Boston Pork Butt 2 Ways Questions

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sagosto

Newbie
Original poster
Dec 31, 2014
28
14
I pushed the wife to let me make pulled pork for my daughter's 1st birthday party so I need to come through. I have always smoked pork shoulder picnic but my local Shop Rite has Boston Pork Butt for $1.69 a lbs so I took a chance but am a bit concerned. I bought 2 - 6lbs butts which I want to make using a traditional red bbq sauce and a North Carolina Vinegar sauce but have some concerns/questions.

My typical prep is to use the Big Bald BBQ rub on the meat, wrap in plastic, and re-fridge over night. Smoke @ 225F until 165F internal and then the meat goes into a foil pan with some appl ejuice and sealed with foil until ~205-208F.

1) Does using yellow mustard help with flavor or just help the rub adhere?

2) Party is at noon on Saturday so I need to make this Thursday/Friday but not sure how to store it. Should I just put it in some gallon zip lock? Tupperware?

3) Does it matter if I make it Thursday vs. Friday?

4) How do I reheat w/o drying out? I have read vacuum seal and placing in water but that simply isn't realistic.Should I just add some of the sauce and reheat in the over? Crock pot?

5) Should I mix finished product with each sauce or just leave the sauce on the side for the guests?

6) What is the typical % loss after smoke? For example, how much meat will I net for a ~6lbs shoulder?
 
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I pushed the wife to let me make pulled pork for my daughter's 1st birthday party so I need to come through. I have always smoked pork shoulder picnic but my local Shop Rite has Boston Pork Butt for $1.69 a lbs so I took a chance but am a bit concerned. I bought 2 - 6lbs butts which I want to make using a traditional red bbq sauce and a North Carolina Vinegar sauce but have some concerns/questions.

My typical prep is to use the Big Bald BBQ rub on the meat, wrap in plastic, and re-fridge over night. Smoke @ 225F until 165F internal and then the meat goes into a foil pan with some appl ejuice and sealed with foil until ~205-208.

1) Does using yellow mustard help with flavor or just help the rub adhere?

2) Party is at noon on Saturday so I need to make this Thursday/Friday but not sure how to store it. Should I just put it in some gallon zip lock? Tupperware?

3) Does it matter if I make it Thursday vs. Friday?

4) How do I reheat w/o drying out? I have read vacuum seal and placing in water but that simply isn't realistic.

5) Should I mix finished product with each sauce or just leave the sauce on the side for the guests?
My opinion would be as below.  I'm sure others will have varying opinions.  Good luck with the smoke and post us some pics of the Qview.

1) Just helps the rub adhere.  Lots of folks use mustard some use EVOL or something else.  

2) Zip locks will be fine. Either day should be fine just keep in fridge.

3) Either day should be fine.

4) When you put in foil pan save all the juices and put them in fridge to let the fat seperate out.  Remove the fat and use this liquid back in the pp. Use the search tool to look for "Finishing Sauce" that you could also use to add some moisture back into the meat.  

5) That is a personal choice.  I prefer to allow people to add their own since some like more or less.  
 
 
My opinion would be as below.  I'm sure others will have varying opinions.  Good luck with the smoke and post us some pics of the Qview.

1) Just helps the rub adhere.  Lots of folks use mustard some use EVOL or something else.  

2) Zip locks will be fine. Either day should be fine just keep in fridge.

3) Either day should be fine.

4) When you put in foil pan save all the juices and put them in fridge to let the fat seperate out.  Remove the fat and use this liquid back in the pp. Use the search tool to look for "Finishing Sauce" that you could also use to add some moisture back into the meat.  

5) That is a personal choice.  I prefer to allow people to add their own since some like more or less.  
Thanks for the fast reply. I already have the red BBQ and vinegar sauces that I'd like to use. Would this be the 'finishing sauce"? Would chicken broth be bad idea? Should I reheat via oven at 350F or crockpot? Smoker w/ no wood?

Does this mean you just have a pile of meat and leave your 'sauces' on the side for your guests? I could add a bit of saucue to each pan and then leave extra on the side?
 
