Turbo Butt Questions

Wanasmoke · July 2015

First turbo yesterday as dinner with family came together late. Seemed to work well, 6.5 lb butt, homemade rub, applewood and about 5.5 hrs at 350. I pulled it off at 195 and covered loosely with butcher paper and stuck it in the micro oven.

Pulled it about an hour and a half later- temp was still about 175. I thought the bark stayed crunchy this way but it did seem a bit dried out and I'm not sure why? It was a pretty lean shoulder or maybe I should've wrapped it tightly when I was holding it? Forgot also that my rub didn't have salt in it as I salted separately last time- maybe that had something to do with it? The Sheboygan hard rolls made it worthwhile though.

Any advice or observations welcome.....

biggreenrob · July 2015

Great looking butt. Slaw looks on point too.

TigerTony · July 2015

Turbo is overrated. Just my opinion. I know some swear to the method. Low and slow has never failed me. The one turbo butt I cooked was a disappointment. If I don't have the time to go low and slow, I skip the cook, and cook something else.

Fredb · July 2015

Was the butt bone-in or boneless? The reason I ask is the boneless butts seem to dry out easier than bone-in. Just my experience.

dldawes1 · July 2015

I've never tried turbo , yet. I was talked into it, now I have reservations again !!! Thanks friend !! (Just kidding !).

Some of the "old hands" around here swear by turbo...that being said, you must have done something different, and my suspicion is the failure to FTC.

FTC (Foil, Towel, Cooler) ia an absolute must in my book. I have never egged a butt yet, that I did not FTC, I always have juices running out even up to 5 hrs after removing from the egg.

I will do my best to do my first turbo butt this weekend and report my findings for you.

From the pics...it looks absolutely awesome. I think the dryness came after the cook. Just my opinion.

JohnnyTarheel · July 2015

Looks like a great cook.. Great color and ring.... I know a lot have converted to turbo method..... But it just can't beat low-n-slow... I have tried turbo multiple times but just never as good..

JohnInCarolina · July 2015

Part of the issue I think is that there seems to be different interpretations on just what qualifies something to be a "turbo" butt. For some, it simply means raising the temperature and lowering the cook time, full stop. For others, it means that at some stage the butt is wrapped in foil to power through the stall. Still for others, a true turbo butt is injected.

All of these choices have an impact on the cook time, the amount of bark that forms, as well as the moisture level in the final product. Each of those matters in different ways to different people. I think that's why opinions vary so much on this topic.

dldawes1 · July 2015

Thanks JIC. There is so much to learn. I am dieing to try one, but have not "mapped out" my recipe yet. I guess when I get closer...maybe this weekend, I'll have a game plan ready.

I greatly appreciate your comment. It is very easy to get confused around here, when you are a new guy like me !!!!

sumoconnell · July 2015

The dry meat may have come from 195 temp, I usually go for 205 for pulled pork. Less than that and some butts aren't as broken down, and would seem dry. It's like an overdone pork chop at 195 for some butts, and like buttah for others. at 205 they are all good.

Wanasmoke · July 2015

The shoulder was bone in and it slid out easily. I was hesitant to try the FTC as I had read some posts that your bark will not be as crispy which did not sound appealing to me. It sat in my very small convection microwave which was off and was loosely covered in butcher paper. Don't get me wrong - it wasn't terrible, just not as moist as I had hoped. I think I will give the FTC a try next time and see what happens. Thanks!

dldawes1 · July 2015

Wanasmoke ...Maybe someone with more experience will chime in on the difference in bark concerning FTC and no FTC. I have only FTCd since I have been egging. This is the only bark I am familiar with. I have never not FTCd a butt so I do not know enough to tell you what difference there would be.

I'm sure we will find out soon...too much knowledge and experience around here.

KSwoll · July 2015

sumoconnell said:

The dry meat may have come from 195 temp, I usually go for 205 for pulled pork. Less than that and some butts aren't as broken down, and would seem dry. It's like an overdone pork chop at 195 for some butts, and like buttah for others. at 205 they are all good.

I cook my Butts to 205 or as close to 205 as possible. Bark is great and the meat is moist and tender. When the temp is 205 I can pull apart with my hands, or fork, or what ever utensil is available at the time, lol. I just did one on Monday that I did not FTC. It went from the Egg to the table. When I do FTC with a temp of 205, it can stay piping hot in the cooler for 7 + hours.

SoCalTim · July 2015

@dldawes1 'Some of the "old hands" around here swear by turbo' ... yeah, I don't get it, the 'old timers' who are retired and have all the time in the world want to turbo and get things done fast, the other (guys who have full time jobs) who have almost no extra time and are busier than heck wanna do 18 hr low & slows.

