First Time Pork Butt W/BGE, Not a Good Experience

jccuk · May 2015

Did an overnight smoke of a 10lb butt, first time smoking a butt on my BGE XL. Have a Flame Boss that was set at 220, but my Maverick showed 230 throughout the night. Did not open the lid until my temp on the butt hit 190. Did not foil as I would usually do when using my Akorn - heard many people did not foil when using BGE. The pork butt was very dry and the bark was very black and could have been determined to be burnt some. The temp hit 190 after 18 hours in the BGE.

Would like to know what I need to do for the pork butt to come out moist and tender since I will be doing a smoke for a wedding soon. The temp on the dome thermometer gave me a reading of approximately 275 during the smoke. Is there somewhere that I need to be placing my temp sensor on my Flame Boss to accurately give me temp inside of the BGE during the smoke? Any suggestions would be grateful.

tcracing · May 2015

I know it's a stupid question, but you did go indirect?

fishlessman · May 2015

i cook mine over 200 internal, i like the heavey bark. 190 may not have been done cooking in some places? some things to do if you dont like a heavy bark, basting, tenting, and i had one with no bark whatsoever lighting the fire below thru the lower vent. i mentioned tenting, not wrapping, wrapping steams it though that may be what your looking for

johnkitchens · May 2015

tcracing said:

I know it's a stupid question, but you did go indirect?

I don't think he could have gone direct. After 18 hours direct there wouldn't have been anything left.

Ozzie_Isaac · May 2015

I am not a big fan of butts without wrapping. Once the bark gets to the color I want I wrap. I don't go by temp I go by color.

Then I start probing at 195. Usually its fully rendered around 200 to 205.

jccuk · May 2015

Yes, I did go indirect by using the plate setter. I did wrap it in foil so the splatter would not get all over the plate setter, don't know if that had an effect or not. I did use my Thermapen to check the internal temp which showed most places at 190 degrees, but the pork was not tender at all, which is my major complaint, hardly any juices at all when I wrapped it in foil to let it rest for one half hour before shredding.

jccuk · May 2015

Saw on another post that putting liquid in a pan at the beginning of the smoke might have had an impact on not being juicy and tender at the end of the smoke, did fill up a 4x8 pan with 50% apple juice and 50% water below the butt at the beginning of the smoke.

johnkitchens · May 2015

Maybe it was just a bad butt. I would try again.

Spydermunky · May 2015

This might sound wierd, but I've had similar issues, and I beleive it's from wrapping the PS in foil rather than using a drip pan. I've noticed when I wrap the PS in foil, the fat tends to run off into the fire, producing bad smoke. It gives the outer bark a mild rancid flavor that some may think is burned. When I use a drip pan, I don't get the same issues.

As far as the dryness factor, I've never had that issue. Even when my bark is black, my internal is still moist.

fishlessman · May 2015

still thinking it needed to cook to a higher temp while protecting the bark, mine dont fall apart tender til around 200 plus/ minus

Ozzie_Isaac · May 2015

I agree with @fishlessman rereading your description I would guess undercooked.

Overcooked pork butt will be crumbly but tasty. Perfectly cooked will be moist and easy to pull. Undercooked will seem dry and tough.

fruitguy · May 2015

+1 for under cooked. Closer to 200 but just as important is that there should be no resistance when checking the temp

Spydermunky · May 2015

Another question.... How long did you let it rest before you pulled it?

Also, using a temp controller increases airflow, which decreases moisture, and can make the bark a lot tougher. If your Flame Boss was running frequently, it could've had an impact on the bark. l wouldn't think it would be enough to consider it burned though...

But I agree with Fishlessman. Running it up to 200ish is always my target temp...

aukerns08 · May 2015

fishlessman said:

still thinking it needed to cook to a higher temp while protecting the bark, mine dont fall apart tender til around 200 plus/ minus

+1. I don't cook Low and Slow to temp anymore, I'm going by feel and probe tender. Temp helps you know when to start checking but I've had some done at 190 and others go to 205 or higher. I've also been getting better results since I gave up on 225 degree pit temp and bumped it up to 250-275 degrees. Plus they're done faster.

Mac8111 · May 2015

I am beginner as well, but have had two great pork butt cooks lately.

I did inject some apple cider/water/spice mixture into the butts before. Nothing really specific. Just figured I needed some moisture in there. Also seasoned the hell out of it with a rub, salt, pepper.

I have my plate setter wrapped in foil, but I also have a water pan on top of it. I put some more of the apple cider vinegar /water mixture in there.

I cooked it at 250 until it hit 160 internal temp. (probably 7-8 hours).

Once it hit 160, I pulled it, sprayed it with same mixture, wrapped it, and put it back on until it hit 195 internal. (another 3 hours or so??) Once it got close to 190-195, I did unwrap the top, and just put a light glaze of sauce on the top (Franklin's Vinegar sauce) and let it sit on the pit uncovered (30-45 min) so that the sauce glazed.

Pull, let sit in cooler and then PROFIT.

jccuk · May 2015

I let it set for 1/2 hour in the cooler. It was dry and crumbly at 190. My question is how does it get tender if it is so dry at 190 and then I need to take it to 200 to get tender? I will try any and all suggestions given. Never had a problem with the old 55 gallon drum smoker that my dad made many years ago.

