My First Butt(s) - Going for Turbo

HDmstng

We are having a potluck luncheon at work on Tuesday so I decided to try some pulled pork to bring in.  Had planned on cooking them on tomorrow, but thunderstorms are expected so thought I'd get them done today.  Time won't allow a regular low and slow and with on and off showers expected, I'm going to try the Turbo Texas Crutch Method that Hi54Putty did here.  http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1137430/turbo-butt-success-and-pic

Basically 350 dome until the stall hits around 160, wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil (HDAF) and pull around 200F internal.  Have twp butts for a total of 14.5 lbs from Costco.  Trimmed a lot of the fat off, and on one slathered regular old mustard followed by Dizzy Pig Dust and the other just straight Dizzy Pig Dust.  Figured might as well run the experiment since I have two.

The plan is to pull them tonight once they are done and store in ziplock baggies.  The bulk will be reheated in a crockpot on Tuesday with some added coke a cola for the PotLuck.  

Should I freeze or just refrigerate since the potluck is going to be three days away?

BENTE

fridge will be ok for just three days. i wouldn't freeze therm in a ziplock i would only freeze if you have a foodsaver. but that is just me

Que_n_Brew

I would refrigerate. If it were 4 days, I may think differently. I'm not up to date on the culonary "rules" as far as that goes....but 3 days is my cut off. Plus freezing and then having to thaw out is just more work. Enjoy!

HDmstng

Thanks guys, the Egg was running up on me a bit, but got the meat on and now trying to make sure it gets back up to 350 ish.  

Oh, also using apple chunks for smoke.

Got the Maverick in and am reading 280 at the grid.

HDmstng

Dome was reading 400F, maverick 290F at the grid.  Quick check of the dome in boiling water and all was well.  Repositioned the maverick a littler further out and am now reading 334 and dome is at 380 (I shut the daisy wheel) slightly.  

Internal temp is 124F after about an hour now.  

HDmstng

35 minutes later IT is 156F. Grid is running at 309F and dropping a bit. Wondering if I'll need to wrap it at this rate.

BENTE

HDmstng  wedll how did it turn out? did you take any more pictures? you know we love pictures around here

HDmstng

Sorry for the delay, my two year old came down with a cold and maybe even pink eye, and had been up most of Saturday night.  If I had known that, would have done it low and slow as I was up with him.  He's doing fine now, plenty of energy, just one eye that is blood shot and he is in snot production overdrive!

The butts finished in about 6 hours and I thought they were pretty darn good.  Couldn't taste any difference between the one with mustard (the smaller one) vs the one without, although the one with out was much easier to pull apart and was juicier.  While I trimmed a lot of the outer fat, the second one seemed to have a lot more internal fat which I think contributed to it being juicier and easier to pull apart.  

I pulled the smaller one about 20-30 minutes before the slightly bigger one, and it had internal temps around 200 +/- 5F all over.  The egg did start to take off on me after I removed the smaller one, the temp at the grid eventually got up to 360 and it finished off the second one a lot faster.  Wasn't overdone though, and turned out a bit better than the first one.

Finally understood the "In like buttah" test.  In my case, using my thermapen, I could tell if the temp was 200+ just by the way it slid in while probing.  

I liked the speed of the turbo method, and didn't have to do a Texas crutch as they were done in 6 hours.  One drawback, and this maybe the case even at low and slows, was that the ends were done much sooner, but the thinner ends got really done and dry.  Granted I do like the done/burnt ends, but maybe that is one of the trade offs.

Did use Wicked Good Weekend Warrior and as others have said, huge chunks!  My wife, who has been complaining about the charcoal/smokey smell of the Royal Oak actually ate some of the pulled pork and didn't notice the smell.  While the morning sickness and such has been getting better, I have a feeling it was due to the neutrality of the WGWW lump.  Think I'll be ordering more from my local Ace after all.  

A couple of pics, this is the first butt off the Egg and pulled.  Not sure if the finger picture came out, but lesson learned, don't try and adjust the grill probe holder barehanded.  Have a brand of the probe holder on the tip of my finger!

HDmstng

Was able to fill about 1.5 gallons of butt into the crockpot here at work this morning.  Still have about 1/2 gallon left in one of the ziplock bags.  Added about 10oz of regular coca-cola and is heating now.