Newby to pork butt...help

[Petesmokes1214]

I'm new to the site and just wanted to say hi and hopefully get some pointers. I smoked a 8lb pork butt today slow indirect heat at 225 for 5 hours until it hit 150 and then wrapped it for another 3 until my internal temp was at 198 and I was so looking forward to a good dinner butt the meat came out n pulled like tuff Pollo sting cheese.i injected the meat really well n basted it every hour. I just don't get it

 

[thirdeye]

Welcome aboard.

You didn't cook it tender. Internal temperature is only a guide, it's best to probe the meat with an ice pick or skewer in several locations. Once it probes tender, it's ready for a couple of hours resting in an insulated cooler. Then it will be ready to eat.

Edit - It probably would have been good as sliced pork. For slicing direction, identify the money muscle end (the striped muscle in the photo) then make your slices perpendicular to it.... which would be 12:00 to 6:00 in the photo.


Here are some chilled slices of a pork butt to give you an idea what they look like. If you see many muscle groups in the slices you know you are slicing in the right direction.

 

[Petesmokes1214]

You didn't cook it tender. Internal temperature is only a guide, it's best to probe the meat with an ice pick or skewer in several locations. Once it probes tender, it's ready for a couple of hours resting in an insulated cooler. Then it will be ready to eat.

Okay. Thank you for the reply

 

[motocrash]

You didn't get it to probe tender, needed to take it up to ~ 204* or so. When you took it of is when you should have started probing it.
Looks like thirdeye beat me to it.... I will add that whatever you probe it with should slide right in super easy.

 

[Petesmokes1214]

You didn't get it to probe tender, needed to take it up to ~ 204* or so. When you took it of is when you should have started probing it.
Looks like thirdeye beat me to it.... I will add that whatever you probe it with should slide right in super easy.

Thanks guys

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

Patience is the secret ingredient to next level pulled pork. The guys have already let you in on the fact that it needs to be probe tender. That's basically the same way it would feel if you were sliding your probe into a stick of warm butter. It should feel pretty much the same. Once it feels like that you are good to pull it from the smoker or oven. Definitely shoot for over 200 degrees. The collagen won't break down until you hit 195. So 200+ is generally when you will start to get real tenderness in a pork butt. Also, you don't need to spray the meet very often if any. If you do spritz your meat then try not to get the liquid on the fat cap. It will slow down the rendering process by cooling it off. I would suggest getting another pork butt and giving it another try really soon. It's definitely one of the very best bbq staples out there and so delicious.

I suggest watching this video. He is really good and giving you the full understanding of the process.



G

 

[Petesmokes1214]

Patience is the secret ingredient to next level pulled pork. The guys have already let you in on the fact that it needs to be probe tender. That's basically the same way it would feel if you were sliding your probe into a stick of warm butter. It should feel pretty much the same. Once it feels like that you are good to pull it from the smoker or oven. Definitely shoot for over 200 degrees. The collagen won't break down until you hit 195. So 200+ is generally when you will start to get real tenderness in a pork butt. Also, you don't need to spray the meet very often if any. If you do spritz your meat then try not to get the liquid on the fat cap. It will slow down the rendering process by cooling it off. I would suggest getting another pork butt and giving it another try really soon. It's definitely one of the very best bbq staples out there and so delicious.

I suggest watching this video. He is really good and giving you the full understanding of the process.



G

Really appreciate it. Thanks

 

[SmokinEdge]

No offense, but I really don’t believe the internal temp was 195* after 8 hours at 225* you might have been there cooking 250-275* which is where I suggest you cook a butt. Probing for tender is the only way to know when the meat is done. No need to check the temp either, except for reference. When the probe slides into the meat like it was a tub of peanutbutter, Then it’s done. 200-215* IT.

 

[Petesmokes1214]

No offense, but I really don’t believe the internal temp was 195* after 8 hours at 225* you might have been there cooking 250-275* which is where I suggest you cook a butt. Probing for tender is the only way to know when the meat is done. No need to check the temp either, except for reference. When the probe slides into the meat like it was a tub of peanutbutter, Then it’s done. 200-215* IT.

