Need Help - "Newbie" Egg User Getting Dried Out Rubbery Meats

Unknown · November 2005

Hello Egg Friends,

I'm having a difficult time with my new BGE. I am a fairly new owner and almost every time I go to make Elder Ward's version of pulled pork, I end up with a dried tough piece of Boson Butt. I have done it once successfully, and after many attempts, I really can't seem to perfect this recipe and duplicate it. What am I doing wrong. Why is the meat rubbery and why won't it shred? Are temp spikes doing this? Is the meat cooking too long? At too high a temp? What is the most common cause for tough, unedible BBQ. Need help desperately before I do something crazy like switching back to my Cheapo Brinkmann water smoker! [p]Your in-debted friend, [p]The "Gator" Griller[p]

dhuffjr · November 2005

Gator Griller,
How long are you cooking it and at what temp?

TideJoe · November 2005

Sounds like your cooking temps are too high or your cooking for two long..... but it's probably a combination of both. For a 10lb butt, it usually takes me about 18 hours at 230-240F.

BlueSmoke · November 2005

Gator Griller,
I did 12 pounds of butt last week. It took about 13 hours; 250 until the internal temp hit 150, then 300 till internal hit 200. The cook was indirect; platesetter holding a drip pan below the grill. I sprayed every hour on the hour with straight apple juice. Other than rendered fat and juice overspray, the pan was empty.[p]This was among the best, if not The Best, butt I've ever done.[p]I don't know how this compares to your set up, but I hope it will give you some clues as to what to do.[p]Ken

drbbq · November 2005

Gator Griller,[p]My gues would be that it's not cooking long enough. It takes a really really long time to dry out a pork butt on the overdone side, and even then it wouldn't be rubbery.

stike · November 2005

Gator Griller,
you mention using elder ward's recipe but then mention temp spikes, too long a cook, and too high a temp.[p]are you using a temperature probe for the meat? you cannot go by time and dome temp. you MUST know the internal temp of the meat. pull anywhere from 180minimum internal temp to 200, even 205.[p]are you experiencing fluctuating dome temps? if so, try to stabilize the temp. don't fiddle with it less than fifteen minutes after the last adjustment, and do not try to 'establish a good fire' by shooting to 300-350 then trying bring it DOWN to 250 (or whatever your target temp is. [p]any of these things the case?[p]welcome aboard, b/t/w[p]

Unknown · November 2005

dhuffjr,[p]Cooking it at around 190-240 range. I try for a consistent 200, however it seems as though whenever I cook it I encounter spikes and drops in the temp, so I really end up with the above listed range. Additionally, it seems to be taking forever, like around 24hrs for an 8-10lb butt. Is this normal? I'm cooking it via the indirect method with a ceramic baking stone suspended directly over the fire box. Let me know if you can think of anything else I may be doing wrong. Thanks in advance for your help.[p]The "Gator" Griller

Unknown · November 2005

stike,[p]Possibly three of them. Many times I will get my temp up to around 260 before placing the butt on the grid. I then have a very difficult time getting it down to around 200-210. This fluctuation in meat cooking temp probably isn't good for the meat. Additionally, I seem to have to adjust the vents a lot due to spikes and drops in temp. Again, this could possibly be causing some of the toughness. Lastly, the meat will sometimes take over 24hrs and will still be at around 150 degrees when I wake up. In these cases, I have opened up both the daisy wheel and the air flow on bottom, and have gotten the Egg up to 350-400 to finish the job. I know your supposed to go low and slow, and that trying to finish the recipe early probably isn't helping, but after 24hrs shouldn't the meat be at the right temp? Thanks in advance for your help.[p]The Gator Griller

JDOTR · November 2005

The Gator Griller,
Pork will spoil if it is below 160 for 24 hours. Check the calibration of the dome thermometer using boiling h2o and then try cooking ~250 dome temp. An 8-9lb butt will usually take 12-13 hours to reach 190 internal. Open the bottom vent approx an eighth of an inch and use the daisy wheel to control the temps.
Good Luck
Chet

Sundown · November 2005

Gator Griller,
Sounds like you're under cooking your meat. 250º is the minimum temp to try to hold that will be consistant. When you are trying to get to your target temp sneak up on it. By that I mean ease up to 250º by closing down your bottom draft. When you get to 250º let it stabilize for a bit and at that point you can do your tweaking. When you make an adjustment make it small (just a tap - you're taking tiny fractions of an inch here) and wait for it to settle. USe a polder, make sure it isn't touching a bone and relax. One sure test for doneness Nature Boy uses is the fork test. Stick a fork in the meat and twist it gently. If it's done it will be real easy if it's not you'll know. There's no set time for these dang things! I've had a 10 pounder cook in 12 hours and the last shoulder (10.5 lbs) I did took a full 24 hours. It's almost impossiable to over cook a butt or a shoulder as far as I know. We'll help you get there don't worry.

stike · November 2005

The Gator Griller,
the trick is, if you want your dome temp at 200-210 (that's pretty low, try 220,225), then get it to target temp and keep it there before adding the meat.[p]putting the meat on might give you a short term drop in dome temp, but keep in mind the fire hasn't really changed at all. short term does of oxygen, but nuthing big.[p]which means, a 225 fire. open dome. fumble with meat and racks, put on relatively cold meat. shut dome. dome says 180, maybe 190. what do you do? nothing. you still have a 225 fire, it's just the thermometer is telling you the short term temp of cold air in the egg, and a lot of mass sucking up heat (the meat).[p]the fire is chugging away producing the same output as it was before you open the lid. which means after the short term (the initial shock of the cold), you'll come right back to pretty near the original temp.[p]if you need to adjust lo and slo temps, do it in a way that barely moves the daisy.[p]don't try to go five degrees by cranking her open then trying to clamp down right as the needle passes the desired temp.[p]this is no joke... a lo and slo is zen. you can stand there and hover and pace and it won't come out right. or you can set it, be at one with your beverage, and let it do its thing.

stike · November 2005

forgot to add....[p]the meat should be past 150 pretty soon in the cook, by the way. something else is going on... i think you have too lo a dome temp to begin with, and it sounds like you are overcorrecting by going high, then back down, then back up.[p]

drbbq · November 2005

The Gator Griller,[p]Do you notice a line at the bathroom after dinner?[p]You're cooking at waaaay too low of a temp and are creating a danger to whoever eats that pork. Try cooking at a dome temp of 250 and don't panic if it's 275. Just ease on back down. The pork can take that temp.

Unknown · November 2005

drbbq,[p]Thanks for the advice. I'm doing another boston butt tomorrow. I'll let you know how it turns out.[p]The "Gator" Griller

RhumAndJerk · November 2005

Gator Griller,
I don't want to oversimplify things, but try boiling some water and check the calibration of your thermometers. Also, you did not mention the size of BGE that you using but make sure that the dome thermometer is not touching the meat and make sure that the meat probe is not touching the bone.[p]Hope this helps,
RhumAndJerk

Need Help - "Newbie" Egg User Getting Dried Out Rubbery Meats

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