Pork butt for pulling

[lovebigbluegills]

I put a ten pounder in 13 hours ago, and its currently at 170. The smoker has been set at 225 the whole time.

What's the longest you guys have waited to get it up around 200?

[highlife4me]

I have gone as long as 22 hours on a whole shoulder.  Have you wrapped it in foil?  That may help speed it up some.  You could also bump the temp up on your smoker to 250 to help it along also.

[lovebigbluegills]

Its been in a foil pan for the last few hours, I should have covered it then. Its covered now though.

[reinhard1]

I like the idea of bumping it up to 250 also.  I normally start off at that temp anyway.  When the internal temp is between 160 and 170 there is a "stall".  This is when the collagen breaks down.  After the collagen is broken down your temp will go up quicker.  I usually pull and rest at 205 or so.  good luck.

[lovebigbluegills]

I bumped it up to 250 about an hour ago, and it's starting to come around. 186 now. 

Should hopefully have a picture before dark for you guys, before it goes in a cooler to rest.

[lovebigbluegills]

Finally made it to 205, I didn't get a picture before it went in the cooler, but I definitely will in a few hours when its pulling time.

Twas about 18 hours, with the last 3-4 hours at 250.

[nofishfisherman]

I've had 5 pounders go for 12 hours, usually seem to take 10-12 hours on average.  I usually smoke them at 250 and if its getting late and I want to get them done I'll bump up the temp a little to get it through the stall. Then I wrap them and let them sit in a cooler for the rest of the night and pull them in the morning.

[leechlake]

if you don't have bear claws I'd highly recommend getting them.  I used two forks for years and the claws make it easier and make me want to never get shredded by a big bear.

[Boar]

i got the claws. i run around playing wolverine, SNIKT!!

[smurfy]

i got the claws. i run around playing wolverine, SNIKT!!

pervert;!!

[lovebigbluegills]

I didn't peel anything off before the picture, I think it was just fat that melted or slid off.

Edited December 28, 2015 by lovebigbluegills

[lovebigbluegills]

if you don't have bear claws I'd highly recommend getting them.  I used two forks for years and the claws make it easier and make me want to never get shredded by a big bear.

Ive seen those on the amazon, and definitely put some thought into getting a pair. I think those will be my next purchase on there.

[reinhard1]

That pork butt looks great.  Love that pig candy on there!!!.  good luck.

[Boar]

Looks awsome!

[SkunkedAgain]

I had a pork shoulder take a little over 30 hours once, but I kept the smoker around 225 the entire time, it was a cold winter day, and I have a cheap uninsulated Masterbuilt so it probably wasn't maintaining temp pretty well. That said, Reinhard and others convinced me after that to start bumping it up to 250 at some point. Usually once my meat hits the stall, I bump it up into the 250/260 range and let it finish out like that.

I've also found that even cooked to an IT of 195 vs 205, the most important thing for tenderness is following up with a long sit in a cooler. I usually aim for 2-3 hours of sitting after it's done in the smoker.

[bobberineyes]

Good job bluegill,  a lot of babysitting but we'll worth it. ..

[lovebigbluegills]

Thank you all for the tips and compliments, it turned out great. It wasn't done in time for supper, so there's sandwiches on the menu for today! 

[SkunkedAgain]

I've had that issue too regarding being done in time for supper. That faux cambro (cooler) trick is nice because you can leave the meat in there for several hours and it just keeps getting better. I aim to be done about 3hrs before I need the meat, that gives me leeway if I encounter a slower cooking hunk of pork. You can aim for 5hrs or longer. It really doesn't matter.

[lovebigbluegills]

I've completed 2 pork butts now. One last year that made it to 200 and I pulled it immediately, due to time constraints for supper.

The second one is pictured above. That made it to 205, then sat in a cooler inside an insulated bag for 4 hours before pulling, as it didn't get done in time for supper.

That being said, the second one was definitely easier to pull, more flavorful from the long rest in the cooler, and more tender. 

The 'bad' news is that it's completely gone already.

The good news is the inlaws cant get enough of it, and asked if i would make another one. I started another one around 11 last night and is almost up to 200 now. 

On another note, they've been offered honey bbq sauce from the bee guy, and RH caught a buzz sauce. The RH caught a buzz sauce is gone, and I'll have to make up another batch shortly.

[lovebigbluegills]

In the cooler ready for a new cover of aluminum foil and a couple towels to rest in for 2-3 hours.

[leechlake]

must be the same pig, the top tore off again or the fat melted.  Funny it happened twice.  

[lovebigbluegills]

That could very well be, they were packaged together and took about the same amount of time to cook.

Hopefully it tastes as good too!!!!

[ThunderLund78]

We're hosting NYE for a small group of friends and I'm doing two of these.  Cant wait!! It will be a new low temp test for my smoker to operate.  Last time it kept up at 32 deg.  It's gonna be single-digits for at least some of my cooking time all day Thursday. Yours looks tremendous!

[leechlake]

thunder- get it on way early and store in the cooler.  We don't want to be hearing you worrying on NYE that it isn't getting done in time

 

[lovebigbluegills]

4 hours ago, ThunderLund78 said:

We're hosting NYE for a small group of friends and I'm doing two of these.  Cant wait!! It will be a new low temp test for my smoker to operate.  Last time it kept up at 32 deg.  It's gonna be single-digits for at least some of my cooking time all day Thursday. Yours looks tremendous!

LL nailed it. Put it in at least 18, if not 24 hours before you plan on eating. The last two I did were 16 and 18 hours not including the 2-3 hour rest in the cooler. Fyi, the last 2 I did were around ten pounds. 

The one I did a few days ago, after being 205, was wrapped in foil in an insulated bag in a room temp cooler, was still very hot to the touch after 4 hours in the cooler.