My first Bradley pork butt!

[TestRocket]

And I do have a question!

The butt is 7.87 lbs and we won't be eating until around 7:00 PM on Sat. I plan on using the FTC method and my new PID to attempted to keep my sleeping hours near normal (not be up later then 11:00 PM or as early as 6:00 AM or so "I hope"). I have the OBS and the second element so I'm thinking the butt should take 12 to 15 hours.

So backing up the time the butt should be in by 10:00 PM on Friday or by 1:00 AM Saturday morning.

I have read about using the PID to cook until an IT (of say 190) and then back down the cabinet temperature to say 150 degs and holding until I take the meat out?

Is this something that really works or should I be watching more closely for an IT of say 185 degs and then FTC for 4-5 hours?

Thanks for any ideas and here are my PICS so far:

Click on any PIC to enlarge.

I assembled the needed ingredients:


And rubbed away:


Just a wrap away from the fridge for the night:


Thanks for any help and a progress report will follow!

[SnellySmokesEm]

I would smoke/cook to an IT of 200 and it will pull a lot easier than 185 and still will be very moist.  You can ftc butt for up to 8 hours.  And pulled pork reheats very nicely in a crockpot if it finished too early.  Good Luck, your gonna love it!

[SnellySmokesEm]

TR - After reading your post again, I would think about starting earlier.  It could take up to 20+ hours.  I would start around 7-8 friday night.  Like I said pulled pork reaheats great.  If I have the time I like to do the pork a day or two earlier that way all the flavors have time to redistribute through the meat.  Anyway there's my thoughts.  I'm sure other will be here to share their's as well. Have Fun!

[FLBentRider]

I pull my butts at 190-200F.

I like the 10pm start. I would get up around 2 and empty/refill the water bowl when the smoke is done. You can rotate racks (front to back) at this point or you can wait until 7am if you want.

It's probably going to hit your target IT around 2pm, maybe earlier. FTC in a good cooler will hold at least 4 hours, I've done up to 8.

[stillsmoking]

I like to finish to around 190 internal temp then FTC for a bit or quite a bit then shred.  Having said that I don't think you have to be spot on with temps or times.  If you are going to FTC for a while probably anything 185 and up will work fine for you.  That 190 mark does seem to hold some magic and when I am doing butt I just assume a 16-24 hour smoke and go from there.  I recently did 2 butts right around the same size you are talking and had about 16 hours in when I put them in the oven to hit that 190.  It was almost 100% humidity and in the 50's here so I had to adjust my plans with the smoker.  Didn't hurt a bit to finish them off in the oven, not my normal plan but the point is you have options if your time frame doesn't seem to be working out for you.

[KyNola]

TR,
I'm going with FLBR's advice as he smokes a LOT of butts.  I would start that thing Friday night and go to an IT of 190 or there abouts.  If it's done early, FTC until pulling and eating time.  Butts are really funny.  I've had them go 26 hours and I've had them go 15.  Those pigs have all the control.

Can't wait to see the finished results.

[TestRocket]

Question: So if the goal is to reach an IT at which you are rendering the fat (breaking down the collagen) is it not better to reach and hold that temp for some amount of time? Instead of just of reaching it (or near it) and going straight to FTC? I'm thinking why not hold that perfect temperature for a few short hours to help render it a little longer?

And thanks for the advice so far!  ;D

[FLBentRider]

Its really not about rendering the fat, it's about breaking the collagen down into gelatin.

This starts during the "stall" ~162F or so  and continues on up to 190F or so.

It seems that most of it happens during the stall itself, which can be 2 or three hours.

[Uncle Pigfat]

dang.  The butt I bought today at Kroger here in Columbus was a dollar more per pound.

[TestRocket]

Its really not about rendering the fat, it's about breaking the collagen down into gelatin.

This starts during the "stall" ~162F or so  and continues on up to 190F or so.

It seems that most of it happens during the stall itself, which can be 2 or three hours.

Some very helpful information and thanks!

I'll put my plan together in the morning using everybody's advice and post the results.

Thanks everybody!

[classicrockgriller]

You have got some very good info on Butts.

I am one of those that smoke then cook my butt till 190 to 195.

When you FTC in dbl foil dbl towel and a cooler, the butt will rise

in IT from 5* to 8* and probably stay there for awhile before it starts to cool down.

GL and will looking for some great pics.

[Habanero Smoker]

I'm a firm believer that as soon as it is fork tender it is done.

Collagen (protein that makes up connective tissue) will begin to break down and convert to connective tissue at around 160°F - 165°F; if you cook the meat low and slow. The actual temperature it begins to convert depends on your source of information. Technically you can keep the meat at 165°F internal meat temperature and all the collegian will convert to gelatin over time, but this will greatly extend your cooking time. It is a combination of internal temperature, and the length of time you hold the internal temperature in the "Zone" at which this conversion can happen.

I believe some of your information about holding the butt at 150°, was a substitute for the FTC method. I will often use the Bradley as a warming box to hold foods at a safe temperature by keeping the cabinet at 150°F; but when I do this I tightly wrap the food and rotation is required.

[Caneyscud]

Theoritically, the 'turbo" cooking of a butt should work.  However, if you go too fast, you risk really drying out your meat.  The faster you get hot, the more sharply the muscle fibers shrink and the faster they lose their moisture.  Habs and FLBR hit the nail - it's all a balancing act of melting that collage before you drive all the moisture our of the muscle fibers.  I agree with the 190 to 195 pull time.  There is some additional magic that happens above 185. 

Leaving the butt in the cooker at 150 in lieu of FTC is a viable option, but if it goes in there nekid, you somewhat risk driving more moisture out.  So wrapping is almost a requisite.  Moisture will come out, but hopefully not as much and you can use the juices in your sauce.  For me, it is just easier to just throw it into a cooler if it finishes earlier than I want - otherwise I just pull from the smoker at 195 and shred after a little rest. 

[TestRocket]

The plan: Preheat the OBS (with smoke) at 250 degs for one hour (starting at 7:00 PM CST). I used boiling water and the large aluminum foil pan. The butt went in at 8:00 PM and is smoking with hickory for four hours (vent wide open). At 12:00 AM I'll check the water and knock the last puck into the water bowl and refresh as needed.

The PID is set for a cooking temp of 210 degs until an IT of 190 degs. Then it will back the temp down to 150 degs (but I'll be up and watching long before that happens. At 190 degs I'll FTC and decide what's next depending on how long before we eat. I don't have bear claws yet and have never pulled pork so I'm guessing two large forks will do. It's currently 8:45 PM CST and the PID is reading 211 degs and 73 degs! I really like this type of control!

Click on any PIC to enlarge:

Out of the fridge with a little more rub and ready for smoke:



I setup my OBS and PID on the back porch (just in case of a stray rain shower):

[classicrockgriller]

Sounds like a great plan and fork will do the trick.