Pulled Pork

[lipperj]

I smoked a Boston Butt last week. My second attempt.
3.25 lbs.
I had it on for 6 hours at an average temp of 225 at the grate using the Maverick dual probe set up.
Meat temp 160 at six hours.

I wasn't happy with the result in that the meat didn't shred like I wanted.

It was a unusually warm day for Ohio in the 50's with full sun and a semi light wind.

I suspect that I needed higher temp at the cooking grate for a longer period?

Someone please advise.
I really want to produce a great pulled pork result off of my smokenator.

Thanks to All.

[1luckytexan]

I have had a lot of mixed results with butts.

The very first thing to check - your thermometer. I like to use boiling water as it is near our actual cook temps (your water may boil at lower temp due to your altitude - you can find charts for that on-line) Or, test in ice water (not on ice) Melting ice will be 32*F of course.

However, first thing you should always keep in mind, some pieces of meat will fall way to the outside of normal. I have cooked up to 6 butts and 6 briskets at a time in the same pit and have one tough brisket - i have also had a butt come out hours before the others.

That said, there is some disagreement about the 'stall' temperature we see with some of out large cuts and that 160 degrees sounds like the stall. IF, as some people claim, the stall is from moisture being driven out of the meat - use of a water pan might slightly delay getting the meat up to 175-190 where we often have butts that should pull. So, there may be an argument for pulling the water pan out afte the first - I dunno - 2/3s of the projected cook time. It can also create more 'bark' on the meat.

I also will Q buts closer to 250 - even then, I have found after and overnight session, internal temp may be under 170 - yet the meat will shred. Other times, i need an internal temp of about 185 to really shred. I have yet to need to foil a cut of meat and finish in the oven - but I'd do it if I needed to.


My 2 cents; double check the thermometers you're using (if they are off a few percent low, that's fine- as long as you know they can be trusted), cook at around 250, pull the water pan part-way through the cook.  And keep trying. BBQ uses its own time - not ours lol!

[ncsmoker]

I like to cook my butts at an average temp of 240 this pushes past the stall faster, so go 230 to 250 for your temp. For your meat temp take it off at 190 and let it sit until you can pull it this will let the juices redistribute. This small of butt should not have a long stall time.

So lipperj I would say higher temp on the grill and higher internal temp for the butt. With the stall your butt could take up to 6-7 hours so you will need to add coals after 4 hours. Just push the white coals to the center of the SN and add new ones through the round holes and some down the rectangle hole. Butts take time.

I never have a problem doing the above. I also like doing a 6-7 lb. butt so if we have left overs we can freeze them and pull them out for a later weeks dinner. My woods are two hours hickory and then 4 hours apple.