2 Butts today

[Donmac]

Sounds good Don!

Take a photos if you can.

Greg

As requested, only pics of one butt as I forgot to take pics of the one I gave my Son.

This Pulled Pork was the best yet out of 10-12 butts that I have done since owning the #1 and I believe was due to only going to an IT of 190 and resting for 2 hours.

All the others I went to 195 IT with a 2 hour rest and they were always great but these turned out so much juicier and melt in the mouth.

[AlinMA]

Hey Don.....Looks good enough to take a ride up to NH for lunch!   

[elkins20]

Hey Don, looks very good, I also found on someones post to add a little rub after you pull it for added flavor. I really like the bark on this one.

[SuperDave]

Don, so how long did both of them take? 

[gregbooras]

Don,

Very nicely done, thanks for the pics!

Greg

[Donmac]

Don, so how long did both of them take?

11 1/2 hours on the first one and 13 hours on the second one. Outside ambient temps made quite a difference.

[BedouinBob]

Porkilicious Don! 

[swthorpe]

Well done, Don!  Looks perfect from here!

[smokeasaurus]

Darn good looking pulled poke 

[DivotMaker]

That looks fantastic, Don!  You are confirming my theory about butt temp (hehe...I said "butt temp")!  I have been pulling mine between 192-195, but no higher.  Haven't tried 190 yet, but will!  My theory is that once they get through the stall, and the temp starts climbing again, the cooking/tenderizing is pretty much complete.  After all, the stall is when the connective tissue and fat breaks down, and renders out of the meat!  So, if that process stops, it should be about finished.  The rise to 190 just finishes the cooking process.  Since I've had stalls in the 160s, 170s, and 180s, I don't think they are always "done" as soon as the stall completes.  That's why I still think the low 190s is the key temp.

[gregbooras]

I looked at my log for the last two pork butts I did and both were pulled wrapped at 190 degrees. Then put back in the smoker at 140 until it was time to pull them.

Both were spot on.
Greg

[DivotMaker]

Great, Greg!  I bet we're on to something big, that will possibly rock the foundation of pork butt temp traditional thinking!  OK, I may be over-dramatizing a bit...    The great part about wrapping it up at 190 is it saves a LOT of time!  Amazing how long that last 10 degrees takes sometimes!

[SuperDave]

Are we bold enough to think this might be smoker specific to our style of smoker? 

[gregbooras]

My butts go in the smoker at 10:00-11:00 pm the night before.

They hit 190 degrees around by noon the next day, wrap and then back in the smoker at 140 degrees, until ready to pull 4-6 hours.

Or when they hit 195 degrees, pull wrap and put in the cooler for 1-2 hours.

Just my 2 cents, but in both cases the pork continues to cook and tenderize.

Greg

[pargolfr2003]

I think for most of us just starting out the stall is the hardest thing to wrap our head around.  When I first got my Masterbuilt a couple years ago I had a tendency to get impatient then panic and pull it only to find that it was ready. But, thankfully I've worked through that. Now I just grab another beer and watch another quarter of football.