Pork butt issue not all that tender

So I've done two pork butts. They all seem a little tougher than I expected. It shredded for the most part but then it got to a point where it was more solid. I don't know if I'm being clear but I just recently bought my smoker. I followed threads and kept the temps right on an pulled the butts off at the right temps. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

benzy4010 said:

So I've done two pork butts. They all seem a little tougher than I expected. It shredded for the most part but then it got to a point where it was more solid. I don't know if I'm being clear but I just recently bought my smoker. I followed threads and kept the temps right on an pulled the butts off at the right temps. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

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What were the temps?

Easy question: did the bones pull out with no effort? Did you use a water pan?, and what were the temps you used?

Im not going to read through 130 page but I promise this is a fail-proof way to make some amazing pulled pork



go to about 15:37 in the video. I always cut into softball size pieces, do a strong dry rub and smoke about 215 for 3-4 hours and then put it in trays like this guy does. Seal the pan up real good with plastic wrap and foil and I usually though it in the oven on low for a few more. I use a ratio of about 3 beers (your choice) to one empty beer bottle full of water for 2 butts. It always is so moist and never had a complaint!!

How long did you cook, and what size butt?

Temp doesn't always mean "tender". It means "done" in terms of meat temp. Depending on the thickness and size of the butts, you'll find that if you didn't cook long enough to render it down, that onces you get to the bottom middle, you will get a spot that is pretty tough, and doesn't pull.

You can cook them, and then rest them in a foil/towel/cooler combo, and it'll help. Or you can just go full crutch mode if you HAVE to have it that evening for dinner. Put it in a foil pan, add a little apple juice, and foil the butt up and put it back on your smoker/grill/etc at 250* and let it go for a couple of hours. You'll end up steaming it essentially and it'll help you make it more tender, but at the cost of the wonderful bark on the outside, and sometimes you can make the meat a bit mushy.

I've found that a 5-7 pound butt needs no less than 10 hours at 215 or so. 12 hours is ideal, and if you don't have much time, find the shortest butt possible, as that will help you overcome the stall as well I've found.

The bones should literally be about spit out from the meat when it's done. You should be able to but a BBQ glove on, pull the bone out with one hand, and smash the butt in a pan, and it come apart in strands. Pick out what larger clumps of fat remain, and you won't have much left but juicy buttery meat.

The butt needs to get to 195F at the deepest point before it will break down.

Bobby_M said:

The butt needs to get to 195F at the deepest point before it will break down.

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+1

I smoke at 225 degrees and can expect around 1.5 hours per pound of meat. Cook to the temp not the time. When you hit the 190-195 range, pull it and let it rest for at least 30 mins to 1 hour. Good luck on the next one.

Used a water pan, cooked at 250 and it came out pretty easy and was clean

It was around 4 lbs I believe it was about 9 hours

Cooked it at 250 I believe. I have a thermapen and used that to get a reading of 195

Tenderness is a matter of heat and time. It takes time for that connective tissue to break down. If all we needed to do was get the internal temp to 200F we'd just throw it in an oven or hot smoker for an hour, but that won't work. I smoke my pork butts at about 250-275, takes 5 or 6 hours and the meat pulls away from the bone clean and easy.

I turned the last pork butt I bought into sausage!

Based on the information you provided, sounds like you should have had a couple perfectly smoked pork butts, just right for the pulling. The only 2 things I can offer up is 1) the pork was not ideal due to it being frozen after processing, thawed somewhat and frozen again before you bought it. 2) you have a cold spot in your smoker or an area blocked from the heat source you are not aware of.

So possibly lower and slower?

Here's my two cents! From what I've read you need to experiment with your equipment , just like brewing beer. It takes time to learn how long it takes depending on what your cooking, the weight, type, temp, smoke. In my opinion a 4# pork butt for nine hours is some dried out and tough meat. Good luck!

benzy4010 said:

So possibly lower and slower?

