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Ammoholic
Picture of Skins2881
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quote:
Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
I smoke mine naked, then rest it foil wrapped in a cooler.


To each their own, I only have a. 25 acre of land, neighbors would have cops at my house by the time I got grill up to temperature. Maybe when I get a larger piece of land I'll try your method.



Jesse

Sic Semper Tyrannis
 
Posts: 20758 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: December 27, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by cparktd:
From 100 people you may get 100 different answers LOl!


More like 150 different answers from 100 people.

I've done 2-3 butts/year for the last 3-4 years & I don't think I've done 2 the same way. Mostly because I don't pay attention/write down what I do, but mostly because I want to try something. My wife (mostly) and I don't like 'sweet' BBQ. She won't eat it if there was sugar mentioned 2 weeks before I cooked it....

I've tried mostly Chili powder based rubs, but I'm settling in on more garlic based + CiderVinegar/Worcestershire/mustard for binder/moisture.

My Keg doesn't like to cook below ~250, so 250-275 is usually what I run at. I've done up to 375 to get one done quick. I think the hunk of meat makes more different than temperature on tenderness/juiciness/flavor.

Cook till it's done - not time, or temp. 195-210, stick a toothpick or better, a skewer in & see if it goes through easy & comes out clean. Then tug the bone, if it releases, it's probably ready to wrap in foil & stash in a cooler for at least an hour.

When it stalls, I'll sometimes throw it in a foil pan to collect the juice. I don't like the juice that sits in 8+hrs of smoke. Makes it easier to wrap & handle too.

If the wife's not around & I can make more of a mess without hearing about it, I'll pull the bone, toss it out of the pan onto a larger cutting board, pull the bone & chop it up. Healluva lot easier than pulling & you get smaller pieces of bark mixed in better. Then strain, warm, add Rub/Cider/Worcestershire & dump the juice in. Bag & Freeze for easy lunch/dinners. We usually use it for tacos.
 
Posts: 3297 | Location: IN | Registered: January 12, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Character, above all else
Picture of Tailhook 84
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I buy the boneless pork butts from Costco and have done them both wrapped and unwrapped without any complaints either way. I do the standard rinse, pat dry, then season inside and out. I then lace it up with cotton string like a roast to keep it together during the smoke (225 degrees). When finished I actually carve it like a roast and remove the strings as I get to them.

Last one I smoked I tried something different: Once it stalled I stuck in a remote temp sensor and placed it in a stainless steel roaster to catch all the juices for the remainder of the smoke. At this point I could have simply finished in an oven but I was doing a no-wrap brisket too, so it was easy to keep it in the smoker until 200 degrees internal temp.

When it was finished, I'd only handled the pork butt once and all the remaining juices stayed with it in the pan. Turns out the roaster is a great place to let it rest too. This method creates a thin crust rather than the thick bark as some enjoy, but it is certainly moist from steaming in its own juices.

I've learned a lot from this thread and I'm looking forward to more experimenting!




"The Truth, when first uttered, is always considered heresy."
 
Posts: 2540 | Location: West of Fort Worth | Registered: March 05, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Oh stewardess,
I speak jive.
Picture of 46and2
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Skins2881:
quote:
Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
I smoke mine naked, then rest it foil wrapped in a cooler.

To each their own, I only have a. 25 acre of land, neighbors would have cops at my house by the time I got grill up to temperature. Maybe when I get a larger piece of land I'll try your method.

Smile
 
Posts: 25613 | Registered: March 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ammoholic
Picture of Skins2881
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I don't have an actual smoker. I've figured out how to rig up my Weber gas grill to temporarily use as smoker. I cook on left side of top rack which I have extended using cookie cooling rack to fit butt on. I then put foil bread pan on right side. Dump about 12-15 half ash, half black charcoal briquettes in foil with a couple of hunks of seasoned pear wood (from my yard). Turn grill on low, scrape top rack and turn off. Let the wood start to burn, once it does I add soaked pear wood (apple sometimes mixed in). Close lid again and temp usually settles at 250-275. I then add more soaked hunks for four to five hours. I pull around 165 +/- doesn't matter in my method too much, I just need no less than four hours smoke, so usually I just always do five hours.



