My butt tasted like ham...

Yazoo · August 2004

OK, I admit it. I posted the anonymous question under "newbie" about the "hammy bbq". I figured you all thought I had lots of BBQ competition trophies proudly displayed in my house and I didn't wanted to lose face here [p]So let me repeat my question. I did my first low and slow butt this past weekend, but it tasted like ham. Not a little, a lot! Why????[p]I don't think it was because of the meat. I've bought many, many butts from the same store before and never had this happen. I've cooked many butts on the grill before, but never low and slow and never with a rub. They've always been plain and cooked at 350-400 for ~4 hrs indirect, then chopped and vinegar and pepper sauce added.[p]Here's how I did this one. I rubbed a 7.5 lb butt with the Eggfest Butt Rub and let it sit in the fridge for about 20 hrs, then I smeared some mustard on it and let it sit for another 3 or 4 hours. Used good lump for the cook. It cooked indirect over an inverted plate setter, foil drip pan on plate setter, grill on the legs of the plate setter. I had three 2 inch chucks of hickory in the lump at different depths. One was on top and burned right away. The cook went fairly well. Cooked at 225 grill temp (250-300 dome temp) for a little more than 17 hours. Took it off when the internal temp hit 200. The only other thing I was surprised about was that the outside did not have much of a dark crust on it and not as much fat rendered out of it as I expected. It was tender and juicy, but it tasted like ham. Did I cure it like a ham by letting sit that long with a rub on it? Did it smoke too early in the cook or smoke too much?[p]By the way, for other newbies like me. I added lump half way up the fire ring, not the fire box. I wasn't meticulous about how I added it, but I didn't just dump it in either. It cooked for over 17 hours and I still had over half of the lump left. Check out the diagrams so you know the difference between the fire box and the fire ring and don't be afraid to fill it with good lump charcoal.

Nature Boy · August 2004

Yazoo,
My first thought is that your butt was injected with that "up to 12% solution...." crap. Many stores are going to this injected case-ready meat, and it does tend to have a hammy taste. Many of the stores that I used to buy natural uninjected butts only have the injected versions now. Not sure about your store, but it might be worth a revisit or a phone call.[p]20 hours is a long time to have the rub on there, but should not make the whole thing taste hammy.
Just some thoughts.[p]Cheers!
Chris

Smokey · August 2004

Nature Boy,[p]That's something worth looking into. I bought a butt at Wally World yesterday (while looking for lump). It was "Tyson" brand and was on sale $1.09 per lb. Most of the time, I just get it from my the butcher at the grocery store. Tonight, when I get home, I will check to see if it's that injected crap. If it is, I don't know what I'll do with it.[p]

Jethro · August 2004

Smokey,[p]I pretty sure I read somewhere that Tyson is the leading perpetrator of this. So you'll probably find out it has it, but post back and let us know.[p]Keep em Smokin,
Jethro

eggor · August 2004

Smokey,
I bought a couple of those for this past weekends cook I don't believe the package said any thing about anything added but it looked like there was a lot of solution in the
cryovac though. After a finally got the temp where I wanted, things went ok and the pulled pork turned out just fine, maybe a little on the dry side so if there was added solution it didn't hurt it.[p]Scott

Nature Boy · August 2004

Howdy Scott,
I doubt yours was injected. If it has the solution, it is required (supposed) to be marked on the package. Both the taste AND the texture are different with that junk added. [p]Speaking of pulled pork, I just snagged some from the freezer leftover from Vermont. Dat dere is me loonch![p]Cheers
Chris

Unknown · August 2004

I think all of Tyson's stuff is injected or is in a solution. It is good for people who love salt and can't cook. Bad for the rest of us.

JM3 · August 2004

Smokey,[p] The Tyson Wally World pork butts are what I cook most of the time and have never had a "hammy" pulled pork. They drop the price to $0.98/pound every once in awhile.[p]John

eggor · August 2004

Nature Boy,[p]by the way, used your rib rub from the submitted recipes on some baby backs a couple weeks ago. the wife said the ribs and the rub were very good and not to change a thing. Thanks

stike · August 2004

Yazoo,
i have a stoopid question, but was it TRULY a boston butt, or could it have been a picnic shoulder?[p]i find the shoulders are hammier, and i didn't know the difference between a butt and a shoulder til I got a few under my belt and finally asked.

Yazoo · August 2004

stike,[p]It was a boston butt. I think the problem was a combination of letting the meat marinate with rub on it for 24 hours, maybe a little cold smoking of the butt (had a chuck of history going as soon as the meat went on), and possibly a butt with the injected solution. I've had one of those chickens packaged in that junk, but I don't think this pork was like that. I'm not discouraged. I'm going to get a butt from a local small scale pork processor. They do everything from slaughter to retail at the same site. Nahaunta Pork Center if anyone finds themselves in Wayne County, NC. I'm going to wait to rub it until just before I put it on too. I'll let you all know how it turns out. Thanks for the feedback.

stike · August 2004

Yazoo,
hmmm. I always try to get the boston butt when I can because I tend to think it's less hammy (to me, anyway). [p]let us know how the fresh one turns out.

My butt tasted like ham...

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