Too funny ... you'd think it would be opposite!

johnkitchens · July 2015

I have done both, and I prefer the low and slow. Maybe it is in my head, but I feel like I get better results (flavor) going low and slow.

johnkitchens · July 2015

SoCalTim said:

@dldawes1 'Some of the "old hands" around here swear by turbo' ... yeah, I don't get it, the 'old timers' who are retired and have all the time in the world want to turbo and get things done fast, the other (guys who have full time jobs) who have almost no extra time and are busier than heck wanna do 18 hr low & slows.

Too funny ... you'd think it would be opposite!

That is funny. When I started back playing golf last year my game was awful, and I ended up in the rough and the woods a lot. I would always find a lot of golf balls in the rough areas when I was looking for my ball.

I mentioned this to one of the regulars, and I said they must be the ones the older guys are hitting and didn't want to go and look for them. My thoughts were that the older guys would make a bad shot, and if it went into the rough they would just leave it to keep from getting scratched up etc.

He said no that wasn't the case. He said the young guys would leave them, but the older guys would fight off snakes and wade through a waist deep swamp water to get their ball! It wasn't what I was expecting to hear.

Helmet · July 2015

When I did my first turbo butt I FTC, it was incredible. I immediately stated I would never do a low and slow if they came out this good that quick. The next few I did did NOT turn out nearly as good. I kept wondering why until I realized that I didn't FTC the next couple after that. I went back to FTC'ing (I also go to 200ish before it comes off the egg, btw) and that was the difference. The reason I was getting a drier butt was because I didn't FTC after for at least an hour, though I really like to give it two.

dldawes1 · July 2015

Helmet...I'm curious about the difference in bark between FTC and not FTC'd. Can you comment on that ?

dldawes1 · July 2015

I used to work with a guy who said he used baby powder to keep his butt dry....I never did figure out that one !!!

nolaegghead · July 2015

dldawes1 said:

I used to work with a guy who said he used baby powder to keep his butt dry....I never did figure out that one !!!

Powdered babies? Ewww.

DoofusOfTheDay · July 2015

Helmet said:

When I did my first turbo butt I FTC, it was incredible. I immediately stated I would never do a low and slow if they came out this good that quick. The next few I did did NOT turn out nearly as good. I kept wondering why until I realized that I didn't FTC the next couple after that. I went back to FTC'ing (I also go to 200ish before it comes off the egg, btw) and that was the difference. The reason I was getting a drier butt was because I didn't FTC after for at least an hour, though I really like to give it two.

So FTCing it after it's done cooking is kind of like tenting a steak and letting it rest? That's what helps with the moistness?

nolaegghead · July 2015

My opinion is this:

The hotter you cook, you get a different flavor profile. I think you get a bit more of that classic "bacon" flavor if you cook pork hot. Granted, this is just on the outside. You can't heat water too much over it's boiling point, the inside of a piece of meat doesn't know what the outside temperature is

Dryness - Undercooking is the biggest contributor to the sensation of dryness in low and slow cooks. Or the meat is too lean. You can overcook, don't get me wrong.

Internal temperature - you should only use internal temperature to tell you when you're in the ball-park. It's done when it is tender. Anyone that tells you to go by temp alone is giving you bad advice.

FTC - used for PROLONGED holding. There are some benefits to FTC, and if you like them, make sure you plan you cook so the food is done many hours before you want to eat. FTC for an hour or two is harmful. Next, FTC can be harmful.

FTC can be harmful - If you cook your butt, pull it off, FTC it for an hour and get out your trusty "Bear Claws" and go apeshit and pull the entire butt when it's 190F, you have plenty of steam rolling off that meat. Steam is evaporated moisture. Nuff said.

Serving temp - you want to serve around 140F plus or minus. If you're done and you're eating in an hour, don't FTC, let it cool! Cut what you need, as you need it. If you pull it all, cover in a container and you can add moisture to it to keep it juicy. The moisture is really a sensation that comes from the fat and gelatin - low and slow cooks remove more than half the water from the meat and they are dry. Eat some leftovers cold. It's congealed - the gelatin and fat (AKA "moisture") has congealed.

Wanasmoke · July 2015

nolaegghead said:

My opinion is this:

The hotter you cook, you get a different flavor profile. I think you get a bit more of that classic "bacon" flavor if you cook pork hot. Granted, this is just on the outside. You can't heat water too much over it's boiling point, the inside of a piece of meat doesn't know what the outside temperature is

Dryness - Undercooking is the biggest contributor to the sensation of dryness in low and slow cooks. Or the meat is too lean. You can overcook, don't get me wrong.

Internal temperature - you should only use internal temperature to tell you when you're in the ball-park. It's done when it is tender. Anyone that tells you to go by temp alone is giving you bad advice.

FTC - used for PROLONGED holding. There are some benefits to FTC, and if you like them, make sure you plan you cook so the food is done many hours before you want to eat. FTC for an hour or two is harmful. Next, FTC can be harmful.

FTC can be harmful - If you cook your butt, pull it off, FTC it for an hour and get out your trusty "Bear Claws" and go apeshit and pull the entire butt when it's 190F, you have plenty of steam rolling off that meat. Steam is evaporated moisture. Nuff said.