Philly35 · May 2015

Undercooked. The fat/collegen wasn't all melted down yet which is where the juice comes from.

GATraveller · May 2015

Pics would have made this a lot easier to diagnose.

Hotch · May 2015

@jccuk As stated there are many ways to cook a butt. Once you have honed in the one that suits you, you can then work out the details that leads to a great cook. And then repeat that every time. As others here, I have cook dozens and dozens of butts. I learned early on you start with the best protein you can get. Now days all of mine are fresh from the butcher and always bone in. If all else fails, you know it is done when you reach in and that bone just pulls out without any resistance.

My first cooks were at 220, now I start at 240-250. Salt and pepper, Texas style, and never open till the butt is at least 190 for the IT. I have learned a fresh butt almost never will reach over 200 for the IT. Probe it for like butter, bone pulls out, then take it and tent it for min of 30 minutes. If your serving time is not so close, I can FTC that butt for up to 6-8 hours. This is what works for me.

r8rs4lf · May 2015

jccuk said:

Yes, I did go indirect by using the plate setter. I did wrap it in foil so the splatter would not get all over the plate setter, don't know if that had an effect or not. I did use my Thermapen to check the internal temp which showed most places at 190 degrees, but the pork was not tender at all, which is my major complaint, hardly any juices at all when I wrapped it in foil to let it rest for one half hour before shredding.

Under cooked and did not let it rest long enough IMO.

I cook mine to 205* and factor in at least 2 hours FTC in the overall cook time.

Carolina Q · May 2015

Undercooked. I don't even start checking until it reaches 195°. When temp probe goes in with no resistance or the bone can be pulled out, it it done There is no need to foil/towel/cooler a butt unless it is done early.They do not need to rest. I pull mine as soon as it comes off the egg. Always.

stemc33 · May 2015

I agree with @johnkitchens about the possibility of a bad butt. I only go by temp to see how close I'm getting. At 190° I probe the butt and wiggle the bone to determine doneness and no longer worry about temp except for curiosity. It really is a feel thing for a butt. Some things just are better when you feel them.

As as far as the bark, did it taste burnt. Some butts get black but aren't burnt, just black. If yours tasted burnt cooking at those temps, it was probably due to juices hitting the plate setter. Try using a drip pan that is elevated just slightly from the PS by some sort of spacer. Aluminum foil will work. It helps keep the fat drippings from burning and helps prevent an acrid smoke taste produced by burnt fat.

jccuk · May 2015

Next time I will take pictures. The bad part is there was no fat or collagen in the butt when I took it off. I think I will chock this one to a bad butt - don't know if anyone has had problems with Tyson butts, but if memory serves me correct, the last time I had a dried out butt is was a Tyson butt from Walmart. Just had the urge to get in on quick to do a overnight smoke and grabbed it from Walmart. Love all of the posts and will incorporate. Will try another this weekend and see how it comes out - will not use Tyson.

jccuk · May 2015

By the way, love this forum!

bboulier · May 2015

Never had problem. Recommend you look up posts on a turbo butt.

WeberWho · May 2015

I stopped using mustard on my butts. I didn't like the texture of the bark when done. I just place the rub right onto the butt which helps eliminate some of that black bark

fishlessman · May 2015

betting that tyson butt had the water solution added, main reason i go to the butchershop instead of the local supermarket for butts and spares.

Dave in Florida · May 2015

As far as having liquid in a pan, I don't think that had anything to do with it. It was either a bad butt or undercooked or both. I know you don't need liquid in a pan with the egg but when I do butts and ribs I usually add 50/50 water and apple juice to the drip pan. Just the way I started and have been doing it for 5 years on the egg without any issues.

Backyard Mike · May 2015

+1 inject
+1 drip pan
+1 foil at 180
+1 cook until 200 or so when bone pulls out easily
+1 rest longer in cooler

tjv · May 2015

couple things:

- try a smaller butt, 6-8 lbs, if possible. Around me, butts are running big right now.

- to many thermometers will drive you nuts, in any cooker. make sure the flameboss pit probe is over the ceramic piece, like the meat, or hooked to the dome thermometer. keep pit probe couple inches from any meat.

- what lump did you use, if cheap lump (mexican mesquite) try a better lump. should help on color,

- when the butts get to your desired bark or color, can wrap in foil or butcher paper. wrapping may soften the bark.

- make sure bone in butts, not bonless.

- try 3 or 4 chunks of smoking wood. peach or the mellower hardwoods - maple, pecan, or cherry.

- 200 is a good internal (doneness) temp on butts. important to let it rest in a cooler for an hour or so.

- I don't recommend a water pan, can inhibit bark development.

- can try a fast high temp butt cook, google it and you should see plenty of info. deep bark development can be an issue

t

jccuk · May 2015

Thanks for all of the posts. Second time was a charm, did 2 - 8lb butts they turned out wonderful. Still have little questions about the temp. Flame boss says pit is 230, Maverick ET-732 says 190, BGE temp gauge says 225, at a loss of what temp I should go by. Also, have 4 butts on now, overnight smoke, will have to smoke 6 butts soon for a wedding, what type of rack would anyone suggest so that I can smoke them all at one time?

First Time Pork Butt W/BGE, Not a Good Experience

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