Help With Pork Butt

[Blink]

I have cooked 3 pork butts in my Bradley since I bought it.  Each butt/shoulder has been 7 or 8 pounds.  Most recipes say to smoke it between 220-230F until the internal temperature of the butt reaches 185-190.  So each time I set the smoker to 220 and let it run.  After 10hrs, the meat isn't even at 170.  So I usually end up turning it up a couple times, usually reaching 260 while waiting for the meat to come to temperature.  I am pulling it as soon as it reached 180-185 because it has smoked for over 12hours at this point.  Each time, the meat still doesn't shred apart and I end up having to chop it.

Any suggestions?  Should I set the temperature higher or just let it smoke through the night- for 18hours or so I'm guessing?

Thanks!

[TedEbear]

You're pulling it before it is fully cooked.  A butt is done when it is done. The rule of thumb is 1.5-2 hours per lb. I've had 8 lb butts take 12 hours and others that have taken 20 hours to reach an IT of 195 that I like to pull them at.  I keep the chamber temp at 210*F.

Some people go by the fork test.  When the IT of the butt reaches 190 (some do it sooner than that) stick a fork in it and twist.  If the meat comes apart fairly easily then it is done.

[cherrybergher]

Welcome to the forum, what Ted says is bang on.  I would add this:

I generally smoke my butt anywhere between 3-4 hrs depending on the weight of the butt.  There is a school of thought that suggests meat will not absorb more than 4-6 hrs.  Pork and beef can handle a fair bit of smoke, fish and poultry less somewhere between 2.5-3 hrs (possible exception being smoked salmon) but I haven't done one yet.

When I empty the puck bowl after 3-4 hrs I refill it with water, spritz the pork well with apple juice or whatever you choose.  I don't open the door again till i'm finished.  The bradley struggles to achieve and maintain consistent temps with the door opening and closing.  With a desired cooking temp of 225-230.

It's also key to have a multi-probe thermometer.  I use the igrill2.  (it is more accurate than the one on the bradley) I use one probe to monitor the cabinet, and the other to monitor the meat.  I judge done-ness solely by internal meat temp and never time as Ted points out time is just too much of a variable.

If you have any other questions feel free to ask as there are many members here with a great wealth of experience

[TedEbear]

I am pulling it as soon as it reached 180-185 because it has smoked for over 12hours at this point.

I initially missed the part where you said that you were SMOKING it for over 12 hours.  That is WAY too much smoke.  I generally apply smoke for the first 3 hours and then just slow cook it for however long it takes after that.

[Blink]

Great feedback, thanks! Now I won't be spending so much $$ on boxes of pucks!! Thank you!

[tskeeter]

Blink, conventional wisdom here is that meat will readily absorb smoke only for about four hours.  After that time period, any additional smoke absorption is limited.  As a result, additional smoke application is not cost effective.

Poultry absorbs smoke more readily than meats such as beef or pork.  I find that smoking poultry about half to two thirds as long as I smoke large cuts of pork (4 hours for pork shoulder) is adequate for my taste.