Well after some technical difficulties accessing the forum yesterday I have the long anticipated conclusion to the "Early Morning Butt".....
Shortly after the last post, time stamped at 12:16 PM, the butt hit 145* and hung there, and hung there, and hung there (arrgh!). Finally at about 5:00 PM I hit the 165* mark. I pulled the butt from the smoker, double foiled, and added the remaining few ounces of the Capt and Apple spritz mix.
It was a beautiful thing. I put the package back into the GOSM BB and began the slow, but steady, climb to 200*. This temp was reached at 7:20 PM. At this point it was removed from the smoker and into the cooler to "rest" for an hour. At 8:20 PM the grand unveiling began. Here's the butt, pre-pull.
And after the pull was done. The bone slid right out with no resistance what so ever!
Needless to say the family was famished by this time. We had originally planned to eat about 6:30 or 7:00. So much for a plan. The upside was it was delicious. Moist, tender and everything I had hoped for (just later than expected!) We enjoyed the fruits of my labor with fresh sweet corn, potato salad, baked beans and what meal would be complete with out ABT's and several appropriately chilled Yuengling Porters!
Can't explain the loooong plateau. I don't have enough experience with Butts to know really what to expect yet for a norm. Lesson learned for me is start a couple of hours earlier. I can always hold it in the cooler and eat an hour early.
It was a great learning experience and best of all I got to have pulled pork for lunch at work (was the envy of all my co-workers) and had left overs again at dinner tonight. If its possible it was even better today! Sorry to keep everyone in suspense. Thanks for your patience.
