A little Advice on current cook

[FixySLN]

Hey team,

Been following the forums for a couple of months and finally ran into a situation that necessitates a post.

Currently cooking a 12 LB BUTT on my WSM. Started at midnight, ran the smoker around 275 to cut the cook down a little bit. My issues is, it cut the cook down by an extra 2 hours more than I expected. Serving family and neighbors around 1700 EST, currently 1100 and looking at a 183 internal temp. Guessing I've got an hour left before 190.

Goal is to serve something with a little bit of a bite, not overly tender. I'm a bit confused as to how cook time, rest time, and pull temp effects the tenderness of the end-product. Should I pull at 190 and let my cooler hang onto it until later? Any feedback, suggestions, or advice? Recommend a good finisher?

Apologies for the wall of text, multiple requests, and my blithering. Thanks for your time!

-Fixy

 

[gmc2003]

First welcome to the site. Are you sure about your temps - both smoker and butt? If you are - the pulling stage probably won't happen until you reach 200 to 205 so you'll most likely be closer to your serving time then you think. If you are really worried about finish time. Then close your bottom vents a little and bring your WSM temps down to 240*. Finally if your within a few hours of serving time double wrap the butt with aluminum foil pop it into a cooler and cover it with towels. It should stay hot for a few hours. Note: I would let the butt rest until it drops to 170/180* before putting it in the cooler.

Chris

Let us know how it turns out.

 

[WaterRat]

When to pull it off the cooker: take a probe (thermometer, skewer, whatever) and poke it in. It should go in easy. If you feel resistance like little fibers breaking keep cooking. My butts usually go to 205 before I pull 'em, so probe don't just go by temp. You can also grab and wiggle the bone, if it's ready to pull out the butt is done.

 

[FixySLN]

Chris, thanks for the warm welcome. I'm not sure about anything, if I'm honest. I just get lucky occasionally.

I'll pull at 200 (probing before hand), currently sitting at 193. I'll let her rest a bit before I put her in the cooler. I'll post some eye candy when I take her off. Appreciate the advice from you and WaterRat

 

[FixySLN]

Grabbed a shot while I was spritzing:

 

[fivetricks]

Yep. 205 ish for pulled and I'd take it to 195 if you want to slice. I also think it will take longer than you think to get there, but as mentioned above, a butt can sit wrapped in foil and towels then preferably in a cooler for hours and hours and still be hot.

I always leave myself 4 extra planned hours on a butt cook because I know it will rest of it finishes early or on time, and if I have problems, I've given myself a big window of extra time to finish up with.