Sliced butt instead of pulled (Advice Needed!)

johnkitchens

Okay I need some advice here. First off I would like to say that Mrs. K is a very picky eater. Being raised in Georgia on BBQ (pulled pork) has her mind set on what pulled pork is supposed to be. 

A family member of hers owns our local BBQ joint, and she loves the pulled pork which actually is chopped and not pulled. Any time I cook a butt and pull it she isn't crazy about it because it "isn't as good" yak, yak, yak. 

So I am trying to compromise with her and she suggested that she might like a sliced butt. At this point I am willing to try anything. I love to cook so I am game for whatever. 

From what I have read here the sliced window would be 160-180 or so. Is that accurate? Also would I get better results if I go low and slow or turbo? Another question I have is what wood do you guys prefer to use when cooking a butt? I have pecan, hickory, and apple chunks. I also have Jack Daniels whiskey barrel wood blocks. 

Also how long do you guys typically wait to put your meet on AFTER you put your chunks in? 

Any advice would be most appreciated. 

calracefan

I usually light my fire , put my chunks of apple (Pork) in, platesetter,foil balls, empty drip pan, grid. Let everything come up to temp together with vents wide open until about 50 degrees below target temp. Shut vents down to about where I think they need to be and let temp stabilize. By the time it stabilizes it is usuallt burning clean and is ready for the meat. Good Luck !

500

Don't take my advice as golden, but here's my thoughts:
If she likes chopped, the chop it, not slice it.  I would add some rub in the chop and also a little bit of vinegar based sauce, like this one; http://amazingribs.com/recipes/BBQ_sauces/lexington_dip.html, because I think chopping it will dry it out, and you'll need some moisture. 
Still run it to normal pulling temps, like 195*-200*, then FTC for at least an hour before pulling and chopping.  If you can afford the time, low and slow, around 275* dome temp.  And the smoking wood is apple and hickory.  Add the chunks after the fire is stabilized, and let some of the initial smoke burn off before adding the meat; about 20 or 30 minutes after adding the wood.

Carolina Q

Never cooked a butt that wasn't "pullable" so no help there. Why don't you ask the family member how he does his Q? What cut of meat (butt, whole shoulder, whole hog), what wood, what rub, what cook temp, what pull temp? Should hit it pretty close if you can duplicate those things.

DaveRichardson

I've done them at about 170-ish low and slow style.  Get a small butt, because slicing will give you a lot of pieces.  Set up just as a normal low and slow.  Nothing funky or fancy.  You can also chop a little at that temp, but it won't be as tender.

Lit

You have to cook to a lower temp to slice or chop. If you chop a butt that is cooked to pullable the texture isn't right its just mush. Sliced or chopped I cook to about 185 internal. There was a post on here chopped versus pulled and someone mentioned this and I tried it and haven't cooked to 200 plus since.

Lit

Just an edit to my post above I would check it at 180 and start looking around there.

NPHuskerFL

I'm thinking pull at 180℉-185℉. Tent it and allow the remaining fat to solidify to a certain extent. I think the biggest obstacle in slicing it will be the muscle grains run in so many different directions. Want to see a success as I have thought of doing this myself.

badinfluence

@johnkitchens‌ a shoulder is not really the best cut of pork to slice. There really is only 2 parts in the whole packer that is used for slicing. The money muscle and the horn. I pull at 170 for slicers and 205 for pulled.

best bet is use a loin for slicers.

badinfluence

Oh yeah and it is a southern thing with the chopped vs. Pulled pork.

johnkitchens

Thank you so much guys. I am hoping to do one this weekend. 

johnkitchens

Carolina Q said:

Never cooked a butt that wasn't "pullable" so no help there. Why don't you ask the family member how he does his Q? What cut of meat (butt, whole shoulder, whole hog), what wood, what rub, what cook temp, what pull temp? Should hit it pretty close if you can duplicate those things.

I have tried with no luck. He wouldn't tell me anything! 

Little Steven

I don't know if it's the same in the US but we get shoulder roasts here. They are cut from the shoulder and a lot of the fat and sinew is removed. Then they are rolled and tied. These are normally cooked to around 160* to allow some of the fat to melt.

