Behold My Butt! (2007– )

[Zeemanb]

I totally agree w/scubadoo97- Even in the best weather I rarely attempt to time my bbq to where I'll be able to serve it right out of the smoker. Take advantage of the most optimum conditions available when you'll be able to monitor it more closely and cook it a day or so ahead.

I always cook it, let it rest until I can pull it, and just to make sure it will reheat without drying out I'll take the fattiest pieces and put those on top before covering with foil and refrigerating. If I'm doing an especially fatty Berkshire shoulder, there is usually ample fat between the meat and bark and I'd normally discard at least some of that if I were serving immediately. When refrigerating, I keep most of that too and put it near the top of the pile so that as it reheats in the oven the meat gets a good basting. I'll usually move the meat to a different pan before serving....the amount of fat involved in a specatular batch of pulled pork will forever remain behind the Great Oz's curtain .

[quattro]

That's a great tip re the fat. I will make sure to do that.

[chileheadmike]

When we do a competition, we try to get the butt done 2 to 3 hours before turn in. We wrap in foil, then in a towel and put it into a cooler. It will stay hot for hours while resting.

[quattro]

Thanks for the tips. THe butts turned out GREAT. Cooked them the day before. On the smoker at 8AM and they were done at 8:15PM. They were juicy and delicious as I was pulling them. Dried out a little bit after reheating the next day but the meat was delicious.

[C. sapidus]

Cross-posted from Dinner! - pork butt lightly rubbed, smoked overnight on the WSM, and then finished in a low oven. We cut one butt in chunks for smoked pork chilli.

Smoking two butts is the same amount of work as smoking one, so butt #2 will probably turn up for dinner this week. I had hoped to stretch the butt over two meals, but with two teenaged boys that's probably not gonna happen.

Edited March 12, 2012 by C. sapidus (log)

[Smokeydoke]

Didn't know where to post this, so I'll revive this old thread.

 

I smoked my first butt today, two 5# at the same time, two different methods. One with a Texas crunch (aluminum foil after butt hits 140F) and one without. We ate first one today, here's the pics

 

  

 

I made chopped pork sandwiches on a kaiser roll. It was ok. Mr. Smokey put some of his side salad with Southern Cream dressing (which is very zesty) on top, then it became awesome.

 

So many schools of thought on pork butt, I don't know who to believe. This butt was pulled at 190F, no foil. It had a beautiful bark, I used Meathead's Memphis Dust rub. Taste was just ok. I don't think I like this method.

 

The second butt was pulled at 205F, but it took longer, at least an hour longer, which differs from conventional wisdom, which says a Texas crunch is suppose to cook the meat faster. It didn't for us. But it was so tender and moist, much easier to "pull". The first butt we had to chop, it wasn't pulling. The second was more reminiscent of what I've had in good BBQ joints. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures, but the bark wasn't anywhere as nice as butt #1. I'll have a taste tomorrow and compare. So far, I like the Texas crunch method better.

Edited April 2, 2018 by Smokeydoke
it makes sense now (log)

[Barrytm]

As they say, there is no set time or temp for cooking butt.  I like to use the fork test,  if you can insert it and twist it with little resistance, it is done.   Sorry you didn't like the Memphis Dust -  that is my go to rub - -  did you salt it 12 hours in advance?  

[kayb]

A whole shoulder, to cook properly to the point of easy pulling, takes 18 hours if cooked "right," i.e., Memphis style. We did it with no dry rub but with a regular mop with a vinegar based barbecue sauce. A butt, of course, being, what, a third of the size of a shoulder? A quarter? Should take correspondingly less time.

 

We used to start cooking at 150F, and increase it by 25-degree increments until we finished up at 250 for a couple of hours to set the bark. A good bark takes two hours at that heat to really mature.

 

I need to cook a couple of shoulders this summer. Been a long time. My father could cook the best ones in the world.

 

[Smokeydoke]

1 hour ago, Barrytm said:

As they say, there is no set time or temp for cooking butt.  I like to use the fork test,  if you can insert it and twist it with little resistance, it is done.   Sorry you didn't like the Memphis Dust -  that is my go to rub - -  did you salt it 12 hours in advance?  

 

I did, with kosher salt, just as he directed.

Memphis dust is good.

[Smokeydoke]

Here's a photo of the pulled pork done with a Texas Crunch.

 

 

Now that's what I know as pulled pork, the meat was much more tender and juicy. Honestly, flavor was about the same. We liked the Texas Crunch method better.

 

That dressing really makes the sandwich.

 

Neither way is right or wrong, Meathead writes about both, but prefers the first way. I pulled it out at 190 because that's BBQ gospel, but Meathead writes he likes to pull it at 205F and I agree with him. There was a huge difference between 190F and 205F.

[kayb]

2 minutes ago, Smokeydoke said:

 

I did, with kosher salt, just as he directed.

Memphis dust is good.

