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Are there other ways to cook a butt

Meat
Meat Posts: 233
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
What do you get if you cook a butt at temps in the 350 range as opposed to 250 for a bunch of hours. I figure you probaly can't pull it. Does it come out like ham or another texture? Long cooks aren't in the cards right now (two jobs) and I want to try a butt. Might be a goofy question but I thought I'd throw it out there. Thanks. FG

Comments

  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    Butts can be done faster, but the whole idea behind the low and slow is to give time for the Collagen and connective tissue to break down.

    Personally if you don't have time you should wait.

    Your other option is to get a BBQ Guru. It's ramp mode is designed for just your problem.
  • Celtic Wolf,

    Pork steaks. Mmmmm.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • I have read about guys who have done a hot and fast cook with butts and brisket around those 350 temps. I believe they use a lot of liquid injection and foiling of the meat. Those who have done it say that there isn't that much of a difference. I have not done personally but would like to do some time and see what it is like.

    http://www.kickassbbq.com/Quick_Cook_Boston_Butt.htm
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    There are those too :)
  • jeffinsgf
    jeffinsgf Posts: 1,259
    For a faster cook and a different taste, look at my recipe for Puerco Pibil in the recipe section.
  • JLOCKHART29
    JLOCKHART29 Posts: 5,897
    I do them in the 300-350 range quite often with 4 or 5 lb butts and cook them to 165 meat temp. as slice pork. Never tryed to run it up to pulled temps but works gret sliced.
  • gthom
    gthom Posts: 36
    i've done it several times in a pinch.

    you can pull it (thats what she said), but the texture of the meat is a little slimy (thats what she said)

    seriously, the fat doesn't break down the same way and from what i've experienced, it isn't as easy to pull and its greasy instead of moist.

    however, its still good eatin' and i've never had any complaints when cooking it fast.
  • jbh
    jbh Posts: 23
    I've been pushing them out at 250F grate and around 275-300F dome and they're ok. A little more than an hour a pound.

    As noted, they're different than they're "supposed to be" but 16-hour nightly butt cooks aren't part of the plan right now. A while back I did one at 350F grate and while it sorta worked, it isn't something I'd want to do again.

    On another forum, Billybones noted that injections and mops appeared to be displacing the fat from the meat, and that the moist mouthfeel comes from the fat, not from liquid; I directly compared injected and not injected and I believe he's right. The pumped-up butt seemed a bit dryer than the non-pumped.

    You can save a bit of time by using small boneless butts. The time saved isn't proportional; you'll have longer cooks per pound of solid meat but the overall time will be shorter.
  • Squeeze
    Squeeze Posts: 717
    You know Pete, our fast method breaks down all of the collagen and connective tissue. Actually did 2 7 lb butts last weekend and they were amazing, totally pullable, great bark and amazing flavor. There are ways to do it quick and have a taste and texture the same if not better than a long cook.

    -Kevin
    Kevin Jacques
    The University of Que L.L.C. ®
    Killen, AL
    www.uofque.com

    Take Your Taste Buds to School!