Pork Butt\Shoulder smells like ... diarrhea after cooked.

[Keleent]

This is exceptionally weird for me to post this and I'm not trolling or joking around.

I smoked my first Pork Butt (aka shoulder). I got the twin pack from Costco (7 lbs each)
I put them on at 8 am wrapped at 5:00 pm at 165F with my RT set to 225.
Took them out at 205 IT, put it in a cooler for an hour and half.

I took them out of the cooler and when I cut into them I was expecting a great bbq smell that everyone talks about in the youtube videos ... but all i could smell was the smell of well... Diarrhea. It smelled like Diarrhea when I cut the shoulder in half for a picture of the smoke ring etc... It didn't smell pleasant at all but it somewhat went away when I started to pull the meat apart\ shredding it.
Being new to cooking in general, and this being my first Pork Butt\ shoulder I didn't have a baseline of what it should smell like, so i figured it was normal.
We did eat it, and everyone said how great it tasted. It did taste okay, and didn't have a weird taste or anything like that- only the initial smell when ripping it apart.

The meat was always cold from the minute I bought it until It went on the smoker. The sell date is 12/26.
It didn't have a bad smell when it was raw or when I opened the vacuum sealed package.

I've tried researching it and found articles about "Boar Taint" and nitrogen in vacuum sealed bags and all but again, It didnt smell bad at all when I opened it up- only when shredding it.

Any insight? Ironically, I avoided smoking a Pork Butt for the last year because I thought it really was a Pork's Butt until I saw a youtube video that mentioned it was actually the shoulder. Ironically, I get the smell I envisioned it would be if it was a porks butt.

 

[Buckeye smoker]

The only thing I see from similar posts is a vinegar/sulphur smell from not being "aired out" during cryo freezing. But, you should've smelled that when opening it. You say you did not so, I'm going to say that was bad meat. Let us know how everyone feel in a day or two* Goodluck!...others may have more Info.

 

[C. Keeper]

This is exceptionally weird for me to post this and I'm not trolling or joking around.

I smoked my first Pork Butt (aka shoulder). I got the twin pack from Costco (7 lbs each)
I put them on at 8 am wrapped at 5:00 pm at 165F with my RT set to 225.
Took them out at 205 IT, put it in a cooler for an hour and half.

I took them out of the cooler and when I cut into them I was expecting a great bbq smell that everyone talks about in the youtube videos ... but all i could smell was the smell of well... Diarrhea. It smelled like Diarrhea when I cut the shoulder in half for a picture of the smoke ring etc... It didn't smell pleasant at all but it somewhat went away when I started to pull the meat apart\ shredding it.
Being new to cooking in general, and this being my first Pork Butt\ shoulder I didn't have a baseline of what it should smell like, so i figured it was normal.
We did eat it, and everyone said how great it tasted. It did taste okay, and didn't have a weird taste or anything like that- only the initial smell when ripping it apart.

The meat was always cold from the minute I bought it until It went on the smoker. The sell date is 12/26.
It didn't have a bad smell when it was raw or when I opened the vacuum sealed package.

I've tried researching it and found articles about "Boar Taint" and nitrogen in vacuum sealed bags and all but again, It didnt smell bad at all when I opened it up- only when shredding it.

Any insight? Ironically, I avoided smoking a Pork Butt for the last year because I thought it really was a Pork's Butt until I saw a youtube video that mentioned it was actually the shoulder. Ironically, I get the smell I envisioned it would be if it was a porks butt.

I mentioned this before and didn't do well, I'll try again...
If the meat sits (cooks/smokes) to long in a warm moist environment it will grow bacteria. The magic numbers that I've read is the IT of 140 must be reached within 4 hours to reduce the risk of bacteria growth. I personally don't buy the thought of "when the meat reaches an IT of 200 it kills the bacteria" theory because of your experience. This is the same reason that newer crockpots run hotter than the ones from several decades ago.
I've purchased bad pork before and it was rancid out of the package, no doubt it wasn't edible.

 

[Buckeye smoker]

@Chris_G I've seen that before also. You're talking about the "40-140 Rule"..
It goes for cooling also. (2hrs to cool 140-40 in fridge) seems like he was ok on smoking though. In general 1.5hrs/pd. For butts at 225-250° at 9hr mark he was 165° IT . This is one of those times that it would be awesome to be able to save the cook data on a RT 700, and see what it was at around the 4hr mark** (#recteq) @Keleent did you happen to watch? Was this on a 700 ?

 

[C. Keeper]

@Buckeye smoker I never thought about cooling process, you're right.. Thanks

 

[Keleent]

I mentioned this before and didn't do well, I'll try again...
If the meat sits (cooks/smokes) to long in a warm moist environment it will grow bacteria. The magic numbers that I've read is the IT of 140 must be reached within 4 hours to reduce the risk of bacteria growth. I personally don't buy the thought of "when the meat reaches an IT of 200 it kills the bacteria" theory because of your experience. This is the same reason that newer crockpots run hotter than the ones from several decades ago.
I've purchased bad pork before and it was rancid out of the package, no doubt it wasn't edible.

Looking back at my time chart it hit 140 in 5 hrs.

