# Newby to pork butt...help



## Petesmokes1214 (Aug 26, 2021)

I'm new to the site and just wanted to say hi and hopefully get some pointers. I smoked a 8lb pork butt today slow indirect heat at 225 for 5 hours until it hit 150 and then wrapped it for another 3 until my internal temp was at 198 and I was so looking forward to a good dinner butt the meat came out n pulled like tuff Pollo sting cheese.i injected the meat really well n basted it every hour. I just don't get it


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## thirdeye (Aug 26, 2021)

Welcome aboard.

You didn't cook it tender.  Internal temperature is only a guide, it's best to probe the meat with an ice pick or skewer in several locations.  Once it probes tender, it's ready for a couple of hours resting in an insulated cooler.  Then it will be ready to eat.

Edit - It probably would have been good as sliced pork. For slicing direction, identify the money muscle end (the striped muscle in the photo) then make your slices perpendicular to it.... which would be 12:00 to 6:00 in the photo.






Here are some chilled slices of a pork butt to give you an idea what they look like. If you see many muscle groups in the slices you know you are slicing in the right direction.


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## Petesmokes1214 (Aug 26, 2021)

thirdeye said:


> You didn't cook it tender.  Internal temperature is only a guide, it's best to probe the meat with an ice pick or skewer in several locations.  Once it probes tender, it's ready for a couple of hours resting in an insulated cooler.  Then it will be ready to eat.


Okay. Thank you for the reply


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## motocrash (Aug 26, 2021)

You didn't get it to probe tender, needed to take it up to ~ 204* or so. When you took it of is when you should have started probing it. 
Looks like 

 thirdeye
 beat me to it.... I will add that whatever you probe it with should slide right in super easy.


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## Petesmokes1214 (Aug 26, 2021)

motocrash said:


> You didn't get it to probe tender, needed to take it up to ~ 204* or so. When you took it of is when you should have started probing it.
> Looks like
> 
> thirdeye
> beat me to it.... I will add that whatever you probe it with should slide right in super easy.


Thanks guys


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## RiversideSm0ker (Aug 26, 2021)

Patience is the secret ingredient to next level pulled pork. The guys have already let you in on the fact that it needs to be probe tender. That's basically the same way it would feel if you were sliding  your probe into a stick of warm butter. It should feel pretty much the same. Once it feels like that you are good to pull it from the smoker or oven. Definitely shoot for over 200 degrees. The collagen won't break down until you hit 195. So 200+ is generally when you will start to get real tenderness in a pork butt. Also, you don't need to spray the meet very often if any. If you do spritz your meat then try not to get the liquid on the fat cap. It will slow down the rendering process by cooling it off. I would suggest getting another pork butt and giving it another try really soon. It's definitely one of the very best bbq staples out there and so delicious. 

I suggest watching this video. He is really good and giving you the full understanding of the process.



G


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## Petesmokes1214 (Aug 26, 2021)

RiversideSm0ker said:


> Patience is the secret ingredient to next level pulled pork. The guys have already let you in on the fact that it needs to be probe tender. That's basically the same way it would feel if you were sliding  your probe into a stick of warm butter. It should feel pretty much the same. Once it feels like that you are good to pull it from the smoker or oven. Definitely shoot for over 200 degrees. The collagen won't break down until you hit 195. So 200+ is generally when you will start to get real tenderness in a pork butt. Also, you don't need to spray the meet very often if any. If you do spritz your meat then try not to get the liquid on the fat cap. It will slow down the rendering process by cooling it off. I would suggest getting another pork butt and giving it another try really soon. It's definitely one of the very best bbq staples out there and so delicious.
> 
> I suggest watching this video. He is really good and giving you the full understanding of the process.
> 
> ...



Really appreciate it. Thanks


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## SmokinEdge (Aug 26, 2021)

No offense, but I really don’t believe the internal temp was 195* after 8 hours at 225* you might have been there cooking 250-275* which is where I suggest you cook a butt. Probing for tender is the only way to know when the meat is done. No need to check the temp either, except for reference. When the probe slides into the meat like it was a tub of peanutbutter, Then it’s done. 200-215* IT.