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Yea. I let a couple of them go 18 hours a couple of weeks ago. About 10 hours at 150 (overnight), then the last 8 around 225. Those things were hard to take out of the smoker... they were completely falling apart. The bone fell right out.

Have you confirmed the accuracy of your thermometers? If not, you may not have hit the temps you thought you did = tough butt. Newbies are unaware that inaccurate instruments are a common problem. Check accuracy by placing them in boiling water (should read 212F/100C).

benzy4010 said:

So possibly lower and slower?

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What type of smoker do you have? Low and slow is normally the way to smoke good meats.

I agree with the posts above recommending checking your thermometer. It may need calibrating. Also, I don't rely solely on the digital thermometer on my MES, as it has been off by as much as 15+ degrees.

This may sound like blasphemy to a lot of folks but (no pun intended) we do the majority of our bbq sans thermometer. When the meat is done it's a feel thing to us. BigJohn is an incredible pit master and consistently puts out good results. We always wrap the meat in foil then in towels and let it relax in the cooler after coming off the smoker.
My take home message here... practice.

Melana said:

This may sound like blasphemy to a lot of folks but (no pun intended) we do the majority of our bbq sans thermometer. When the meat is done it's a feel thing to us. BigJohn is an incredible pit master and consistently puts out good results. We always wrap the meat in foil then in towels and let it relax in the cooler after coming off the smoker.
My take home message here... practice.

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Completely follow you here. The more you do anything, the more it becomes second nature. I seldom need a thermometer, as I grew up with some kind of meat in a smoker.

Regarding the OP, a new smoker has been introduced. The only way to dial it on and learn how to smoke properly with it is by using a thermometer and running through the motions a dozen or so times. Just my $.02

NTXBrauer said:

Completely follow you here. The more you do anything, the more it becomes second nature. I seldom need a thermometer, as I grew up with some kind of meat in a smoker.

Regarding the OP, a new smoker has been introduced. The only way to dial it on and learn how to smoke properly with it is by using a thermometer and running through the motions a dozen or so times. Just my $.02

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I'm with you. It all comes down to practice... practice... practice...

^^^ Those guys are right. For smoking meats, you should get a cheap thermometer and bust the gauge off. The meat is done when the probe goes into the meat like into warm butter.

I've had butts be probe tender at nearly 210°F before, and some be good at 198°F. The

'Guys' in a generic sense, right?

One way we sometimes 'test' the meat is when it's nearing completion we try to pick it up with a large meat fork. If it feels like it's about to give way and you can't pick it up as one piece with said fork... its probably done.

Melana said:

This may sound like blasphemy to a lot of folks but (no pun intended) we do the majority of our bbq sans thermometer. When the meat is done it's a feel thing to us. BigJohn is an incredible pit master and consistently puts out good results. We always wrap the meat in foil then in towels and let it relax in the cooler after coming off the smoker.
My take home message here... practice.

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Exactly - cook by touch rather than by time/temp. A good way to figure out the right feel is to let the butt get to high 190s and then start periodically poking it with the Thermapen probe. When the probe goes in with barely any resistance, it's ready.

Lots of info and opinions being given...best bet is to take a look at this...pretty much all you need to know about smokin' a butt.

Basic Pulled Pork Smoke.

Agreed NivekD. Meat smoking forums are like brewing forums.

Yep, I agree. Low and slow. If you followed the directions and it's still not quite right, you probalby just need more time. When I started I had the same problem. 12 hours not enough?? Ok, try 13 or 14!

My smoker is electric set and forget. The thermometer really only tells me if I've somehow tripped the breaker!

I like pork butts and I can not lie.

Another good source http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/porknography/perfect_pulled_pork.html

Mike M said:

I like pork butts and I can not lie.

Another good source http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/porknography/perfect_pulled_pork.html

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Too funny.
Agreed, that's a good source!

Melana said:

'Guys' in a generic sense, right?

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You got that right, dude