First Butt is in the smoker - NOW with Q-View!

[yardbird]

Forgot to get a "before" picture. Rubbed and wrapped in saran wrap overnight in the fridge. Into the smoker by about 6:15am.


Smoker started out around 230 ish and now that it has "warmed up" to 36 degrees outside.... *sigh* .... it has crept up to about 240 to 245 ish. The sun is starting to be out more so that may be contributing (it was DARK at 6:15... hehehe)



Anyways... I'm approaching 7 hours in and the temp is at 158. Using Smoke Hollow propane smoker, and a Maverick with the smoker temp probe on the same rack as the butt is on.


I'm reading about foil vs no foil, what temp to pull it out at, etc.  Seems most folks foil at about 165 and pull at 190. Rest it for half hour to an hour and then pull it apart.



That sound about right?



Right now it looks like this:

100_6549.JPG

• yardbird
• Nov 6, 2012

I have a "Plan B" for dinner so I don't need to rush this or anything. But if it's ready for dinner that would be great. If it's about 1:15 (and now the temp is 160 'cause it took me so long to type this up), what do you think the chances are that it'll come off the smoker 3 hours from now? And if I'm at 160, have I passed the stall? Or could it still stall?

 

[weberlamp]

You will be close, each butt can be different.  You can feel if its starting to pull apart before you take it off.  I generally smoke unfoiled for 10 hours, foil for 2 and rest in a cooler for and hour wrapped in a towel.  If its not ready let it be and get excited for pork desert.  If you are at 160 now go ahead and foil it, it will help to build moisture and break down connective tissue.  Good luck, more pics when its done

 

[thsmormonsmokes]

I'd take it to 200, maybe as 205 before taking it out to foil and rest it.  The meat will shred OK at 190, but I've had considerably better results if I take it to IT of 200 or 205.

IT can also be a bit frustrating, maybe even deceiving.  If you think it's almost done, you can poke it with a toothpick or other type of probe.  If you get any significant amount of resistance, let it ride.  If it slides through the meat about like room temperature butter, you're ready to rock and roll.

I also let mine rest an hour or more in foil and towels before pulling it.  30 min might be enough time, but I'm not sure about that.  If you foil, towel, and put it into a cooler without empty air space, it will stay at temps for hours.  I left one toweled for 3.5 hours a while back.  I don't know the temp when I pulled it, but it was steaming when I opened the foil, and it burned my hand to the touch.

 

[yardbird]

ok I pulled it out at 165 and foiled it and stuck it back in. It went up 5 degrees in about 30 minutes where before it took 2 hours to get from 158 to 163. So did I just happen to foil it at the end of the stall or did foiling it accelerate things a little? It's 4pm and dinner is usually at 5. I don't see any hope of that happening, but it was a good learning experience so far. Maybe we'll have pulled pork sammies for dessert or bedtime snack... hehehe.

 

[rdknb]

Yes foiling will aid in cooking faster, I myself love the bark, so I do un-foiled to 205. But what you are doing is fine.  I have learned when making pulled pork to smoke and pull today and eat tomorrow.  The times are always hard to be perfect.  I smoke something like fish or chicken to the day's dinner

 

[yardbird]

5:15 and it just hit 190. I have the family convinced we should go vote before dinner. :) So by the time we get back it should be ready to take out of the smoker and I can make the finishing sauce while it rests. hehehe

 

[yardbird]

OK, got it out and..... this...

100_6550.JPG

• yardbird
• Nov 6, 2012

It kinda started to fall apart when I touched it with a fork. And the bone fell out.

I had foiled it at 165 and stuck it back in the smoker and I pulled it at 203 and let it rest while I made some finishing sauce, vegetables, and sliced up some fresh bread. It pulled easily after resting almost an hour. My son ate FOUR SANDWICHES! :icon_eek:

Meat was firm, not the least bit mushy. And the bark was tasty, tasty, tasty... :)

 

[mbatemantx]

Looks good!:grilling_smilie:

 

[chef jimmyj]

Great Job! The Pork looks like it is super tender, the way PP should be...JJ

 

[smokinhusker]

Looks great and going to vote gave you the extra time needed it seems!

 

[jrod62]

Nice :drool

 

[humdinger]

Yardbird! I bet everyone in your house slept good last night with all that comfort food in their bellies late in the evening! The pork shoulder looks mighty fine. Nice job and props to your family for being patient while your creation was finishing. That's hard to do when you smell it cooking/smoking all day....

 

[babybob2k]

That looks great!  What kind of rub did you use on that?

 

[sqwib]

I'm a little late for the party but.

Don't sweat the higher temps I sometimes run Butts @ 275°+

I also pull at 200-205° (no mush either)

I coarse pull instead of shred I like the texture much better.

I foil now, I can control the bark better foiling and it helps it through the stall, you can always unfoil when the temps start climbing steadily.

Pork looks awesome.