added to help retain some moisture? You've probably got the smoke flavor and ring by now, as well as the color, so it seems to be the right thing to do?

David...

[DavidJ]

So do the probe temps sound appropriately on schedual for 2:00 pull? They seem high to me.

I've reached the 200 degree range within 4-5 hours after the stall, and that's with the smoker temp between 250 - 260, so you seem to be in good shape.

David

[tinman]

Thanks! I will let it be and see where we end up. I will definitely be purchasing a new thermometer today so I don't have to mess with this anymore.
Davidj- Good to meet you! We are kind of on the cusp of Renton and Kent, up in Fairwood. I wish there were more brethren in this area, I would love to meet up with some.

[Bludawg]

I cooked a 8 lb but in MY UDS the other day I ran it at 300* and was done in 5 1/2 hrs. achieving pork niravana. There was no stall. Learn to cook hotter you wont regret it.

[Ron_L]

I'm confused... Are you worried that the butts will be done too early or not in time?

If you're worried that they will be done early just foil them when they are done and put them into a cooler with some towels or newspaper for insulation and they will be fine for a few hours.

If you're worried that they won't be done in time foil them now and kick up the temp to speed them up.

[tinman]

I was initially worried that the temp was too low and would have caused a leathery bark layer, but I think that is fine now and the color is looking great. My other concern was that the smaller one would be done too soon and I would have to rest it for too long. The longest I have rested butts in a cooler is 3 hours. I think I am probably going to be fine at this point because they are looking great, but I am still leary of a prolonged cooler rest over three hours, mostly because I have never done one that long.

[Ron_L]

Pre-heat the cooler with hot water (then dump the water and dry it out) and use enough towels/newspaper and you can hold a butt for hours. I've gone 5+ hours before at a party. It you have a remote thermometer you can stick it in the butt and watch the temp and if it approaches 140 stick it in a warm oven.

[tinman]

This has become a battle of trying to figure out what temp my grill really is at with a bad thermometer. I just let them run at around 250 all morning, but it lookes like it might have been more like the low 220's....I checked 40 minutes ago at the 12 hour mark and they still probed at 170, so I know my temps have been running too low. I pulled them and foiled them and threw them in a 260 degree oven, and they have been in there 40 minutes. I haven't probed them since foiling, but am wondering if I should crank the oven higher. I need them done at 3 and I wanted to give them a rest before pulling too. Any thoughts? I think this one will be a close one. :)
Nedless to say I just ordered a Tru-Tel thermometer so I don't play this guessing game again.

[Ron_L]

Probe them and if they're not close kick up the temp. 300 is fine now that they are in foil.

[tinman]

Bizzarre....I probed them and one is at 168, the other looks like it went down to 159? Not sure how that is possible. I changed the battery in my probe to make sure it wasn't the probe being weird.....baffling me now. I will kick the oven up to 300 and see what happens.

[willbird]

Well the trust on sodium is that something like 10% of the population reacts to having lots of it in their diet, not sure if a potential MI puts you in that 10% or not, but the govt (world wide conspiracy) sees fit to lie to the other 90% to help the 10%.

Looking at how much sodium is in things is not a BAD thing, for example Meijer brand diet soda here has about 1/3 the sodium of major brands, and still tastes good, and is cheaper too :-).


Bill

[Ron_L]

Well the trust on sodium is that something like 10% of the population reacts to having lots of it in their diet, not sure if a potential MI puts you in that 10% or not, but the govt (world wide conspiracy) sees fit to lie to the other 90% to help the 10%.

Looking at how much sodium is in things is not a BAD thing, for example Meijer brand diet soda here has about 1/3 the sodium of major brands, and still tastes good, and is cheaper too :-).


Bill

:confused:

[DavidJ]

:confused:

Ditto...

[DavidJ]

Bizzarre....I probed them and one is at 168, the other looks like it went down to 159? Not sure how that is possible. I changed the battery in my probe to make sure it wasn't the probe being weird.....baffling me now. I will kick the oven up to 300 and see what happens.

Meat density, how deep the probe is, or how close it is to the bone can all have a minimal impact (apparently even sodium can have an impact :biggrin1: )

As close as you are to 3:00 PST, I suspect you'll have pulled pork as well as some not so pulled pork, it'll all be good though! Let us know how it comes out.

David

[tinman]

I underestimated the effects of sodium....:biggrin1:

They finally budged and I am pulling the smaller one out now to rest for a bit. I will stall eating as long as I can so it can rest a little.

I will report back with the PRON and results in a while. As usual....thank's for the help brethren!

[tinman]

Butts turned out perfect in the nick of time! They pushed through the stall about 2:30-2:45 and I pulled the smaller one at 3:00. The larger one came off about 3:30. I was able to rest the smaller one for 35 minutes in the cooler and it pulled perfectly and had great bark. I rested the second one for 30 minutes and pulled it just as people were coming in for seconds, timing was excellent!
I am excited to get the new thermometer though. I would have much rather had them done early and resting in the cooler before 3:00.
Thanks for the help today! PRON will be posted in a weekend PRON update in another thread I am about to post.

[thebuddha]

I've started giving myself 14-16 hour cook times for the butts (slow and low @ 225) and have had great results.

Will need to try the 5-6 hrs @ 300 suggested here. Always up for trying something new.

[IamMadMan]

Butts turned out perfect in the nick of time! They pushed through the stall about 2:30-2:45 and I pulled the smaller one at 3:00. The larger one came off about 3:30. I was able to rest the smaller one for 35 minutes in the cooler and it pulled perfectly and had great bark. I rested the second one for 30 minutes and pulled it just as people were coming in for seconds, timing was excellent!

I'm glad everything turned out well on your cook and your timing was great.

I am excited to get the new thermometer though. I would have much rather had them done early and resting in the cooler before 3:00.

Just remember to throw out the old thermometer.... If you try to use it elsewhere you will always second guess yourself and create headaches..

Glad to see you have handled your problems so you continue the BBQ Journey.

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