After seasoning the #2 that arrived Friday afternoon, put the previously brined (Thanks Tony) shoulder on 220. After 17 hours internal temp was 175, took it off and rested 2 hours in a cooler double wrapped in foil, then pulled. My son tried it today and said it was spot on, no need for sauce. He reminded me that Christmas is coming and there's room on his porch for a SI! Forgot= rubbed first with mustard and my version of a Memphis dry rub. Picture is not clear as I'd hoped, but bark was nice and not dry. Drippings saved, fat skimmed and added back into the pulled meat. YUM!
First Butt on my new #2
- Thread starter CarlZ
- Start date
Pork Belly
Moderator
That looks great. I keep seeing these wonderful posts on pulled pork, but can not find butts at a reasonable price. I refuse to pay nearly steak prices for pork shoulder. glad you had success on your first one.
Brian
I got mine a Kroger on sale for 1.99 a pound, but Costco has a pretty good deal on them if you have any inyour neck of the woods. They come two in a package, usually around 18-20 pounds for about $35.00, which is pretty close to 1.95 a pound. I just didn't want to cook that much the forst time out.
I got mine a Kroger on sale for 1.99 a pound, but Costco has a pretty good deal on them if you have any inyour neck of the woods. They come two in a package, usually around 18-20 pounds for about $35.00, which is pretty close to 1.95 a pound. I just didn't want to cook that much the forst time out.
DivotMaker
New member
Gregg's right, Carl - shoot for the 190s next time for pulled pork - it's melt-in-your-mouth tender. Probably had a little trouble getting it off the bone at 175, I would suspect. 175 is the perfect temp for sliced butt, though!
tbcop-is-smokin
New member
Looks awesome Carl...Thanks for the pic
Tony
Tony
Guys,
Actually at 176 and resting for 2 hours it fell off he bone and all I had to do was rub it between my palms and it pulled perfectly. Maybe I just got lucky. Either way, I had three different people sample it yesterday and all feedback was very positive. I will try to g a little higher next time. Checked the calibration on what the probe was reading with one of my other thermometers I had recently calibrated and it was right on..
Carl
Actually at 176 and resting for 2 hours it fell off he bone and all I had to do was rub it between my palms and it pulled perfectly. Maybe I just got lucky. Either way, I had three different people sample it yesterday and all feedback was very positive. I will try to g a little higher next time. Checked the calibration on what the probe was reading with one of my other thermometers I had recently calibrated and it was right on..
Carl
J
jpittssr
Guest
Nice!
You know, we go out and spend a ton on all our gadgets ( I'm the worlds worst) but the bottom line is: as the old saying goes "the proof is in the pudding."
With us the proof is in the eating!.
GOOD JOB.
You know, we go out and spend a ton on all our gadgets ( I'm the worlds worst) but the bottom line is: as the old saying goes "the proof is in the pudding."
With us the proof is in the eating!.
GOOD JOB.
Walt,
If you have Harold McGee's book On Food an Cooking, have a look at the meat section. It explains the collagen rendering chemistry and time. The short version is 6 hours at 160 is normally all that's required for the chemical reactions to take place. So from a physcal perspective, there is no need to go much above that, the results are the same, once the collagen is converted to gelatin the process is over. I have a pretty extensive culinary training background and you can't beat the chemistry in any process. If you don't have McGee's book, consider getting one. You can even pick up a slightly used one for under 20 bucks on Amazon. When I was apprenticing under the first chef I worked with, it was a requirement to have it in the kitchen and be used. Extremely valuable and useful resource for any cook/chef.
If you have Harold McGee's book On Food an Cooking, have a look at the meat section. It explains the collagen rendering chemistry and time. The short version is 6 hours at 160 is normally all that's required for the chemical reactions to take place. So from a physcal perspective, there is no need to go much above that, the results are the same, once the collagen is converted to gelatin the process is over. I have a pretty extensive culinary training background and you can't beat the chemistry in any process. If you don't have McGee's book, consider getting one. You can even pick up a slightly used one for under 20 bucks on Amazon. When I was apprenticing under the first chef I worked with, it was a requirement to have it in the kitchen and be used. Extremely valuable and useful resource for any cook/chef.
DivotMaker
New member
Yeah, I'm going to have to disagree with that, Carl. I've smoked a bunch of butts for pulling, and slicing. Slicers to 175, pullers to 195. The sliced butts are nice and tender, but there is still visible fat & connective tissue in the slices. Also, I have to cut the meat away from the bone at 175. At 195, with a good rest after, the meat falls apart with no fatty areas, and the bone slides out clean with just a little wiggle (that's how I know it's just right).
If you're happy with pulled pork at 175, more power to you - saves a lot of time! Try taking one to 195 sometime, for comparison.
If you're happy with pulled pork at 175, more power to you - saves a lot of time! Try taking one to 195 sometime, for comparison.
Walt
New member
195-200 is the temp for my family. We like it pulled. Mr McGee & I have a difference of opinion. In MY experience, there is a WORLD of difference between 160 & 195. There is no way he or anyone else could convince me otherwise. However, I am truly happy that it pleases you. This great machine can cook it any way each of us likes.
DivotMaker
New member
Well-put, Walt! 
guys, thanks for all the feedback. Maybe that first one was an anomaly in some way because there was no un rendered fat or connective tissue. Gave samples to at least a half dozen folks and all feedback was great. Have two Boston Butts (last one was shoulder) in now and are at 178. Will keep on to at least 190 this time and report back. Have a good holiday weekend. By the way, was watching food channel on smoky foods on Best Thing I Ever Ate and one segment was a smoked turkey breast at a restaurant in Alabama. They had a #2 in the kitchen that they used for it. Cool to see one on TV.
DivotMaker
New member
That is cool, Carl! Steve will have NSF certification very soon, so more restaurants will be buying them, I'm sure!