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Thanks for the fast reply. I already have the red BBQ and vinegar sauces that I'd like to use. Would this be the 'finishing sauce"? These two styles of sauce are Finishing Sauces as they are thin as opposed to thick sweet BBQ Sauce. Would chicken broth be bad idea? Not a first choice. I would reheat the already pulled meat with any Drippings and two parts Apple Cider or Juice mixed with one part Apple Cider Vinegar and your Rub added to taste. You add enough to moisten the meat but it should not be swimming. This mix is a more neutral flavor so guests can add your sauces to their taste. Should I reheat via oven at 350F or crockpot? Smoker w/ no wood? Any of these will get the job done. Cover the meat for fastest reheat and moisture retention.

Does this mean you just have a pile of meat and leave your 'sauces' on the side for your guests? Yes. If you are serving over a long time frame. It is best to keep the meat hot. The Crock Pot on warm is the perfect tool. I could add a bit of saucue to each pan and then leave extra on the side? You can if you wish, substitute some of your sauce for the ACV in the above mix. Good Luck...JJ
 
Originally Posted by sagosto  
 
Thanks for the fast reply. I already have the red BBQ and vinegar sauces that I'd like to use. Would this be the 'finishing sauce"? These two styles of sauce are Finishing Sauces as they are thin as opposed to thick sweet BBQ Sauce. Would chicken broth be bad idea? Not a first choice. I would reheat the already pulled meat with any Drippings and two parts Apple Cider or Juice mixed with one part Apple Cider Vinegar and your Rub added to taste. You add enough to moisten the meat but it should not be swimming. This mix is a more neutral flavor so guests can add your sauces to their taste. Should I reheat via oven at 350F or crockpot? Smoker w/ no wood? Any of these will get the job done. Cover the meat for fastest reheat and moisture retention.

Does this mean you just have a pile of meat and leave your 'sauces' on the side for your guests? Yes. If you are serving over a long time frame. It is best to keep the meat hot. The Crock Pot on warm is the perfect tool. I could add a bit of saucue to each pan and then leave extra on the side? You can if you wish, substitute some of your sauce for the ACV in the above mix. Good Luck...JJ
Thanks for the reply. Wouldn't the 'finishing sauce' conflict with the main sauce that I would put on the side? Is the finishing sauce a replacement for apple juice/rub to add moisture during rhe reheat process? I am confused about the two. Can I refrigerate the meat with the drippings or should I strain off as the drippings contain apple juice (acid) used in the pan during cooking? Should I shred prior to refrigeration? It would be easier if I could then just reheat/serve.

Any way to determine average net gain of finished product (e.g. I want 10lbs so I should typically buy Xlbs raw)? 

-Shawn
 
You can add just drippings/apple juice/rub or a finishing sauce. In general finishing sauces are thin and BBQ sauces are thick. But that varies by region. Some NC joints pull the pork and mix in their vinegar based sauce to flavor and add moisture. More vinegar sauce is available at the table for folks that want more. Some places add nothing and let guests choose from a few different sauces, both sweet and thick, vinegary and spicy and any combo of the two.

The pork cooked right will be tasty on it's own, no finishing sauce needed. but you can " layer " flavors. If your sauces are vinegary, as I suspect those two styles are, add some sweetness to the pork like the drippings /apple juice/etc., then put those sauces of yours on the side.

Smoke the meat and pull it then bag and refer. Chill the drippings so the fat rises and solidifies to be easily removed. For service heat the dripping, they will turn to jello over night, and whatever liquid you decide on. Pour this over the meat and heat it, Crock Pot, panned in the Oven, whatever you wish, and serve.

Pork Butts have about a 50% yield, after cooking and removing excessive fat, bone, etc. So you want 10lbs of Pulled Pork  /  .50 yield  =  20lbs of raw Butts you need to buy.

Pork Picnic Shoulders have about a 40% yield, more bone and skin. So....10 Pounds of Pulled Pork needed  /  .40 yield  =  25 pounds of raw Picnic Shoulders to buy.

Good Luck...JJ
 
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