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## Petesmokes1214 (Aug 26, 2021)

SmokinEdge said:


> No offense, but I really don’t believe the internal temp was 195* after 8 hours at 225* you might have been there cooking 250-275* which is where I suggest you cook a butt. Probing for tender is the only way to know when the meat is done. No need to check the temp either, except for reference. When the probe slides into the meat like it was a tub of peanutbutter, Then it’s done. 200-215* IT.


Thanks


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## motocrash (Aug 26, 2021)

RiversideSm0ker said:


> Also, you don't need to spray the meet very often if any.


Yeah, it just prolongs the cook by evaporative cooling, not to mention letting heat out of the smoker. Stick to injecting or just use a finishing sauce after it's pulled.
I use a finishing sauce, much easier. Good bark and  a tasty finishing sauce rocks


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## JLeonard (Aug 26, 2021)

Welcome to the forums from Mississippi. You've already gotten tons of advice. look forward to more pics of your next excellent butt! 

Jim


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## jcam222 (Aug 26, 2021)

Looks like you’ve gotten lots of good advice. One thing I’d do is check your thermometer for accuracy. Make sure the thermometer isn’t sitting on the bone too. I cook to about 160, wrap tightly in a pan with a cup of liquid and cook to 203F-205F. Don’t shortcut testing the meat for an hour then. Just put the whole thing in a cooler with some towels. Do this and the bone will pull clean and meat  will fall apart easily.


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## Petesmokes1214 (Aug 26, 2021)

jcam222 said:


> Looks like you’ve gotten lots of good advice. One thing I’d do is check your thermometer for accuracy. Make sure the thermometer isn’t sitting on the bone too. I cook to about 160, wrap tightly in a pan with a cup of liquid and cook to 203F-205F. Don’t shortcut testing the meat for an hour then. Just put the whole thing in a cooler with some towels. Do this and the bone will pull clean and meat  will fall apart easily.


Do I leave it wrapped when I put it in the cooler


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## jcam222 (Aug 26, 2021)

Petesmokes1214 said:


> Do I leave it wrapped when I put it in the cooler


Yes you do.


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## Meat Man Matt (Aug 27, 2021)

Not to blatantly repeat all the advice you've already gotten, but I guess I kinda am.
I always brine my pork butts,  then cook to somewhere around 160-170, when I get a noticeable stall. Then wrap tight in foil. After the wrap, I will not open the smoker again until 203 degrees, at which point I begin probing. As a few of these guys have already said,  you are looking for the butter feel, practically no resistance. This is the point where you stop looking at your thermometer altogether, stick that probe in there and imagine the feel of the meats consistency in regard to shredding.

I have done a handful of butts without the wrap, and had success that way too. At that point you are controlling the bark and the time, but you can get very similar results in the meat either way.

Also, it is very important to probe in several locations, like 

 thirdeye
 pointed out. You may get a different feel in certain spots, so don't be shy.

Finally, the rest is a critical step too. I'm sure someone here could give you a very scientific explanation on why that is, but I basically chock it up to the fact that the carryover will allow the rest of the collagens to break down properly, and then the slow cooling (versus unwrapping and attacking right away) allows all that fat and goodness to really permeate throughout the entirety of the meat.

Welcome to the forums, and please keep trying! Nothing better than BBQ!

Side note: I just put a 10lb butt in a brine tonight, I'll try to remember to take some pics and post it. Wife's bday barbecue this weekend.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Aug 27, 2021)

Another thing is to de-fat the juices and add back to meat after you shred.  Something I learned from Jake and works well.


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## jcam222 (Aug 27, 2021)

BrianGSDTexoma said:


> Another thing is to de-fat the juices and add back to meat after you shred.  Something I learned from Jake and works well.


I always do this too Brian. I actually run a pan of pork or chicken broth under my butts to have lots of smokey au jus.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Aug 27, 2021)

jcam222 said:


> I always do this too Brian. I actually run a pan of pork or chicken broth under my butts to have lots of smokey au jus.


You talking about a shelf under butt or pan butt sits in?


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## jcam222 (Aug 27, 2021)

BrianGSDTexoma said:


> You talking about a shelf under butt or pan butt sits in?


