Pork Butt Recipe Clarification, Please.

[Jordan S]

On "The Best BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe" posted on this website, Step 9 says: "When the internal temperature hits 203°F...it's time to check if the pork butt is done."

Then Step 10 says: "If the pork butt is not done, close the lid and allow it to continue cooking until it reaches an internal temperature of 203°F".

But hang on...aren't we already at 203°F based on Step 9? Am I missing something?

[rickgregory]

I think step 10 assumes you're checking earlier (some people start checking at 195F) so the wording makes sense in that context. Following step 9, of course, it doesn't.

By 203F or so the butt will be done.

[Spinaker]

Simply cook the pork should until it hits 203 F. That is all you need to do.

[fzxdoc]

Take that butt to probe tenderness. 203° is just a number. For the butts I've done, probe tenderness comes anywhere from 195 to 205°.

I think what step 9 meant was that you might not see the desired temp in many regions of the butt. So it tells you to cook a little more and check again in step 10 to see if the desire temp's distribution is more even.

Some people faux cambro their pork butts. This gives time for the temp to even out. I don't faux cambro. I just let the meat rest while I get the rest of the meal on the table, pull the pork, and serve.

Kathryn

[LA Pork Butt]

With Boston Butt I don’t think the 203 internal temp is all that critical. I routinely pull mine at 200 and wrap letting it rest in a ice chest with old towels for two hours.

[texastweeter]

I take to 208° and cambrio for 4 hours at least personally. Pulls itself.

[Huskee]

In my experience = 195 to 210. Then hold it a good hour faux cambro style or in a cooling smoker.

[Santamarina]

I’m a “probe tender” guy, but honestly I have had very few pork shoulders that were ready before 203°F. Start checking in the 190’s, but don’t be surprised if it goes past 203. Just be sure to keep a water pan at all times. Doing long cooks (my shoulders take 14+ hours; the longest cooks I do) to high temps will dry out a shoulder quickly if the cooker humidity is low.

[Milobee]

The instructions changed. I have a printout from a year or so ago where step 9 states: When the temperature hits 195 ....its time to check if the pork butt is done...

I think they changed step 9 but forgot to update, or reword, step 10.

[mountainsmoker]

I always take mine off at 195-200, put it on a platter cover it with two layers of foil and two bath towels and let it cool to 145-150 and pull it. No need to take it to any set temp your going to be over the temp that the collagen dissolves for a long period of time even after you take it off and it will settle into a nice firm piece of meat that is easily pulled.

[barelfly]

Interesting. I’ve never taken a pork butt that high. I’ve always just checked it at 190-195 and if I could pull the bone out, it was ready for wrapping and a 2 hour cambro hold. I’ll have to try a higher temp with the next one to see if there is much of a difference. Yesterday, I pulled at 194* because the bone was easy to pull away. When I unwrapped (I let it rest for about 4 hours in the cambro) it was piping hot still and the bone pulled away clean.