texas crutch questions

[marshall]

I have only done a handful of pork butts and they turn out really good wrapping them at about 160 and taking up to 200, my question is if I want that crunchy bark (without waiting the stall out) would I wrap at 160 and then unwrap around 190 to reform the bark and take it up to the 200 mark ? then would I just let them rest in a cooler unwrapped? also if I unwrap at around 190 and the meat temp drops way down say to 170, would I then just leave unwrapped until the 200 degree mark???
hope I explained my question with out to much confusion, I'm doing 2 9lb butts this weekend and want some good bark, thanks for any input!

[RonB]

I've never wrapped a butt, so I can't help with the when. However, I've never had a dry butt either. You mention 200*, but it's not the temp that's important. You want the butt to be probe tender. The probe should go in like a knife into soft butter. It the butt is bone in, the bone should twist out easily.

For the cambro, you do want to wrap in two layers of heavy duty foil. That will soften the bark a bit, but it should be good. If the hold is going to be over a couple of hours, it might be a good idea to preheat the cooler by pouring hot water in it and let it heat up before draining and adding the meat. wrapping the butt in several old towels will help maintain the heat. If you are going to hold for a long time, put a probe in the meat and don't let it go below ~ 140*.

If it gets close to 140*, you can leave it wrapped in the foil and put it in a warm oven. The minimum temp on most ovens is probably ~ 170.

Save the drippings from the foil to add back to the meat when you shred it.

[scottranda]

Yeah, what Ron said. That boy is BBQ smart.

[texastweeter]

I hold in the warming drawer of my oven when I'm at my house.

[DWCowles]

What he said

[Troutman]

Wait did he say he never had a 'dry butt'?

[KiwiBob]

I really struggle with bark...I layer the rub SPG first and then one with the heat and spice in it...smoke at a rock steady 220 till we get to 165 and then wrap till 205....the colour is great, its so tender pulling is more like rubbing but the bark is mush. I use a waterbath in the firebox...its a large bath....maybe too much steam....

[kmhfive]

It sounds like you are crutching to get through the stall. With Pork Butts, you could go higher in temperature on your cooker to get through the stall. PBs are very forgiving!

As you said, if you unwrap, the temperature will likely drop. It will come back up after the evaporative cooling runs its course, and you will have bark. But, maybe consider a different option. When you get to the stall, raise the cooker’s temperature and wait until you have the bark you want. At that point wrap the PB and let it run until probe tender.

[Psinderson]

That’s exactly what I learned this weekend with my chuck. I wrapped at about 165 until it hit 184 and then I unwrapped to get better bark. It dropped down to 164. Next time I’ll raise the temp as suggested until it looks the way I want it to and then wrap. The same would apply to a butt.

[gcdmd]

I know I'm repeating myself, but if you're willing to accept softening of the bark on brisket, pork butt, or whatever, putting the meat into an oven bag before wrapping or even just before putting it into the faux Cambro or holding oven will help hold the juices in close contact with the meat and make collecting them, if you want to, when you pull the meat out to slice or pull much easier. You can even put your indwelling temp monitoring probe or its lead wire through the bag opening and then tie the closure around it if you want to monitor the meat temp.

[Steve R.]

You can have it both ways. Cook at a higher temp to reduce or eliminate the stall and just don't wrap. I do this about half the time and it stills turns out good.

[fuzzydaddy]

My most frequent way to cook pork butts:

• Cook at 250 until the bark is great, which is about 175-180 IT. I blow right through the stall. About 6.5 to 7 hours for 8-10 lb butts.
• Wrap to save juices. I pull, portion out and freeze most of it for future meals and I like having that few ounces of juice to mix in.
• Cook at 275 until probe tender. About 2-2.5 hours.
• Total 9 hours for most cooks.
• Faux cambro for an hour or 2.

There is something special about the taste of a full nekked (no wrap) cook at ~225. I think there's a bit more flavor but I've never done a side-by-side with the above method.

[texastweeter]

I crutch with an aluminum roaster pan and foil. Hold in the warming drawer of oven. Just before pulling, put it straight on the grates, and hit it with a higher heat to dry and crisp the bark. It's done cooking already, so all I do is cook until bark is back to where I want it. Once there, I pull and add what juices I want from the roaster pan.

[cmar610]

I am wondering why y'all bother with a wrap after you have already been through the stall? Is it for tenderness?

[HawkerXP]

I mostly use the kettle and SnS for butts, I wrap after the stall because it has the bark I'm looking for. I put them in a foil pan with some liquid, seal it with foil and move to the oven to finish and then hold. By this time the coals are just about done.

[Henrik]

The typical reason for wrapping after the stall is to lock in moisture. I do it all the time and I think the brisket/butt/roast comes out way better this way.

[cmar610]

Makes sense, guys. How long do you leave it in the wrap? I wrapped for the first time yesterday and ended up with a softer bark than I hoped for, even after returning it to the smoker for half an hour to harden it.