I use both the juice from the pan I wrap in as well as a pan of broth underneath that the meat drips in until I wrap. Always have leftover that I freeze and use in the winter for indoor cooking to add smoke to dishes


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## chef jimmyj (Aug 28, 2021)

Lots of good answers. I'll add, I  have not rested a Butt that was probe tender All Over and the Bone came out Clean, more that 30 minutes before pulling. I have found that if you make sure the meat is Probe Tender, from multiple sides, long Cooler Rests are just not needed. Of course cooler rest won't Hurt anything either if you so choose...JJ


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## forktender (Aug 28, 2021)

Long cooler rest can turn the meat to mush, If you're going to rest it for more than an hour. Remove the foil and rest it on the counter top for 20-30 minutes, which stops the cooking, before you recover it with foil for the cooler rest.

Good luck.
Dan


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## Petesmokes1214 (Aug 28, 2021)

Meat Man Matt said:


> Not to blatantly repeat all the advice you've already gotten, but I guess I kinda am.
> I always brine my pork butts,  then cook to somewhere around 160-170, when I get a noticeable stall. Then wrap tight in foil. After the wrap, I will not open the smoker again until 203 degrees, at which point I begin probing. As a few of these guys have already said,  you are looking for the butter feel, practically no resistance. This is the point where you stop looking at your thermometer altogether, stick that probe in there and imagine the feel of the meats consistency in regard to shredding.
> 
> I have done a handful of butts without the wrap, and had success that way too. At that point you are controlling the bark and the time, but you can get very similar results in the meat either way.
> ...


Thank you. I'm gonna go back at it on Tuesday. I'm gonna reread all these post n hope for the best with my next one


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## Petesmokes1214 (Aug 28, 2021)

Meat Man Matt said:


> Not to blatantly repeat all the advice you've already gotten, but I guess I kinda am.
> I always brine my pork butts,  then cook to somewhere around 160-170, when I get a noticeable stall. Then wrap tight in foil. After the wrap, I will not open the smoker again until 203 degrees, at which point I begin probing. As a few of these guys have already said,  you are looking for the butter feel, practically no resistance. This is the point where you stop looking at your thermometer altogether, stick that probe in there and imagine the feel of the meats consistency in regard to shredding.
> 
> I have done a handful of butts without the wrap, and had success that way too. At that point you are controlling the bark and the time, but you can get very similar results in the meat either way.
> ...


Thank you. I'm gonna go back at it on Tuesday. I'm gonna reread all these post n hope for the best with my next one


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## bdawg (Aug 28, 2021)

Lots of great advice in this thread.  One thing I like to do with the de-fatted juice is make a finishing sauce from

1 part BBQ sauce (your homemade is best, but commercial is fine -- KC masterpiece, Sweet baby ray's, Bullseye, it doesn't really matter) 
1 part Apple Cider Vinegar  (or more or less to your taste)
1 part Apple Juice
3 parts defatted pork juice from cooking the butt

This is especially good if you are serving the next day.  Warm it back up and it adds a ton of moisture and flavor.


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## bauchjw (Aug 28, 2021)

jcam222 said:


> Looks like you’ve gotten lots of good advice. One thing I’d do is check your thermometer for accuracy.



reading through this thread is a great refresher with tons of knowledge.  To add onto SmokinEdge and jcam222’s comments, I’d offer a technique I learned on SMF. To check your thermometer, boil water and insert your probe. If it reads 212, and you are at sea levelish, then you’re good. If not, then you know how far off your probe is. I screwed up a few things until I got that advice and found out my probe was 15 degrees off.  Good luck!


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## thirdeye (Aug 29, 2021)

bauchjw said:


> reading through this thread is a great refresher with tons of knowledge.  To add onto SmokinEdge and jcam222’s comments, I’d offer a technique I learned on SMF. To check your thermometer, boil water and insert your probe. If it reads 212, and you are at sea levelish, then you’re good. If not, then you know how far off your probe is. I screwed up a few things until I got that advice and found out my probe was 15 degrees off.  Good luck!


Right.  I adjust boiling temp to my altitude.  At my house water boils at 203* so I can't use 212* as my setpoint or I'd really be off.


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## bdawg (Aug 29, 2021)

Here's a calculator that lets you type in your elevation and it will give you the boiling point of water:








						Boiling Point at Altitude Calculator
					

The boiling point at altitude calculator finds the boiling point of water at different altitudes.




					www.omnicalculator.com


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## gyeakle (Aug 29, 2021)

Thanks


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