Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

When to pull a pork butt...

Right now my shoulder is stuck at 185 but the bone is pulling out without resistance. Should I pull if off the egg? TIA. 

Comments

  • matoch
    matoch Posts: 135
    If you can probe it all over with no resistance I'd pull it. However I'm by no means an expert.
    Edmonton, Alberta - XL & Minimax
  • JohnnyTarheel
    JohnnyTarheel Posts: 6,629
    Keep cooking till around 200 or when in probes like butter. Bone will pull out...
    Charlotte, NC - Large BGE 2014, Maverick ET 733, Thermopen, Nest, Platesetter, Woo2 and Extender w/Grid, Kick Ash Basket, Pizza Stone, SS Smokeware Cap, Blackstone 36"
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,785
    Seems early but...how does it feel when you probe it...like buttah or still resistance.  If it feels right then time to declare victory-if not then let it ride.  Pork butts are very forgiving.
    I generally see them finish around the low 200's but every pig to his own.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
  • Texag06ish
    Texag06ish Posts: 135
    edited June 2016
    It's probing easily and the bone is pulling out easily. I don't want to dry it out. I have a rough few cooks. Dry brisket and I created a new flavor of drum sticks - "lump charcoal". 
  • jls9595
    jls9595 Posts: 1,533
    very difficult to dry out a pork butt   I'd let it get to at least 195  I normally pull mine between 195 and 200
    In Manchester, TN
    Vol For Life!
  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
    You can pull now if the bone will pull. There maybe some areas that don't pull the best, so just chop that. 

    If you have to FTC, you're likely okay to pull now and pull all of it. 

    I pull my butts at 175° anyway,  but I chop. 
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
    Instagram
    Facebook
    My Photography Site
  • AaronH
    AaronH Posts: 145
    203-205 is the proper pulling temp. Try a few different temps

    XLBGE /MiniBGE / Maverick 733 x 2/ Woo2 / CGS 17.5 Stone

    North Carolina land
  • I pull at 200. The stall at 185 is normal

    Carrollton, Kentucky
  • Wardster
    Wardster Posts: 1,006

    Crank the heat up to get her to 200.  You can't damage it now....


    Apollo Beach, FL
  • 500
    500 Posts: 3,184
    When I did one yesterday; see http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1195693/pork-butt-cook-in-the-style-of-500/p1
    Mrs. 500
    was pressing me to finish she it so we could eat. Against my best effort to keep this cook a true low and slow, I bumped the Egg temp up to about 375 after it had reached 185 IT. I probed it and it was soft in some places and some resistance in others. It was like 200 in some spots and 188 in others. I pulled it and just before I wrapped it I pulled off the money muscle and ate it immediately. That was very tender and tasty. No sauce needed. Again against my will I unwrapped it after a 1 1/2 hour FTC. I wanted to keep it FTC for up to 4 hours as I've read a long rest is s good. Before I pulled it I asked the eaters to have their plates ready as I felt this would dry out quickly after pulling. Parts pulled easily and other had some effort to tear the strands. Mrs. 500 said it was tough and dry like I suspected it would be because of her rushing me. (She didn't want our guests to wait because they had to take their daughter to a social event later that evening.)  I thought it was not my best effort as well. I need to adjust my start time earlier so I can pull it off when I want and FTC as long as I want next time. I may even F and put it back on after the stall next time. We'll see. Was fun experimenting and gaining knowledge for the next one. 
    I like my butt rubbed and my pork pulled.
    Member since 2009
  • Texag06ish
    Texag06ish Posts: 135
    Wound up pulling it at 195. Not too bad. 
  • westernbbq
    westernbbq Posts: 2,490
    I think a great zone to be in is 195-200.   I did shoulder yesterday and took it off the egg at 197, let it rest for ten mins and it was so easy to shred into pure bbq bliss i was, as i always am, ultra pleased with the bge results.   I am sure other smokers yield great results too but bge with guru set up and the lack of attention required is just awesome.   
  • Texag06ish
    Texag06ish Posts: 135
    Thanks again for all the input.