 

[Keleent]

@Chris_G I've seen that before also. You're talking about the "40-140 Rule"..
It goes for cooling also. (2hrs to cool 140-40 in fridge) seems like he was ok on smoking though. In general 1.5hrs/pd. For butts at 225-250° at 9hr mark he was 165° IT . This is one of those times that it would be awesome to be able to save the cook data on a RT 700, and see what it was at around the 4hr mark** (#recteq) @Keleent did you happen to watch? Was this on a 700 ?

Yeah it was on the 700.
8 am- 44F
11 am- 125F
1 pm - 140F
4 pm- 159F
6 pm- 165F
Wrapped
Bumped temp to 350-400 because I was running short on time
7:45 pm 205F
Rested in cooler still wrapped
9:20 pm cut open. Diarrhea smell present, then dissipated after shredding.

update: I still don’t feel sick or got the runs so maybe it was okay to eat lol.

 

[charlesrshell]

Yeah it was on the 700.
8 am- 44F
11 am- 125F
1 pm - 140F
4 pm- 159F
6 pm- 165F
Wrapped
Bumped temp to 350-400 because I was running short on time
7:45 pm 205F
Rested in cooler still wrapped
9:20 pm cut open. Diarrhea smell present, then dissipated after shredding.

update: I still don’t feel sick or got the runs so maybe it was okay to eat lol.

The best of luck to you!!

 

[Buckeye smoker]

Yeah I definitely hope no one gets sick either way.
Maybe it was just a once in a lifetime odd combination of factors that led to a odor and all is good?... Hope so. A good post either way.. I've seen others post about it also after doing a little surfing..goodluck !

 

[Keleent]

It actually received a ton of compliments so it tasted just fine.
I just wasn't sure if this was a normal smell since I've never cooked one before.
I swear weird stuff happens to me the first time I cook something... The first time I made eggs I got two eggs in one shell.

What IS the pork shoulder supposed to smell like when opening it up?

Also, I do have the other pack of it since it was a twin pack. Should I return it to Costco or just cook with it? It's in the freezer now.

 

[C. Keeper]

I hope the pig didn't have the corona virus??? J/K

 

[Keleent]

I hope the pig didn't have the corona virus??? J/K

I was literally thinking, this is how coronavirus starts lmfao.

 

[C. Keeper]

It actually received a ton of compliments so it tasted just fine.
I just wasn't sure if this was a normal smell since I've never cooked one before.
I swear weird stuff happens to me the first time I cook something... The first time I made eggs I got two eggs in one shell.

What IS the pork shoulder supposed to smell like when opening it up?

Also, I do have the other pack of it since it was a twin pack. Should I return it to Costco or just cook with it? It's in the freezer now.

I would take it back.

 

[Buckeye smoker]

Have you sync'd all your probes?...just curious if it's cooking at the temp it says it is... Smell? Mine always just smells like smoked pulled pork. I think I'd use the other pack before the use by date and then triple check the smell before starting to be safe .. have you ever had pulled pork at a restaurant or fair to compare it?... Just asking . I mean if it was literally the first time you smelled it, maybe it's just not a smell you agree with.
What kind of pellets did you use?

 

[icemanrrc]

You bought rotten meat brother. It happened to me once. I bought one that looked fine, but when i cooked it and tore it open, it was rotten. It took it back to the store and they gave me another one.

 

[Keleent]

Have you sync'd all your probes?...just curious if it's cooking at the temp it says it is... Smell? Mine always just smells like smoked pulled pork. I think I'd use the other pack before the use by date and then triple check the smell before starting to be safe .. have you ever had pulled pork at a restaurant or fair to compare it?... Just asking . I mean if it was literally the first time you smelled it, maybe it's just not a smell you agree with.
What kind of pellets did you use?

Yeah I have an inkbird in there as well. Everything is synced.

 

[Snook]

You took quite a chance eating it. If it smelled like diarrhea even if it smelled ok when opening, don‘t ever eat it. Get takeout and laugh about the experience years down the road. I would recommend McDonald’s McRib sandwitches for all since they were expecting BBQ pork. Lol

 

[Foodkid]

I purchased some pork belly at Costco that smelled like that when I opened the packaging. It was so bad I throw it out

 

[Gonefishin]

Cryopaked pork can have a bad smell, I've run into it a few times. I've been told it's okay and the stink should wash off, which it really doesn't. Have eaten it a couple times and haven't gotten sick. Had a 3 pk from Costco and a single BB rack from the local grocer like that, ended up tossing the 3 pack. I've wondered if it's from improper handling along the way to the display case.

The OP's smell after being cooked does not sound good, haven't ha that as yet.

 

[Ericbc7]

If the meat was spoiled you would have smelled it before cooking (if your sense of smell is not compromised.). 205 deg after 5 hours is completely safe. Some rub and marinade ingredients can emit a funky smell in the right conditions - think Worcestershire, fish sauce, other fermented condiments, umami powder.
smell is a tricky, subjective thing and sensitive to a lot of variables, I rely on my equipment and double check things when something seems wrong.
Finally if something turns out disappointing, just bin it, order takeout And plan the next try.