How Low Can I Go?

[ptownsmoker]

I was watching a cooking show on the Food Network, and they were featuring Big Bob Gibson's place. I'm pretty sure they said he cooks his pork butts at 165 degrees for 18 hours...Is this possible or did I misunderstand? Doesn't the butt need to reach roughly 200 degrees internal temp to be super tender? How do you achieve tenderness cooking at such a low temp? Thanks for any insight on this topic.

 

[scootermagoo]

I feel cooking a butt at that low of a temp is totally unecessary.  Butts are forgiving.  Go higher, avoid the wait.

 

[pgsmoker64]

I can't comment on how Bob Gibson's restaurant cooks their pork but I can give you my opinion.

A pork shoulder cooked to 165 degrees is tough.  I don't know how you can achieve good tenderness smoking at 165 - the meat will never get above the cooking temperature.  However, I suppose if you left it in the smoker or oven long enough at that temperature that the fat in the meat will eventually begin to melt making the meat tender.  I haven't tried it and probably won't.  

I can tell you that I have cooked a 6 pound pork butt at 225 for 18 hours and it came out great!  It took a while to get through multiple stalls.

You can pull the butt off at 195 and rest it in a double wrap of foil and some towels in a cooler and leave it for about 2-3 hours and you will have the most delicious and tender meat you have ever had!

Good luck,

Bill

 

[bruno994]

I was watching a cooking show on the Food Network, and they were featuring Big Bob Gibson's place. I'm pretty sure they said he cooks his pork butts at 165 degrees for 18 hours...Is this possible or did I misunderstand? Doesn't the butt need to reach roughly 200 degrees internal temp to be super tender? How do you achieve tenderness cooking at such a low temp? Thanks for any insight on this topic.

I don't think that info is correct.  Slow and low is usually at the very least 200.   

 

[Dutch]

ptownsmoker, taking the butt up to 200-205° will make it easier to pull. Take it to 195° if you want to slice it.

 

[sound1]

May be off on this and I know it's whole muscle but cooking that low would keep the meat temps in the danger zone way too long for me. Maybe he is doing a cook and hold....resting at that temp????

 

[ptownsmoker]

Ya I'm guessing that he is cooking it at 165 for a certain time period and then bumping it up to finish it off...

 

[roller]

I smoke mine at 220* and and at that temp it takes 18 to 20 hrs...

 

[linguica]

I smoke mine at 220* and and at that temp it takes 18 to 20 hrs...

 That has to be close to the bottom limit as to temp.