My big butt

DobieDad

Last Friday I started the largest pork shoulder I have ever cooked, 11.75 lbs.[p]It cooked under the control of a Guru for 15 hours. I pulled it at 195 and wonderfully fork tender.[p]I wrapped it and placed it in a cooler. I thought it would take longer, so it came off early and stayed in the cooler for about 7 hours.[p]It was plenty hot when we pulled it. Our guests, my wife's cousins from Holland, had never had American BBQ, and as they helped pull, they helped themselves to bits of bark and bits of meat they called 'sweet and silky smooth'.[p]It was the best butt I have ever cooked.[p]My question goes to those who have been cookin' butts since Moses was knee-high: Did I just get a good piece of meat, or do larger butts produce better PP?[p]Just curious.[p]And thanks for your thoughts.[p]BTW, we sent them on their way in their RV touring the US loaded with FoodSaver packs of the rest of the butt, frozen spares we cooked last week, , salmon we smoked last season, meat loaf we smoked the week before . . . well, you get the idea. They were pretty impressed by the food that came off our Egg, and need not stop again at a fast food restaurant. They could not get enough ABTs! (and of course, loved the name!).[p]DD

thirdeye

<p />DobieDad,[p]Not sure if "larger is better" is a steadfast rule, the ones I buy are usually in the 8/9 pound range. But the longer rested ones always give me better texture than the short rested ones. If there is a chance my bark will get too dark I will foil around 185° or so and finish in the foil. These are "silky" also. [p]~thirdeye~

DobieDad

thirdeye,[p]So a long rest produces better meat. That actually works better when entertaining, freeing up me, the Egg, or both for other tasks.[p]Thanks![p]DD