I've actually started using picnic over butts recently because the store was out of butts and I tried it anyways. I found the meat to be more favorable than butt and had long stands of muscle tissue when forked apart that look cool.

If you want to save some dough, give it a shot.

I use my own rub, mix of 10+ spices allied heavily. I emailed you it BRL. I apply approx 12-24 hours in advance and let sit out an hour or more before smoking.

In a crock pot I mix one thing of beef broth, little less then cup of vinegar, about a cup or so of store bought BBQ sauce, original Jack Daniels or KC masterpiece, or whatever is on sale.

Let it finish in there another few hours, usually midnight til seven AM. Start on med for first two hours, then switch to warm for rest of the time. Place in a Pyrex pan (or whatever you got) wrap with foil. Let it stand for however long I feel like. Take the juices from crock pot put in four cup measuring cup. Set it in fridge for a little while. Pull it out, pour the fat on top and/or use big spoon to scoop most of fat off the top of the liquid. Ends up at around 1.5-2 cups liquid with some fat floating on top. Pour back in crock pot on medium.

Pull apart meat using two forks, toss chunks of fat, tendons and anything else that looks like I don't want eat. Put it in crock pot on medium with liquids, leave on for hour or so, turn to warm, serve whenever you want afterwards.

Never fails.

If you don't like yours sweet skip the sauce, just use a little more of juices from above and less or no sauce when your first put in crock pot.



Jesse

Sic Semper Tyrannis
 
Posts: 20758 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: December 27, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Loves His Wife
Picture of BRL
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Starting out. Had to work to get the PBC temp down. It started out at about 365, got it down around 300-310 whet it has been hovering. Hanging this one.



2 hours in with the PBC temp floating either side of 300. Stuck the thermometer in and it's at 115. Won't open this up until it hits 160 if I decide to wrap or put in a pan,or if I let it go naked until 203.

It's already got a pretty good crust on it.




I am not BIPOLAR. I don't even like bears.


 
Posts: 12930 | Location: Western WI | Registered: January 05, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Loves His Wife
Picture of BRL
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Almost forgot the most important part - now, which one to choose?




I am not BIPOLAR. I don't even like bears.


 
Posts: 12930 | Location: Western WI | Registered: January 05, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Music's over turn
out the lights
Picture of David W
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quote:
Originally posted by Jeff Yarchin:
I have a BGE and go the low and slow route.

I apply a dry rub and vacuum pack it for a day or two in the fridge before I smoke it. The night before I'll soak the hardwood I use in water, usually wild apple, and add these chunks to the lump charcoal.


My method is very similar to Jeff's, works great, slow and low.


David W.

Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud. -Sophocles
 
Posts: 3636 | Location: Winston Salem, N.C. | Registered: May 30, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Loves His Wife
Picture of BRL
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Here's an interesting development – being new to buying pork for smoking it seems when I actually bought was a porketta roast. No I'm wondering if I need to let it cook that long, if this will still be a pull a part or if I should take it off at 160 take it off at 160 and let it rest and let it rest?



I am not BIPOLAR. I don't even like bears.


 
Posts: 12930 | Location: Western WI | Registered: January 05, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Drill Here, Drill Now
Picture of tatortodd
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quote:
Originally posted by BRL:
Here's an interesting development – being nude of buying pork for smoking it seems when I actually bought was a porketta roast. No I'm wondering if I need to let it cook that long, if this will still be a pull a part or if I should take it off at 160 take it off at 160 and let it rest and let it rest?
If it's an all loin porchetta then it's 140 to 150 F. If it's a belly porchetta then it's 160F.



Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
 
Posts: 23102 | Location: Northern Suburbs of Houston | Registered: November 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ammoholic
Picture of Skins2881
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I'd take off and finish it on grill if it's like a pork loin, maybe? Maybe cook until you get 140° at center? I'm not even sure what kind of cut that is.



