Sanity check.....

bacon grease

Newbie

Original poster

Nov 10, 2007

14

10

Litchfield, Minnesota USA

• Nov 26, 2007

• #1

.

I'm sure some of the words I'm about to type could amount to blasphemy or negative thoughts regarding my sanity in the minds of many, but here goes anyway....

LOL.

I smoked a 4.5# bone-in butt Friday. 7 hour Lump/Hickory chip smoke on my ECB - pulled it at 162*. 3.25 hours double wrapped in the oven on 250* until internal reached 205. 1.75 hours towel wrapped in the cooler. Also, I sprayed it ~6-8 times with 100% apple juice after it was above 100*.

Ok, 2 things.... I didn't care for the apple flavor at all - so I'm going to use something else neaxt time

. Any recommendations? And second........ the texture of the meat was "mushy" or too soft IMHO. It was very moist and had a nice amount of smoke, but I didn't care for the soft, mushy *texture*. Am I nuts?

Ok, assuming I'm not nuts, how do I get a less mushy result that I desire?

Thanks eveyone.

-Bacon Grease

.

 

richtee

Epic Pitmaster

OTBS Member

Aug 12, 2007

10,682

29

N. Oakland County, MI

• Nov 26, 2007

• #2

You went too high on the temp. try 190° for pulling.

My mop:
Cider vinegar
James B. Beam
Water
Bout 1/3 whatever <cup, half cup...gallon> each

And other stuff sometimes used...
Soy sauce
Smitty's ground pepper
Savory
Rosemary
paprika
Splash of balsamic vinegar
Beer
Brown sugar

When adding spices to a mop, boil the vinegar/water mix with the spices to help distribute the flavors.

THEN add any alchohlic ingredients after it has cooled. Otherwise ya lose the alchohol, and I believe that helps penetration into the meat.

 

fatback joe

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Jun 13, 2007

2,763

14

Hampden, MA

• Nov 26, 2007

• #3

Yep, stop the cooking at a lower internal temp. 190 as Rich said, I was going to suggest 195.........you get the idea......keep it under 200. Also, it seems like the longer you hold it in the cooler, the "mushier" it gets sometimes. Try to time it so it is only in there an hour.

Did you add any liquid to the foil when you wrapped and put it in the oven......if so, you might want to skip that.

Also, did you change the foil when you pulled it from the oven and put it in the cooler? If not, try changing the foil to get all of that accumulated juice out of there.

If none of that gets you to where you want, I would try not wrapping it at all during the cook..........let it go naked until you pull it off.

Last but not least, don't bother spraying it at all sometime and see how you like it, you will have the added benefit of it getting done quicker if you aren't opening the door so much.

 

bacon grease

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

Nov 10, 2007

14

10

Litchfield, Minnesota USA

• Nov 26, 2007

• #4

.

Thanks for the mop ideas!

Other thoughts: What would be the likely result if I skip wrapping in foil? Will this dry things out a tad thus moving me away from the "mushy result"? Also, would that lend to much better bark as well?

Or should I just keep things the same and try pulling at 190* and see what happens?

.

 

fatback joe

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Jun 13, 2007

2,763

14

Hampden, MA

• Nov 26, 2007

• #5

Yeah, better bark and away from mushy with no foil.

Generally, I like to just change one thing at a time so I can try to figure out what effect each item has, but if you want to not wrap and pull at a lower temp then go for it.

I just take the baby steps usually.

 

richtee

Epic Pitmaster

OTBS Member

Aug 12, 2007

10,682

29

N. Oakland County, MI

• Nov 26, 2007

• #6

Foil at maybe 165 or so right after the plateau, then collect the juice. Chill and remove fat. Save.

Remove from foil after de-juicing and give 'er 'ell temp wise for the last half hour of the smoke. like 300- let that bark solidify and crisp up. remove about 185 and let it rest tented for 20 min, then pull.

You using a mustard base for the rub? lookie the bark on my Hott Butt...mustard brushed on and rub shook over it.
On edit: Pulled at 185 and tented it will hit 190-ish as it rests...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...21451#poststop

 

bacon grease

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

Nov 10, 2007

14

10

Litchfield, Minnesota USA

• Nov 26, 2007

• #7

.

Thanks for the double reply Fatback Joe.... since we were posting oun to of one another. Great ideas!

Richtee.... if I foil at 165 to collect the juice, etc.... at what temp should I try removing the foil before givin' 'er h*ll and going up to ~185*???

Tented = Cooler/towels etc? Or?

Yeah, I forgot to mention the mustard, rub I used.

How many times during a butt smoke do you generaly mop?

Thanks everyone!

.

 

richtee

Epic Pitmaster

OTBS Member

Aug 12, 2007

10,682

29

N. Oakland County, MI

• Nov 26, 2007

• #8

It's justa 'feel" thing. Peek into the foil after another 10° rise and look for a nice puddle. I typically have a half inch deep level to drain off.
No, just set to the side with a foil cover.
Good move!
Huh yanno, never counted. Maybe once every 45 to an hour, AFTER the rub has set up..usually an hour or so into the smoke.

Eh..we love it! Yer welcome!

 

rip

Smoking Fanatic

Oct 25, 2007

505

10

Somerville, Tennessee

• Nov 26, 2007

• #9

Try this, rub with mustard, season with whatever you like. When the smoker is at 225 and TBS put butt on with the fat side up. Don't spray, don't open the door unless you have too. Let it cook to 185 or 190 and you will have what your looking for.

 

bacon grease

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

Nov 10, 2007

14

10

Litchfield, Minnesota USA

• Nov 27, 2007

• #10

.

Thanks for all the great responses!

Anyone else have any thoughts, opinions, or ideas?

Thanks again.

-Bacon Grease

.

 

mavadakin

StickBurners

Oct 19, 2007

232

10

• Nov 27, 2007

• #11

AS FATBACK SAYS DONT TRY TO MUCH AT 1 TIME ..TRY TO STAY WITHIN YOUR KNOWLAGE..HASTE MAKES MORE WASTE..KEEP IT SIMPLE..I LIKE THE NO FOIL IDEA..JUST MAKE SURE YA GOT SOMETHING FOR IT TO DRIP INTO..

 

mgriess

Newbie

Aug 1, 2007

22

10

Wilmington, NC

• Nov 27, 2007

• #12

I agree with RIP. I put on a rub, fat side up on the ol'Brinkman shut the door and leave it for 10 hours for an 8# butt. I have never had a bad one, always get a great bark and the meat is so tender and juicy. Best piece of meat money can buy.

 

chris_harper

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Nov 21, 2006

1,546

11

Waco, TX

• Nov 27, 2007

• #13

I rub mine with mustard and then sprinkle Jeff's rub all over it. I place mine in the smoker fatcap down, and after it gets to ~130°, I start the mop/spray process. I do a spray instead of "mopping". I have done it without foiling it, until I pulled it out of the smoker for its "nap". Came out good that way. Nice crispy bark, tender juicy meat.

Mgriess, we go by temp here, not time. Different pieces of meat take different amounts of time to cook. I have done more than one butt or brisket that weighed the same as a previous one, and they have always took different amounts of time to hit temp. A 10-lb might take 12 hours; or it might take 15. You never know. Now, I know guys at work that swear that a 10-lb butt is done in 12 hours. I can't wait for the day they say they smoked one that came out bad. Of course, they will never admit it.