QUESTION... internal temperature for super tender meat, but...

[waltiti]

Hi guys, I'm new.

I have a gas vertical smoker, and I use the gas in minimum because I like to use wood chunks or half size logs, gas burn the logs and make a little fire, I like cherry for a mild smoke, like to keep the smoker in 250, and I use a big water pan to prevent direct fire. At 160-165 meat temp I cover with foil, no juice or nothing and let them cook until 200.

But I want to ask what is the best internal temperature to stop cooking for Boston Butt and Brisket, if I want the meat finish super tender, like melt in your mouth, BUT WITH SOME SHAPE, means I can cut it with a knife to serve, for example a cut a 1-2 inch steak, and cut this steak in 2 inches squares.

I thinking 190-195, not sure if is too much.

At what temp collagen and meat break down, I thing that is the right temp to remove for what I want.

Thanks guys.
Walt

 

[waltiti]

Planing to do this tomorrow for daughter birthday party.

 

[noboundaries]

Personally, my experience with both BB and Brisket is 190-195F final IT is rarely melt in your mouth tender, and often tastes dry. It has reached tenderness a couple of times for me at those low temps, but not often. My target temp is usually higher, but probing the meat tells me when it is done.

Use IT as a guide WHEN to probe the meat. Probing the meat will give a better indication of when it is done than final IT. You want to slice the meat, not pull it. You can start probing at 190F, but I think you'll find the result you are looking for around 200F IT. It could happen a few degrees sooner or later, but once you start probing you'll feel the difference in tenderness that just a few degrees can make.

Collagen breaks down with temp and time. Common wisdom says it starts melting between 160-170F IT for brisket and butts in a smoker. Once again, depend on the probe. Let the meat tell you when it is done to the level you want.

 

[waltiti]

Thanks man,

I have 3 BB, planning to smoke until they get 160-165, after that I will wrap in foil, until IT get 200.

Question I know wrapping in foil accelerate the cooking process... So that could make at the end the meat collagen don't break apart well and at the end the tenderness will not be so good.?

Also, I planning to leave them inside a cooler for an hour, if I Have time..

Is the birthday of my daughter at around 2pm and I want have this BB done at 2 pm, I planning to start at 5am.

What you think.?
Walt

 

[noboundaries]

What size are each of the BBs? 250F in your chamber and 8 hours, that's not enough time if your BBs are in the 7-8 lb range.

 

[waltiti]

yes they are 7lbs to 7 1/2 lbs, so I have to do a hot and fast smoke, around 275-300 wraped at 165?

 

[bregent]

until IT get 200.

I would heed noboundaries advice and not rely on a specific internal temp. IT is not what determines when a butt is tender. Last butt I cooked was very tender at 186.

 

[noboundaries]

yes they are 7lbs to 7 1/2 lbs, so I have to do a hot and fast smoke, around 275-300 wraped at 165?

Yes.

 

[waltiti]

Thanks for the help guys, I go to sleep, I have to wake up at 5am lol !!!!

 

[waltiti]

I done with both pork butts at 11am starting at 5:30am, 5:30 hs total, hot and fast, 300-350 , wrapped at 160-165, taked out at 205, meat super tender, falls apart, but have some shape, I can pull chunky pieces for sandwiches, the smoke intensity is like medium smoke, I use hickory, run out of cherry quick.

Now I have to keep the warm until 2:30 pm when the birthday party start, can give an idea for that. ????

Thanks
Walt

 

[noboundaries]

Just leave them wrapped and put them in cooler (no ice obviously) to stay hot. You're good for 5+ hours that way, easily.

If you're limited on cooler space, put them out of the way someplace at room temp and pile some old, still folded towels on top of them for insulation. That's what I do most of the time for 3 hours or so. Here's a pic of a resting pork butt, covered in foil and under towels. I put one underneath too.

 

[waltiti]

I unwrap both, because I don't believe in my thermometers, this was too fast, so with one I unwrap and pull it in chunkies pieces, the other one unwrapped I leave it whole,I put all in a big aluminium tray, and put on one side the chunky pieces with some of the juices of the meat and in the other side the whole piece, I wrap the tray and put it in the oven at 140, is the lowest my oven goes.

Not sure is that's ok ??

 

[noboundaries]

How does it taste? Tender or not?

 

[waltiti]

Man was delicious, super tender, nice bark and really good smoke ring. The somoke taste was, for me that I like cherry for a mild smoke, was perfect, not overwlmed or strong smoke taste.

When I unwrap and pull in chunks the meats looks awesome, mix of nice colors, like pink/red smoke, bark and meat. I leave one BB pulled in chunks and the other whole inside an aluminium try covered with aluminium foil, and put them on the oven for 2-3 hours at 145, when I open that to serve , the pulled meat on top loose the smoke color, but the whole piece looks awesome., both pieces taste the same, I think in the oven at 145 the meat steam a little and and loose the nice color.

Next time I will do the towell trick, or leave them on the oven wraped.

thanks guys
walt

 

[tardissmoker]

If the daughter was happy, you did excellent, if the guests were happy you did very good, if you were happy you should be.

 

[mike5051]

Great job Walt!

Mike

 

[waltiti]

Ho also I deboned both BB, I know bone make taste good, but I was scared about time.
Also I use some vinegar on the water pan when smoking, I ready helps with the smoke color.

But was a win win, everybody happy!!!

Thanks guys !!!!

 

[noboundaries]

Yeah! Glad it all went so well.