Jesse

Sic Semper Tyrannis
 
Posts: 20758 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: December 27, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Loves His Wife
Picture of BRL
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Well I pulled in at 160 so we'll see what we have when it's done resting.

I'm kind of bummed I'm sure it will be good but this is not what I was looking forward to



I am not BIPOLAR. I don't even like bears.


 
Posts: 12930 | Location: Western WI | Registered: January 05, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Fighting the good fight
Picture of RogueJSK
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Yeah, those photos sure don't show a pork butt!

Next time, you'll want to look for meat that is labeled "pork butt", "pork shoulder butt", or "Boston butt". All the same thing, just different names for it. Sam's Club or Costco sells cryovaced butts, and they're good quality at a good price. Your local supermarket may or may not have it, but your local butcher should.

(You can also make do with a "pork picnic" or "pork shoulder picnic", which is a similar cut and is an acceptable alternative for pulled pork. The butt is the upper part of the shoulder, and the picnic is the lower part of the shoulder.)

Being a roast, I don't think you're going to be able to pull that. Certainly not at 160 internal. You're going to end up having to slice it.

Also, based on the photo, it looks like you went pretty sparing with the seasoning. Whenever you end up doing a real pork butt, you'll want to use a lot more dry rub on the outside.

Here's what one of mine looks like. Notice how it's fully covered. You might think that this is overkill, but some of the outer rub will be lost during cooking. And what's left is needed to help balance out all the interior meat that doesn't have any rub on it, once it gets pulled and all mixed together.
 
Posts: 32430 | Location: Northwest Arkansas | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ammoholic
Picture of Skins2881
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quote:
(You can also make do with a "pork picnic" or "pork shoulder picnic", which is a similar cut and is an acceptable alternative for pulled pork. The butt is the upper part of the shoulder, and the picnic is the lower part of the shoulder.)


Acceptable? The last two I've made I used a picnic and liked it a lot. First time was because that was all they had. Second time because I actually liked the picnic as good or better and it was a buck or two cheaper per pound.



Jesse

Sic Semper Tyrannis
 
Posts: 20758 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: December 27, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Loves His Wife
Picture of BRL
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Mine was packaged with the marinade/rub fennel, sugar, garlic etc. The turkey I smoked Thursday looked like your pork butt with liberal amounts of tub. What irritates me is I got it from a meat shop with a pretty good reputation. I asked the young guy at the counter for a pork butt or shoulder and that's what he gave me. I even questioned him on it and he checked with another gal and she concurred. Must have been the B team working that day.

Here's the finished product. Came out very good.




While very tasty, I'm not a fan of pork belly, far to much fat but I can eat around it.



I am not BIPOLAR. I don't even like bears.


 
Posts: 12930 | Location: Western WI | Registered: January 05, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Oh stewardess,
I speak jive.
Picture of 46and2
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That looks really good, probably tastes damn good, too.

It just isn't pork butt/shoulder. Smile
 
Posts: 25613 | Registered: March 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Dirty Boat Guy
Picture of parallel
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quote:
Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
I smoke mine naked, then rest it foil wrapped in a cooler.

Yep, I wrap in foil and towels then put into a cooler. To prep the cooler I pour boiling water into it and let it sit lid down while I wrap the meat, then I dump the hot water and put the wrapped meat in there. I leave a temperature probe in the meat so I can monitor the temp. I've consistently been able to keep the meat above 160 degrees for over six hours.




A penny saved is a government oversight.
 
Posts: 6708 | Location: New Orleans Area | Registered: January 12, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Drill Here, Drill Now
Picture of tatortodd
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quote:
Originally posted by 46and2:
That looks really good, probably tastes damn good, too.
+1. I'm a porchetta fan, but I've only had it at restaurants.

Although, I can understand the OP's frustration of wanting to do pulled pork and the butcher shop giving you something much different.



Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
 
Posts: 23102 | Location: Northern Suburbs of Houston | Registered: November 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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