Eggcelsior

Are you saying you don't like chopped? I'm on your wife's side since that is what I consider BBQ(noun). I can understand why some may not like it but that is due to what @Lit said(overcooking = mush). 

Cook lower or separate out the money muscle and slice that, pulling everything else. It is usually the part that finishes first(around 180) and then the rest of the pork by the bone finishes closer to 200. It's the start of the loin so it doesn't get worked very much(not as much connective tissue). You could pull it off at 180 and then let the rest of the roast to 195-200ish. Here is an example of a blind box turn-in at a competition with the money muscle, sliced, down the middle. The image is from TVWBB.

Carolina Q

John, 4th cousin twice removed huh?

I have talked to a couple of NC Q joints who say they use no rub, just salt. Some use oak, some hickory. Or both. Haven't talked to anyone who uses other woods.

Some use pig parts, others the whole thing. I haven't tried all of those options, but understand they can be quite different.

The last one I egged was a butt with just a little salt and pepper and white oak for smoke (used RO lump). The meat flavor was quite different from what I get from my usual home brew similar to Elder Ward style rub. Milder, more pork less spice flavor. Quite good, but different.

Maybe a milder flavor is the key. Try salt and oak next time. Good luck.

johnkitchens

I like chopped, pulled or sliced. I am easy to please. It is the wife that is picky. If you saw me and you saw her you would know why I try to make her happy! 

fishlessman

why not slice some and chop the rest. that way she has to make a choice. when theres 2 things to choose from you have to choose what you like better (just so you know this is a trick you use on two year olds)

GATraveller

I feel bad that the cow doesn't get to use their money muscle very often......must be married.

rtbarry

Pull it into big chunks (not shredded), then let her slice hers from the big chunks.

The image Eggcelsior posted is a winner too.

NPHuskerFL

@GATraveller‌ )

tarheelmatt

@johnkitchens‌, about 180° you can have some sliced and so.e pulled.

I pull at 180°ish as I like coarse chopped Q instead of pulled.

johnkitchens

I planned on cooking two butts today, but I am nursing broken ribs, and I didn't feel like it. I did however give in to the egging urge and cooked ribeyes this evening. 

SGH

johnkitchens said:

I planned on cooking two butts today, but I am nursing broken ribs, and I didn't feel like it

Sorry to hear about the broken ribs. Hope you have a speedy recovery my friend. Will be standing by for the sliced pork. 

NPHuskerFL

johnkitchens said:

I planned on cooking two butts today, but I am nursing broken ribs, and I didn't feel like it. I did however give in to the egging urge and cooked ribeyes this evening. 

Sorry if I missed how this injury occurred? What happened? And most of all cheers to a speedy recovery mi amigo.

johnkitchens

Thanks @SGH and @NPHuskerFL. At 4AM Friday morning I woke up and walked down the hall to my bathroom. I started to feel like I was going to pass out, and the next thing I knew I heard my wife screaming my name. 

I was laid out on the cold granite floor. I had about a second or two when I felt like I was going down. I didn't want to hit my head on the toilet so I leaned back a little and put my hand out. It worked because I fell backward instead of forward. I am not sure, but I think I fell on the tp stand and that is what broke my ribs. I am bruised up pretty good, and the right side of my head still hurts to the touch, but I will make it. I am 6' 2" so my head had a nice ride down to the floor.  

No alcohol was involved! 

theyolksonyou

John, make sure you buy charmin next time. That cheap a$$ Scott's $hit is too hard to fall on! B-)

wishing you a speedy recovery. PS don't laugh that will hurt.

SGH

@EGGjlmh‌ I posted these in the wrong spot. But here they are my friend. 

 Fire box floor. Inlet wall. Baffle plate under cooking grid Main chamber drain Internal Exhaust rim Sorry that it took so long to post. These long hours are taking up most of my time as of late. But nonetheless, here they are my friend.

johnkitchens

@SGH I think your above post is meant to be posted here:

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1176069/a-forum-member-helped-me-out#latest

SGH

Sorry brother John. You are correct. My mistake.

Jeremiah

Man that sucks. Speedy recovery.

johnkitchens

Thanks @Jeremiah.