If your local market carries it, get some Rendezvous seasoning. I'm not a fan of Rendezvous 'cue nor their ribs (for which Memphis is famous, damned if I see why), but their rub is very good. If your market doesn't carry it, you can get it here. I do not recommend ordering their ribs shipped to you; they're highly overrated. Though I could eat my weight in their cole slaw.

 

Not crazy about their sauce, either, but their dry rub is the best.

 

 

 

[chileheadmike]

I've never wrapped a pork butt, I don't think it's necessary.  I rub a few hours before smoking then I generally start it about 8pm and go overnight.  I cook at 250 for the entire time. I'll take it off the smoker @ 210,  which is usually about 10 am, and then wrap and store in a dry cooler with some towels. It will hold for hours. I'll pull the meat just before serving. I really don't think you need to wrap it, the difference is cooking to 210 rather than 190. 

 

If I'm cooking a brisket, I will wrap that about half way through the cook. 

[Smokeydoke]

I'll try smoking at 250F and take off at 210F. Next time.

 

I did 225F because that's what the recipe said.

[chileheadmike]

Nothing wrong with 225. 

[Smokeydoke]

I didn't say there was. I thought mine came out great.

[rustwood]

Clearly there are many points of view when it comes to BBQ.   For me, 140 is low for foiling, 190 is  low for pulling it and 210 is high (although not unusual).  Typically I will wait until at least 160 before foiling - if I foil at all.  I will pull when the meat reaches ~200, let out a little steam, wrap it up tight again, put it in a blanket or towel and drop it in a cooker to rest for a couple of hours. 

 

Wrapping in foil can affect the bark, but mostly it is just about getting your timing right.  If you get a late start, foiling is definitely your friend.  I general cook at 250 for "low n slow" and 325 for hot and fast, but I adjust as needed to make the timing work out.  I have no problem pushing up to 350 after it has been foiled if I need to speed things up.  I generally don't do hot and fast without foiling though.

 

@Smokeydoke weren't you looking at Kamado's?  Did you get one?  I am just curious as to what type of smoker you are using. 

 

With all of this said, I have to admit that I cooked my last 2 butts in a pressure cooker.  That's obviously a totally different thing, but it is pretty great to have it come out so nice in just 90 minutes.  Works great for recipes that don't go well with smoke.

 

[scubadoo97]

@rustwood  I do about the same with the towel and cooler.  That rest seems to work wonders 

[Smokeydoke]

@rustwood I did not get a kamado, I got gifted a Masterbuilt.

 

I love it, but I may get a kamado later. Actually I'm looking at WSM instead.

[rustwood]

The food is likely just as good coming off of the Masterbuilt.   As long as you have enough room and can hold the temperature you need for long enough, then everything else is gravy.  Of course you don't get grilling with a WSM either, but you probably have a grill. 

 

I don't know about the Masterbuilt, but the WSMs seem to have a fairly narrow range of temperatures that they like to run at.  When I cook on mine, it reminds me that backyard BBQ is more of an art than a science.  The cooker is probably the least important element, plus it is nice to just light it and not fuss over the cooker temperature.  The meat almost always comes out tasting plenty good.

 

[btbyrd]

Behold.

 

[chileheadmike]

Working from home today.  Good price on pork butt so I fired up the WSM. 

Edited March 16, 2020 by chileheadmike
Spellin (log)

[lemniscate]

I bought a 12lb-er at Sprouts today (yuge!) for .99 per lb.  Cut it down to manageable pieced and the WHOLE thing is in 2 Instant Pots going to be kahlua/shredded pork.  With cabbage leaves laid over the meat while cooking.

 

Going to make cole slaw for a fresh dish.  Steam a cauliflower too.  Brassicas FTW!

 

No eggs or regular flour (lots of gluten-free flour on the shelves LOL).  The butcher counter was completely emptied.  I picked up some pork sausage chubs, some Italian sausage, and bacon from the pre-packaged area.    Most fruit and veg are well stocked; onions and potatoes very low stock.  Pasta gone.  Traditional Dairy low stock, but lots of Nut based beverages left.   

 

Looked like the frozen food pre-made meals section decimated.

 

 

Edited March 18, 2020 by lemniscate
brassica not bracchia. (log)

[Regina3000]

I put an 8-lb boneless butt and an almost 10-lb picnic roast in my new-to-me charcoal smoker about 20 minutes ago. I've never used a charcoal smoker, so this will be a learning experience, but I'm looking forward to it!

[heidih]

46 minutes ago, Regina3000 said:

I put an 8-lb boneless butt and an almost 10-lb picnic roast in my new-to-me charcoal smoker about 20 minutes ago. I've never used a charcoal smoker, so this will be a learning experience, but I'm looking forward to it!

 

Seasoning?

[gfweb]

I found a butt in  the back of the freezer a few days ago. Who knew that was back there? Cooked it up sous vide for 24 H at 160F in the usual spices/condiments. It was perfect and tender and a lot left over to freeze away.