Serving temp - you want to serve around 140F plus or minus. If you're done and you're eating in an hour, don't FTC, let it cool! Cut what you need, as you need it. If you pull it all, cover in a container and you can add moisture to it to keep it juicy. The moisture is really a sensation that comes from the fat and gelatin - low and slow cooks remove more than half the water from the meat and they are dry. Eat some leftovers cold. It's congealed - the gelatin and fat (AKA "moisture") has congealed.

Thanks for this info! Especially that it's not about the internal number, more about the feel. I will pay more attention to that on the next one.

Helmet · July 2015

@dldawes1 I didn't really notice a dramatic difference in bark. If anything it was a bit crunchier just due to the overall dryness when I didn't FTC. I think I'm going to print out the "Butt Bible" that @nolaegghead just posted

Grillmagic · July 2015

nolaegghead said:

My opinion is this:

The hotter you cook, you get a different flavor profile. I think you get a bit more of that classic "bacon" flavor if you cook pork hot. Granted, this is just on the outside. You can't heat water too much over it's boiling point, the inside of a piece of meat doesn't know what the outside temperature is

Dryness - Undercooking is the biggest contributor to the sensation of dryness in low and slow cooks. Or the meat is too lean. You can overcook, don't get me wrong.

Internal temperature - you should only use internal temperature to tell you when you're in the ball-park. It's done when it is tender. Anyone that tells you to go by temp alone is giving you bad advice.

FTC - used for PROLONGED holding. There are some benefits to FTC, and if you like them, make sure you plan you cook so the food is done many hours before you want to eat. FTC for an hour or two is harmful. Next, FTC can be harmful.

FTC can be harmful - If you cook your butt, pull it off, FTC it for an hour and get out your trusty "Bear Claws" and go apeshit and pull the entire butt when it's 190F, you have plenty of steam rolling off that meat. Steam is evaporated moisture. Nuff said.

Serving temp - you want to serve around 140F plus or minus. If you're done and you're eating in an hour, don't FTC, let it cool! Cut what you need, as you need it. If you pull it all, cover in a container and you can add moisture to it to keep it juicy. The moisture is really a sensation that comes from the fat and gelatin - low and slow cooks remove more than half the water from the meat and they are dry. Eat some leftovers cold. It's congealed - the gelatin and fat (AKA "moisture") has congealed.

This is Great, thanks for your insight!

JohnnyTarheel · July 2015

nolaegghead said:

My opinion is this:

The hotter you cook, you get a different flavor profile. I think you get a bit more of that classic "bacon" flavor if you cook pork hot. Granted, this is just on the outside. You can't heat water too much over it's boiling point, the inside of a piece of meat doesn't know what the outside temperature is

Dryness - Undercooking is the biggest contributor to the sensation of dryness in low and slow cooks. Or the meat is too lean. You can overcook, don't get me wrong.

Internal temperature - you should only use internal temperature to tell you when you're in the ball-park. It's done when it is tender. Anyone that tells you to go by temp alone is giving you bad advice.

FTC - used for PROLONGED holding. There are some benefits to FTC, and if you like them, make sure you plan you cook so the food is done many hours before you want to eat. FTC for an hour or two is harmful. Next, FTC can be harmful.

FTC can be harmful - If you cook your butt, pull it off, FTC it for an hour and get out your trusty "Bear Claws" and go apeshit and pull the entire butt when it's 190F, you have plenty of steam rolling off that meat. Steam is evaporated moisture. Nuff said.

Serving temp - you want to serve around 140F plus or minus. If you're done and you're eating in an hour, don't FTC, let it cool! Cut what you need, as you need it. If you pull it all, cover in a container and you can add moisture to it to keep it juicy. The moisture is really a sensation that comes from the fat and gelatin - low and slow cooks remove more than half the water from the meat and they are dry. Eat some leftovers cold. It's congealed - the gelatin and fat (AKA "moisture") has congealed.

Thanks for your insight... Great info

hoofaloos · July 2015

Great info, Nola. My only experience with turbo was last week. 350 for 4:15 to 205 IT and FTC for almost 4 hours. Bark was great and butt was super moist. I did pull it all and it was gone pretty quickly but the little bit that stuck around was pretty dry and hour later. I'm quite sure that would've been the case regardless of the cook method. If I have the time- which really means if I can get it on around 10pm the day before if I'm cooking for dinner b/c it's not like I really need to tend to anything. Once the temp is dialed in, I'm just waiting around 16-18 hours. I don't really even monitor anything and come and go from the house as I need to. Honestly, the turbo cook required more of my attention if I'm adding total time. In the future, I'll probably always go slow and low unless it's sprung on me the day of the meal. Previously, I would've declined to cook or gone with ribs but now, pork butts are back on the table.

Turbo Butt Questions

Comments

Categories