Thanks

 

[motocrash]

Also, you don't need to spray the meet very often if any.

Yeah, it just prolongs the cook by evaporative cooling, not to mention letting heat out of the smoker. Stick to injecting or just use a finishing sauce after it's pulled.
I use a finishing sauce, much easier. Good bark and a tasty finishing sauce rocks

 

[JLeonard]

Welcome to the forums from Mississippi. You've already gotten tons of advice. look forward to more pics of your next excellent butt!

Jim

 

[jcam222]

Looks like you’ve gotten lots of good advice. One thing I’d do is check your thermometer for accuracy. Make sure the thermometer isn’t sitting on the bone too. I cook to about 160, wrap tightly in a pan with a cup of liquid and cook to 203F-205F. Don’t shortcut testing the meat for an hour then. Just put the whole thing in a cooler with some towels. Do this and the bone will pull clean and meat will fall apart easily.

 

[Petesmokes1214]

Looks like you’ve gotten lots of good advice. One thing I’d do is check your thermometer for accuracy. Make sure the thermometer isn’t sitting on the bone too. I cook to about 160, wrap tightly in a pan with a cup of liquid and cook to 203F-205F. Don’t shortcut testing the meat for an hour then. Just put the whole thing in a cooler with some towels. Do this and the bone will pull clean and meat will fall apart easily.

Do I leave it wrapped when I put it in the cooler

 

[jcam222]

Do I leave it wrapped when I put it in the cooler

Yes you do.

 

[Meat Man Matt]

Not to blatantly repeat all the advice you've already gotten, but I guess I kinda am.
I always brine my pork butts, then cook to somewhere around 160-170, when I get a noticeable stall. Then wrap tight in foil. After the wrap, I will not open the smoker again until 203 degrees, at which point I begin probing. As a few of these guys have already said, you are looking for the butter feel, practically no resistance. This is the point where you stop looking at your thermometer altogether, stick that probe in there and imagine the feel of the meats consistency in regard to shredding.

I have done a handful of butts without the wrap, and had success that way too. At that point you are controlling the bark and the time, but you can get very similar results in the meat either way.

Also, it is very important to probe in several locations, like thirdeye pointed out. You may get a different feel in certain spots, so don't be shy.

Finally, the rest is a critical step too. I'm sure someone here could give you a very scientific explanation on why that is, but I basically chock it up to the fact that the carryover will allow the rest of the collagens to break down properly, and then the slow cooling (versus unwrapping and attacking right away) allows all that fat and goodness to really permeate throughout the entirety of the meat.

Welcome to the forums, and please keep trying! Nothing better than BBQ!

Side note: I just put a 10lb butt in a brine tonight, I'll try to remember to take some pics and post it. Wife's bday barbecue this weekend.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

Another thing is to de-fat the juices and add back to meat after you shred. Something I learned from Jake and works well.

 

[jcam222]

Another thing is to de-fat the juices and add back to meat after you shred. Something I learned from Jake and works well.

I always do this too Brian. I actually run a pan of pork or chicken broth under my butts to have lots of smokey au jus.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

I always do this too Brian. I actually run a pan of pork or chicken broth under my butts to have lots of smokey au jus.

You talking about a shelf under butt or pan butt sits in?

 

[jcam222]

You talking about a shelf under butt or pan butt sits in?

I use both the juice from the pan I wrap in as well as a pan of broth underneath that the meat drips in until I wrap. Always have leftover that I freeze and use in the winter for indoor cooking to add smoke to dishes

 

[chef jimmyj]

Lots of good answers. I'll add, I have not rested a Butt that was probe tender All Over and the Bone came out Clean, more that 30 minutes before pulling. I have found that if you make sure the meat is Probe Tender, from multiple sides, long Cooler Rests are just not needed. Of course cooler rest won't Hurt anything either if you so choose...JJ