First time pork butt tomorrow

I like apple wood when I do a shoulder with a mixture of royal oak and kingsford blue, actually just started an 8.5 pounder a couple hours ago for the Cubs game or MNF depending on when it wants to be done. Just tell the butcher how many pound shoulder you want, thickness is what it is, about 1/8-1/4" fatcap is nice. I use a little mustard to help hold my dryrub on before saran wrapping it overnight. No  aluminum pan for me, just fat drippings. I take it to 205 degrees at 225 to 250 degrees on my WSM, foil and wrap in a towel let rest for 2 hours in a cooler, pull apart and serve with your favorite sauce and some fresh coleslaw and your favorite buns.

Hello again, If you liked the Cherry on the Chicken, it will be great on Pork as well. Any fruit goes well with pork, maple too.

You can find Pork Butts in a variety of sizes but 8 to 10 pound Bone-in are the most common. Pork Butts lose about half there weight after cooking and trimming. Based on a generous 8oz dinner portion, an 8 pound Butt yields 4 pounds of Pulled Pork, feeding 8 people or a family of 4 twice. Pulled Pork freezes really well so if you are going to spend several hours tending your smoker, get a big Butt or even a couple. