Butts in 7 hours???

rprice54 · May 2011

Okay second attempt at butts. First butt went to 200 degrees in 11 hours but the egg got away from me and was over 300 when I checked it (before I had a maverick). This time, Two ~7lb butts from SAMs. Loaded up the egg, heated up and when the dome reached 200 I put them on (Maverick grill temp ~250). The egg finally settled in around 250 on the dome (~275 grill temp) a few hour later.

It's only 7 hours later, I woke up and checked my thermometer, and I'm already at 189, I was planning on pulling around 192 based on my last experience (went to 200 and meat was too dry). I went out and checked the butts. The bone wiggles but doesn't just slide out. The probe slides in easy. They seem close, but I'm surprised at how quickly they went.

I checked my maverick probes when I bought them and they were within 1-2 degrees. I checked the butts with my instant read thermometer (which is calibrated) and I get 189-191 in the middle of each butt.

Maverick is holding at 189, and maybe this is my plateau, but I'm surprised at how quickly we got here. I have my temp alarms set, the egg didn't get away from me. It had drifted down to about 260 grill temp, 225 dome temp by this point. 250 dome temp is what I found in several places online.

I'm gonna keep rollin at 189 as long as I can, but curious what you guys think.

GirlyEgg · May 2011

That's faIrly normal for me...i put on at 9p or 10p and pull at 6a ...200 degrees...juiicy , very moist and hot for lunch after resting in HDAF and newspapee for several hours...no gadgets used...

gdenby · May 2011

It is somewhat unusual to have a grill temp higher than the dome. Are you cooking direct?

Some butts do get done really quickly. I think my record was about 50 min/lb, dome 250, indirect. The picnic I have going right now had the least fat cap I've seen. Maybe the pork is being raised even leaner.

rprice54 · May 2011

My grill temps are always higher. I figured b/c you're that much closer to the heat source. Indirect setup, plate setter, drip pan, grid, butts. I make sure to put the grill probe somewhere over the drip pan if possible. I get even higher temps if I put it on the edge away from the plate setter.

The butts just finished, pulled at 200 to try and stretch it out. It did hold 189 most of that time. They pass the fork test, and that little pinch from the surface is quite juicy, so I think I'm good. We'll find out in a few hours when I pull it. This was meant for dinner, should I slap it in the fridge after pulling or keep at 170 in the oven? I was planning on finishing later. So how do you guys get these 20 hour smokes? Bigger butts? My cook time ended up at 8:28. I guess next time I'm making dinner I'll just start in the morning.

gdenby · May 2011

A rule of thumb is that every time the volume of the meat piece doubles, the cooking time increases by 4. So a 10 pounder, being about half again as big as a 7 pounder, should take about twice as long.

You can hold butts a long time by wrapping them in HD foil, then in towels, and place them in a "cooler" with bottles of hot tap water. After 6 hours, they should still be above 160 if wrapped at 200.

If I have to hold a long time, I assume I will "steam" the meat in a low power 'wave, and serve with hot souce, or place it in a slow cooker on warm, with a little cola.

rprice54 · May 2011

My oven has a 'keep warm' function where it holds food at 170. I'm looking at 10 hours between now and dinner. Would that fly?

Sundown · May 2011

Sometimes you end up buying "enhanced meats" enhanced to "make them taste better". Injected with a solution of salt and whatever else they have on hand then sold.

I have had one or two over the years that were enhanced and we knew because the meat was mushy and soft. They cooked fairly fast.

Then you get into turbo butts. A butt that just plain cooks fast. That'll mess up your day something wicked. When that happens: wrap in foil a couple of towels and into the cooler where I've held them for as long as 6 hours and still burn my little digits when I went to pull them.

In short, every piece of meat is different. But, look to see if the meat you buy is enhanced. I will be in very small type somewhere on the label

Sorry to be so windy this morning. back to my coffee.

SmokeyPitt · May 2011

I would think holding them in the oven at 170 would be fine. You could wrap the whole butts in foil nice and tight to keep them from drying out, then pull them when it is time to serve.

I personally like reheated just fine, so I think I might just pull...fridge...reheat later. However, if you want that "fresh pulled taste" then I think holding the whole butts might be the best option.

Austin Smoker · May 2011

Had two 7.25 pounders that were done in less than 9 hrs this weekend. Two 8 pounders that went 13 two weeks ago....it's just the way the butt bounces. :laugh:

I have a really good cooler I use for travelling with meat from hunting. I wrap in foil, towels and then throw them in the Yeti, keeping my temp probe in one. The two this weekend held in there for 6 hours, and dropped to only 165. I have also wrapped in foil and help in a 170 degree oven as described above and it works great too.

rprice54 · May 2011

Thanks for all the replies. The verdict, the butts were GREAT!!! I pulled them, let them rest for an hour, double wrapped and then put them in the fridge, warmed them back up for two hours at 170 and then pulled. Very tender and very juicy, who can ask for anything else.

I highly recommend the mojo pulled pork from the food network (Bobby Flay's recipe). I may never make a 'Carolina' style butt again... okay, I will, but the next one will be more of the mojo.

Thanks for the encouragement, I was convinced I had done something wrong and I would be going out for pizza for our memorial day party.

I ended up doing two butts, a grate full of chicken (for those who didn't want pork), and some cajun grilled shrimp for an appetizer all on the same load of lump. Beautiful day.

Butts in 7 hours???

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