Dry pork?

[Tchunter88]

Hello everyone. Looking for some advice. I smoked a 10lb pork butt bone in. Using my #2 set at 225 degrees, it took 21 hours. I used very little spices no salt and added 8 ounces of wood. I DID not add a liquid pan in either. Pork had very nice bark to it also. Pulled pork at 195. Double wrapped and rested for 30min. Here is the problem when I started to shred the pork it was very moist and juicy, after apart for maybe 20 or 30 min the meat dried out very quickly. Where did I go wrong? Thanks for any advice. The taste and moistness was amazing at first eat.

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[Tightywhitey]

Try injecting it next time.

[SmokedGouda]

Mine have never gone 21 hours, so not sure if that has anything to do with it. But I always brine mine and also put a water/apple juice pan in the smoker with it. I’ve never had any issues going that route.

[Jimeo]

Yep, try brining or injecting.  Water pan is a must on long smokes, also, try a longer rest before pulling.  Just a few suggestions, good luck!

[Tchunter88]

Thanks for the advice, I will try all the above. Maybe I need to re check my thermometer (thermopro t20) for accuracy. Like I said at first eat the pork was amazing after setting for 30min. But by the time you went up for 2nds it was dry not crazy dry but
Dry. Thanks again for the advice.

[NDKoze]

I'll second what others have said:

1. I always try to brine, but if in a hurry and don't have time to brine will inject. Rarely have ever done both. I have tried it and couldn't really tell the difference. But, my opinion is doing one of the two really does help.

2. I always rest for a minimum of 1 hour and usually do 2 hours and have gone as long as 4 if the meat got done early.

I always start my butts around 11:00 PM to 12:00 AM the night before and they are usually done mid-afternoon the next day give or take. So, they are taking a good 15-18 hours typically. So, 21 is not TOTALLY out of bounds.

How big was your butt? If it was in the six or smaller pound range, that could definitely explain the extra time and the dryness too. Typically smaller cuts of meat take longer to smoke and as a result have a larger likelihood of becoming dry. I always try to find the biggest pork butts that I can find because they just smoke better and tend to stay way moister.

Another question whether your butt was bone-in or not. Hopefully, it was bone-in, as I have not had as good of luck with the boneless ones. I like them for making sausage and buckboard bacon, but for pulled pork, I always want the bone-in butts.

Let us know how your next smoke goes. Hopefully, the recommendations here will help out.

[Tchunter88]

It was a 10lb bone in. Next time I will let it rest longer. And let everyone know how it turns out...Thanks again everyone.

[Tchunter88]

Here is a pic I forgot to add to original post.

[NDKoze]

Well, it sure looks good! And a 10 pound bone-in is a perfect size. So, you are good there.

[SmokedGouda]

As a bit of a safety net/amplifier, I’ve started making a vinegar based bbq sauce for those who want some extra juiciness and flavor. I make it using the same ingredients as the rub so it helps bring out the flavor instead of covering it up. It’s worked out well so far, even tho it’s not needed much on the first feast. Brining hasn’t let me down yet! But let me tell you, the sauce really takes those leftovers up a notch.

[es1025]

TC
Next time include a water pan (think loaf pan) near the burner. I smoke at 250.  Then wrap in foil after five hours. I smoke my butts to 190-192 degrees. Once the butt hits temperature put in a cooler for at least 2-3 hours. You will get a moist and juicy butt that will last. I usually reheat in a frying pan or mircowave. I know some folks will say not to wrap but the technique about works. Good luck!

[LarryD]

Holy cow... err, pig...  I just did two ~9 lb, bone-in,  butts at once last weekend in my #2 at 225 and they didn't take anywhere close to 21 hours.  I always do them two at a time and I've never had them take that long.  In fact, I put mine in at 10/20/2018 9:25:08 PM and pulled it out ~11.5 hours later at 10/21/2018 9:02:22 AM.  I had meant to pull it at 195, but I somehow managed to not set the alarms and just happened to wake up and check on it.  There was a very, very slight dryness to being over-done, but nothing that required sauce. (Data/Chart)  Probe 1 and 2 are both the top butt.  Probe 3 is the bottom butt.  I had a probe 4 also in the bottom butt, but it failed and showed no data for the entire smoke.

I did not brine, but I did have a water source in the smoker.  I haven't found it necessary to brine butts.  I've never done injection for anything.  In my experience, brining will shorten the smoke time.

After pulling the butts out of the smoker I wrapped them together tightly in foil and then tightly wrapped that in plastic wrap and threw them in a cooler for an hour.  I then took them out, let them sit (still wrapped) for 15-20 minutes to cool some more, and then pulled.  It comes out so tender and moist that I easily pulled off chunks and rubbed them between my fingers to pull it apart.

All I can think of is to use a water pan next time....

[Tchunter88]

It was very juicy and moist, I was able to pull apart with no effort. But by the time we went up for round two is was like the juices just evaporated. That's where I was a little confused. I pulled it at 195 it.
Time appeared to be a little long,  but the say an 1 .1/2 to two hours a pound so at 10lbs I didn't really think anything was out of the norm for 21 cook time. I will see how how the next one comes out.....Thanks eveyone

[Sirsmokesalot]

When I do pulled pork I brine and use water pan and also put a tin foil container underneath the shoulder and catch the dripping and add some back to the meat after I pull it and it’s always amazing. I usually pull the dripping container before the butt is done jus to put it in the fridge and remove most of the fat layer wants it hardens.

[BonaireBBQ]

EQ Brine for 48 to 72 hours 1.5% Salt 1% Sugar

Finishing Sauce for Pulled Pork

1 Cup Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
1 Teaspoon Course Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

Warm the Vinegar up enough so that it dissolves the Sugar well. Then add the remaining ingredients.

I use it in one of those clear Ketchup bottles you can get from Wally World for about $0.99. Snip a little bit larger hole out of the spout with a pair of scissors. Once all your ingredients are mixed together, put your finger over the top, and shake vigorously.

Randomly squirt this over warm freshly pulled Pork, then kind of mix it up with gloved hands. This adds very little heat (despite the Red Pepper) and mellows out the stronger, gamier parts of the Shoulder. The Vinegar also helps break it down even more for some REAL juicy pork.

Personally, I eat it just like that, but your guests can add whatever "Q sauce they prefer once it's on their plates or bun!

If you've never done Pulled Pork with a "Finishing Sauce" before, you're in for a real treat!!!! It's the secret ingredient that alot of Quer's don't know about, and part of the reason people at my 'Q Parties say "they've never had Pulled Pork that tasted this good, before!".