Pork Butt Internal Temp

5 Hole

New member
When I started cooking shoulders, I'd take the internal to 195. I found that made the meat a little over done for competition so now I pull off the cooker a little earlier. I also had a difficult time getting consistent internal temp readings because I wasn't sure where to probe the butt. What internal temp do you folks cook butts to and where do you probe for the temp?
 
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squirtthecat

New member
195-ish, and I try to center the probe. When it is close, I still go back with my thermapen and check the other parts to make sure I didn't accidentally hit a fat pocket.. Sometimes I'll even jam 2 probes (both sides of my ET-73) if I just have one butt left on the smoker.
 

5 Hole

New member
195-ish, and I try to center the probe. When it is close, I still go back with my thermapen and check the other parts to make sure I didn't accidentally hit a fat pocket.. Sometimes I'll even jam 2 probes (both sides of my ET-73) if I just have one butt left on the smoker.

Is that for home cooking or competition?
 

TentHunter

Moderator
Maybe I'm nuts, but I quit going by temp for shoulders if I'm pulling it for sandwiches. I stick a candy thermometer probe in to see how it feels when inserted. When it goes all the way in and feels like butter, I pull it. Same for beef when I plan to pull it for sandwiches. Anyone else do this?
 

scooter

Moderator
200 for comps (when/if I compete next year), 204-208 for backyard. I probe right in the middle of the butt.
 

txpgapro

New member
I don't temp check my butt. When the bone pulls out, then it's done, and not until.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Bear

Moderator
I'm a 195 sort of guy, but as with most things BBQ, I'm flexible. If I've got several butts cooking, I may let one go to 200, and pull one at 192 to be able to pull them all out at the same time.

Honestly, I think it's really hard to screw up a pork butt. Even the bad ones are good....
 
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