# Start sous vide on a Butt at the stall?



## travisty (Apr 7, 2017)

Hey,

so due to some time constraints I have tomorrow, I am debating using sous vide as a sort of "stall breaker" / long term temp keeper for a butt I need to do for a BBQ tomorrow night.

Similar to a post I think Smokin Al had about Prime Rib...

Basically, if I want to smoke the butt up right, id have to get up at 3am to get it started, and hope it cooperates. Its too late now to do a further advance option. (essentially I have a KCBS judging event from 9-2:30 tomorrow, so that's in the way)

So one thought I had it perhaps to put the Butt into the smoker tonight late, then when I get up in the AM (7-8am) to get ready, it should be at mid stall when I would normally pull it to foil wrap. What if instead of foil wrapping I put it into the SV, and let that thing keep its temp till 5:30 pm...

My concerns are that the stall is gonna be at like 175ish, and I normally take Butts to 200ish, but most SV recipes for butt say to take it only to 165, so putting it into a 165 bath isn't gonna do much if my butt is already at 175-180... Also how is it that you can get a pulled pork out of a 165 cook? is that just cause it sits at 165 for so long???

Anyway, looking for some advise to see if I can make it work, but on the other hand, if you don't think the experiment is worth the risk considering I have 20 or so people coming over, then perhaps ill save this experiment for another time, and just wake up at 4 to load the smoker like the old days....


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## SmokinAl (Apr 8, 2017)

Sorry I didn't see this sooner.

To me it sounds like a great experiment, but I think I would do it when your not feeding a bunch of people.

From what I've read the butt will pull easily at 165, but it needs to be SV'd for longer than 10 hours.

I would think taking it to 165 in the smoker. then SV for 24 hours would be the way to do it.

But I have no solid evidence that that would work either.

Al


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## dirtsailor2003 (Apr 8, 2017)

From what I've read, Sous Vide PB has the best texture when done at a higher water temp and a shorter soak time. Prep your bath for 183. and let it go for 8-12 hours. 

I have not done a butt, I did do my corned beef. I read everything from low bath temps 36-48 hours high bath temps 183 for 8-12. The experiment I saw from serious eats sealed the deal. Kenji said the texture of the meat done at the higher temp for shorter time was better. I can't agree more. Most of the roasts I have done to date at lower temps and longer times come out with a texture that is mushy in my opinion. The roasts done at higher temps and shorter times have a better texture, 

Since yours will already be partially cooked your time may not need to be as long. I guess the nice thing is Sous Vide will hold it at that temp and just keep rendering.


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## travisty (Apr 8, 2017)

Great, thanks for the advice guys! 

For today, im just doing it the hard/tiring way, but I'll try the SV combo another time and post. 

Think what I'll do it bring it to 165 in the smoker, then pull and Vac, and bring it to like the 180s range in the SV, and see how that works out.


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## gnatboy911 (Apr 9, 2017)

I rubbed and smoked a pork butt, then sous vide for about 20 hrs. Smoked until 160ish, then sous vide at 160. It was outstanding. Fall apart tender, and incredibly moist. I have a thread I did on it here in the sous vide section.


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