Pork butt temps (1st time)

SmokyJones · December 10, 2006, 11:50:50 AM

I got up this morning at about 6:00am EST and put my baby (1st pork butt) in the BS and went back to sleep. It is now about 2:50pm and my internal temp is 148f...box 210f. I know that there is a plateau at around 160 but it seems that my internal temp is crawling. I know "low and slow" but realistically how long should it take to get the internal temp at least to the plateau point? My folks are coming over tonight and it looks as if I might have to transfer to the oven if something doesn't happen soon (would prefer not to do this) :o...any suggestions?

owrstrich · December 10, 2006, 12:31:16 PM

smoky...

when do need this butt on the plate... what does this butt weigh... what else do you have in the box...

for reference... i use ftc for time buffer to grubb time... a butt will stay hot for hours in ftc and it just gets better... you may want to use ftc as buffer next time... start the night before and when finished just ftc for 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... hours till grubb time...

however for this time... you must wait for the proper internal or it wont be any good... it may be 2 hours to plateau and 3 or 4 more hours more to 190 internal at 210 deg box...

if you want it done in 3 hours you gotta do what you gotta do... if you cant wait that long at 210 i would bump to 230 box and hope for the best...

you gotta eat...

owrstrich

SmokyJones · December 10, 2006, 12:51:16 PM

Thanks Owr! The butt weighs 8lbs. I have an internal temp of 154 right now and box temp is still 210f. I do have a turkey breast in as well as the wife doesn't eat pork....(her bad). I would like to have the meat tabled no later than 7:00ish :'( do you think it is possible and if so, what would be your suggestion?

owrstrich · December 10, 2006, 01:59:15 PM

im thinking its 4pm where you be at... i dont know... its 2pm here in socal...

bump it to 230 now... its gotta render...

i assume the terkey is above the butt... do you got a probe in the terkey too... it will finish first... dont over cook the terkey... some say 150 some say 160 some say 170 some say 180 on the terkey... if im doing a terkey b00b i would pull it at 150 and ftc it real tight... i would pull the skin prior to giving it up to the wench...

you gotta eat..

owrstrich

SmokyJones · December 10, 2006, 02:40:11 PM

Yeah, I've got the turkey in FTC now. The internal temp is now at 167 and I bumped the box up to 230f. Hopefully this thing will do its thing quickly. Just don't want to rush it and it turn out a flop. Gotta bunch of hungry eyes staring at me right now....the mrs. in the kitchen working on fixins and watching the clock.

I will definitely take everyone's advice and do it the day before to allow the FTC as a buffer, but hey!! what can I say? This is the first butt I have done.

owrstrich · December 10, 2006, 02:47:40 PM

im thinking even at a 230 finish you wont screw it up if you wait for 190 internal... not 189... 190...

just pull it at 190 and let it rest a few before you shred it...

im ought of here... going to mcdonalds for a mcribb... i hear its the last weekend...

i gotta eat...

owrstrich

SmokyJones · December 10, 2006, 03:12:29 PM

Thanks for all of your help!! I'll let you know how it goes... ???

owrstrich · December 11, 2006, 08:17:29 PM

i just got out of loma linda medical center with mcribb poisoning...

im thinking i should have stopped after my 11th mcribb... but with the extra pickles... i was going for the dozen...

anyway... how did the butt turn out...

you gott eat...

owrstrich

iceman · December 12, 2006, 09:04:09 AM

Quote from: owrstrich on December 11, 2006, 08:17:29 PM
im thinking i should have stopped after my 11th mcribb... but with the extra pickles... i was going for the dozen...
owrstrich

O you need more than medical help!!! :D
EVERYONE knows you stop after 10 mc ralphs. :D ;D

How'd it go Smokey?

SmokyJones · December 12, 2006, 02:33:24 PM

It turned out OK....for my first butt...hehe. No all kidding aside, I completely underestimated the cooking time and as i went back and checked the notes and posts on this site (that i have saved in a special little pdf file), I noticed why: "AS THE INTERNAL TEMP REACHES ABOUT 165 THERE IS A COLLAGEN BREAKDOWN THAT STARTS AND CAUSES A PLATEAU IN TEMP...THIS COULD TAKE A COUPLE OF HOURS"....damn if I didn't have it in my notes but overlooked it!!! Anyway I had to pull the meat a little early because I had the folks over and they live about an hour away....so you get it....they had to go home at a decent time. I pulled her at an internal of about 178f. Broke my heart to do it...hell, i even contemplated telling them to eat the turkey and forget about the pork, but couldn't do it. Meat was full of flavor but could have been a little more tender...i got it pulled apart but think it would have been much better had I been able to follow all of y'alls advice. Oh well, LIVE AND LEARN...RIGHT? I would have to say that the biggest lesson learned here is do it EARLY and let the FTC act as a buffer on the time. :D WON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE TWICE!!!! I am definitely looking forward to doing another one shortly and getting it right...then off to try ribs.

iceman · December 12, 2006, 02:52:06 PM

Quote from: SmokyJones on December 12, 2006, 02:33:24 PMI would have to say that the biggest lesson learned here is do it EARLY and let the FTC act as a buffer on the time.

BINGO! FTC is your buddy when it comes to holding meat just right. You just have to remember to get done "Ahead of Time", not late. Some of the folks here have held pork butts for hours on end with FTC and it was still hot and moist. :)