Butterfly Boston Butt

Eublet · April 2009

Anyone ever tried to butterfly a butt before smoking? I'm wondering about this, not because it might speed up the cooking process, but because it would give you more surface area to get more rub and more bark...hence more flavor.

Grandpas Grub · April 2009

Are you thinking pulled or sliced?

You will get more bark as there will be more surface area.

Thinner cuts will cook faster for pulled and I wonder how/if the plateau will process.

Doesn't hurt to give an idea a try, that's how new things come about.

GG

Darnoc · April 2009

On a fast cook the fat and connective tissue would not break down.

Celtic Wolf · April 2009

Extra contamination surface..

If you butterfly the meat you might as well cut it up in pork steaks..

Eublet · April 2009

Extra conamination surface? I don't understand that. You butterfly it, rub it down, let it sit for a couple of hours, and then put it on the grill. The outside areas where the contamination is likely to be gets up to temp very quickly.

And I don't want it cut up into pork steaks. I want pulled pork, but with more bark mixed in so that I get more flavor from the rub and smoke.

Eublet · April 2009

I want it pulled. I'm thinking I could cook it a little lower, 200-220 grate temp, to compensate for the faster cook.

Eublet · April 2009

I'm not sure. Smaller butts cook at a faster temp yet they break down. You might be right, but I am tending to think it'll cook just fine.

Of course, all I really have to do is try it.

Fidel · April 2009

So if you butterfly a cut of meat then put it on the grill you increase the risk of contamination? I understand if you butterfly it then put it in the fridge for any length of time, but if you cook it relatively quickly after cutting it, how would the risk increase?

Celtic Wolf · April 2009

Read his reply!! Rub it up and put it in the fridge!!

Celtic Wolf · April 2009

Butterfly mean you are opening up the interior to possible contamination..

Furthermore it will cook faster and will not allow the rendering of the collagen and fat that occurs with the thicker cuts.

To me that extra few inches of bark are not worth tough meat..

However, from your replies you are going to do it anyway. My advice is to leave it alone. You are free to do what you want.

Fidel · April 2009

As long as it is in the fridge "for a couple hours" then I really don't see the increased risk. Especially after it is rubbed with a rub that presumably contains an appreciable amount of salt.

Darnoc · April 2009

Your answer is.Buy more butts and enjoy.How much more can it cost for the people that enjoy the bark.On a second thought get some country style ribs and TRX them to get you bark and mix it up with the pulled MOIST BUTT MEAT.

Celtic Wolf · April 2009

He's going to plop this down on a cutting board or counter in his home and cut it with a kitchen knife.

But hey it's his choice.. The few inches of extra bark are just not worth it to me..

Fidel · April 2009

Don't you plop it down on a cutting board or counter and cut it with a knife anyway? Do you not trim at least some of the fat away before you add the rub?

You know my stance on bark - just remove some or all of the fat cap and get it on all sides if you want more. I don't think opening it up will do anything positive for the end result, I just don't see the increased risk of contamination.

Celtic Wolf · April 2009

I follow the lessons I learned in my food safety course and handle the meat the least amount that I can. I wear gloves and no it doesn't hit the counter or a cutting board.

Cut the cryovax, rub it up and put it in the cooker. I will admit I have cut corners on occasion, but it is not wise to tempt fate.

stike · April 2009

contamination's only a problem if he rolls it back up again.

stike · April 2009

or to tempt it

Celtic Wolf · April 2009

what I said!! :woohoo:

cookn biker · April 2009

Once you put a knife on the surface, and cut through the meat,the contaminantes that are their are traveled through the meat on the knife. Hence, more contamination. My 2 bits.

Fidel · April 2009

How are you adding more contaminants in this scenario? Are you using a dirty knife?

Any bacteria there will multiply regardless of their physical location on the meat. Unless you add more bacteria to the meat (i.e. a contaminated knife) then there is no additional risk.

cookn biker · April 2009

It's like cutting fruit. There are contaminantes on the outer surfase and once you put the knife in they could possibly grab hold of the knife and travel thru.

Fidel · April 2009

I agree...but you aren't adding any more to the meat when you cut it - just moving them around.

cookn biker · April 2009

You are right on with that.

stike · April 2009

thank god for the edit button....

Chubby · April 2009

Yes..it will cook just fine...but the texture will not be the same as a whole Butt...regardless of the size.

You will, (as you say have more "bark")...and if that's what you're really after...why not cook one butterflied as above..(and a small one whole)!

You'd have the best of both worlds in your book!

Evans

stike · April 2009

well. that pork ain't very "contaminated" to begin with. and if it is, it's contaminated with bacteria already on it, which would have multiplied whether or not you moved them to a new surface.

there;'s is no danger in cutting up meat before cooking it. otherwise, steak would be a no-no.

my reference to him rolling it up is directly related to the danger of ground meat. if you introduce the exterior to the interior, and then do not properly cook the interior, you have a potential problem. if you cut up a piece of meat into small pieces of meat (or butterfly it), but don't roll them back togehter, then all the bacteria is still external.

the fear is moot anyway, as he's taking the thing to about 200 internal.

there is virtually no issue (bacteria wise) in butterflying the meat. whether it affects the cook or not, i dunno.

but he isn't creating a bacteria risk any more than he would if he cut it into the very pork steaks pete told him to.

in fact, to tell him that cutting it once down the middle and butterflying it is dangerous (bacterially), but that he should instead cut it up many more times into chops (creating vastly more exterior surface), is contradictory.

stike · April 2009

and no matter how many times you cut, you don't add any more, and they never get to the interior. each of your cuts has increased surface are, but not the amount of bacteria. a few minutes in the cooker, and the bacteria is dead. not so if it were deboned and re-rolled, or ground up.

Butterfly Boston Butt

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