Question about "tubes" on pork butt..

[hagfish16]

Hi all- first post here.. I've done my fair share of pork butts on my bge- usually turbo style but sometimes overnight / lower temp- both ways turn out great IMO.. Anyways, here's my question.. As great as the butts turn out, I'm wondering if they could even be "better". Here's what I mean.. The money muscle and most parts of the butt are probe tender when I take it off the egg, but usually the "tubes" on top/middle aren't quite probe tender- there's still some give when probing..

I've experimented with waiting on this part to become probe tender but get apprehensive when the temps start to get past 205-208 and I get worried the other parts are going to get overdone so I just pull it and rest. Do any of you keep waiting for the "tubes" to get all the way probe tender or is that kind of just "the way it is" and they just don't get as tender as the other muscles.. I've done some googling and really haven't seen much discussion about it- thanks for any thoughts!

 

[hardcookin]

Always pull mine, when I got good bone wiggle and the bone pulls out.

 

[browneyesvictim]

Seems a bit overthinking. Unless you are doing a competition cook, just go with what your instinct tells you it is done. It will all shred up together with the rest of it and wont know the difference.

 

[DanMcG]

What are the "tubes"? Sorry this is the first time I've heard this description. Sounds like you're talking about the coppa, and also called the money muscle, which is the top but you said that's not the issue.

 

[hagfish16]

My understanding is that the money muscle is opposite of the bone side- and as I said that area I always let get to the point where it's like complete butter when I probe it, and other parts as well.. The part that is consistently not totally probe tender is when I come in through the top in the middle, even if the temps are anywhere between 195 and I've even let them get as high as 210 probing during those temp changes. I've heard this top/middle part referred to by some (including Malcom @ howtobbqright) as the tubes. As someone said, yea I'm probably over-thinking it- but as many times as I've done pork butts, it's never *completely* probe tender on all parts, and I've just wondered if others experience the same thing..

 

[gmc2003]

I've never heard of tubes either, but I found this on the internet.

Chris

 

[DanMcG]

LOL I had to look it up too. I guess tubes are a thing.

 

[ThickRibs]

LOL I had to look it up too. I guess tubes are a thing.

They sure are! I like to keep the tubes whole and shred everything else, adds a different texture to pulled pork. Give it a try some time