What to do when half a butt is done, the other is not?

[2Scoops]

I've run in to this a few times and have been meaning to post. I've had a few butts where half the butt (let's say left side) is probe tender but the other side is running a few degrees cooler and not quite done. Do you just leave it on longer or do you take it off the smoker at that point assuming it will come to temp while resting?

Thanks

 

[boykjo]

keep going till all the butt is done. You can foil wrap to help insulate the butt to finish

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Leave it on until it probes tender everywhere.

 

[Marknmd]

Instinctively, I'd rotate the butt so the cool half is towards the fire if you can. Otherwise, I think it depends on what you mean by "a few degrees." Also what time is dinner? Wrapped and holding could bring it to doneness depending on the time and temp. A few weeks ago I pulled a brisket with the flat showing 189 F, wrapped it and held it in my oven at 150 for 7 hours and it was the best flat ever. I'd say it's a judgement call depending on the situation. Hard to go wrong with a butt. Good luck

 

[gmc2003]

Rotate and keep on keeping on.

Chris

 

[2Scoops]

Thanks for all the replies. Typically it's about a 5-7 degree difference. The butt that I have on right now is only about a 3 degree difference so far. I rotated it a few hours ago.

 

[pit 4 brains]

Are you cooking bone-in butts? I do mine until the bone pulls out effortlessly and clean, then foil tent and rest for 30-45 or so minutes. I quit checking temps a long time ago.

 

[JeffShoaf]

I think the higher temp that most shoot for is to aid pulling. Around here, most of the old school bbq restaurants serve chopped butts; it's the Lexington, NC style and it's usually smoked to 180° to 185°(not that they measure it). At that temp, the bone will usually pull right out and you can easily separate the different muscles and then chop with a cleaver. After chopping, the results are all mixed by hand so most bites have a bit of bark and some of each muscle.

Eastern NC/SC style whole-hog bbq, it's pretty much impossible to get all of the hog to pulling temp without overcooking something so they manage heat distribution, cover quicker cooking sections during part of the cook, and look for 180° or above everywhere. After separating the ribs and other cuts for serving separately, they chop everything else and mix it all together (including some bits of crispy skin) so that ask the different textures and flavors and degrees of doneness are ask blended together.

The point of this is that you might wanna try stopping the cook at the point you describe above and chop instead of pulling. It's still very tender but has a different texture and mouth feel than most pulled pork.

My 85 year old mum usually complains that pulled pork is stringy; she eats it anyway.