So I bought a 14# pork butt from Costco and smoked it today. I started at 2:00am (in a snowstorm of all things) and it finished up around 12:30pm. I say finished in that the temp said well done was 165, so I stopped at that point. Now some of the pork pulled easily, and some I had to cut up in chunks. It tasted great and did seem done, but now I've gone back and Googled the suggested temp and I see I should have cooked it up to 195 degrees. So did I mess this up? Again, it tastes great, but pulling it would have been easier (I think) than all the cutting up and chopping I had to do. Thoughts? Thanks for helping out a newbie.
To be able to easily and effectively pull a PB you probably need to be in the 195 - 203 internal temperature range.... or as you get more comfortable with it "probe tender".... basically when your thermometer probe slides in like it is butter.
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You're not alone, that's the same thing I did on my first pork butt.
165 though, that's NEVER a temp for pork.
For pulled pork, as already has been said, go 195-205ish, THEN hold for 1-2hrs. It will fall apart.
For chops or loin, go 140-145. Juicy & safe.
You'll quite likely find 165 to be that unhappy medium where it's just dry & tough- the juices have cooked off but the fats & collagens haven't yet rendered.
Looks to me like you need to smoke another one and take it up to, (probably), 200* +. A probe inserted anywhere in the butt should have almost no resistance at all.
At 165*, it was done and safe to eat, but it would have been more tender at a higher temp. And holding it in a cooler or an oven set to it's lowest temp for several hours would also help make it more tender.
In a ~250°F smoker Pork shoulders take me 14+ hours to get to 203°F internal temp. It’s a long wait, but it pulls so nice. Lower IT or shorter times always give me chewy bits, as not all the fat has rendered. Not bad, but not nearly as good as taking it longer. Plus, when it comes out looking like a meteorite it’s super cool!
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You need to cook a butt - and what you had was two 7 pound ones, not a 14 pounder - to mid 170’s for slicing, and 195 to 205 for pulling. Stopping at 165 most fat would not have rendered, connective tissue did not break down, and it just in general would be nothing like you were expecting for pulled pork.
I think you got the general idea from the comments. The fun part of this hobby is the learning part, now that you know, give it another try and feel good about being successful
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pretty looking butts. If you like the flavor, you're on the right track for sure .... definitely needed more cooking, though .... PS Costco sells pork butt in a cryovac that has TWO boneless butts in it. :-)
Start here .... which is where I learned to cook pork butt.
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My first butts in 1996 were pulled at 165 F too! No harm. Just let it cook a little longer next time and you will love the results even more. Pigs are magical creatures!
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