Butt problems

[sbpaducah]

Last couple weeks I have cooked 2 butts that were cut in half, (small). Using my vision Kamado style cooker with lump and cherry, I injected and rubbed the meat and placed it in an alum pan at 250 degrees for 3 hours. I placed the butt in a clean alum pan with apple juice in bottom, covered tightly with alum foil and cooked till the meat was 200 degrees in the center. The first one was tough and stringy and a week later the second one was the same. Can anyone speculate what the problem may be? Both pieces of meat came From the same store.

 

[b-one]

Bad cut of meat possibly. Maybe you bought mis marked meat? If you got a sirloin roast marked as a butt it would of been over cooked for that cut of meat.

 

[sbpaducah]

Thanks, I bought at 2 separate times. Each one was around 6-7 pounds. They were marked Boston butt roast. Does the roast designation mean different?

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Probably cooking too fast. 250* with a ~3.5-4.5lb piece of pork for pulling is probably too hot. My pulled pork smokes (whole butts or picnics, between 8 & 12lbs) run 18-24hrs just to reach a probe tender state (usually ~195-200* IT). Also, I'd suggest trying open grates for the bulk of the cooking time...this will develop a bark on the meat that will seal in the natural juices and greatly aid in creating a more tender, juicy finished product. If you wish to soften the bark by panning/tenting, do it after the shoulder has reached 185-190* IT...it will also soften more while resting, covered.

Smaller pieces should be started at a minimum of 225* (especially if injected or otherwise rendered a non-intact while muscle meat)...see FOOD SAFETY FORUM...after safely cruising through the danger-zone there's no reason why you can't dial back the chamber temps to 205-210* and slow that shoulder down so it has time to melt the connective tissues and render more fat before it reaches the 200* mark where it should be probe tender.

If you prefer a hard bark, don't foil, pan/tent, or wrap in foil to finish, or even while resting...instead, place on a rack over a pan, then cover with a towel so it can breathe while it rests (foiling/tenting traps steam).

Eric

 

[b-one]

Thanks, I bought at 2 separate times. Each one was around 6-7 pounds. They were marked Boston butt roast. Does the roast designation mean different?[/quote

I wouldn't think so labeling can be pretty hit and miss if people aren't trained properly or don't care. Probe tender is a better way to predict if the meat is cooked well. Another good tell if it has a bone it will pull out easily and mostly clean. I would think you would have been pretty close most pull butts around 200-205 it seems. Did you rest your meat? I don't think 250* is to hot to cook at but are you sure of your cooking temps? Most built in therms are way off and temp at the grate will be different then the dome therm. Best to have a calibrated therm to help with cooking.

 

[SmokinAl]

I was going to say the same thing.

I wonder if your therms are accurate, & the probe test is the best way to tell if they are really done.

I also agree with Eric, low & slow for butts.

Al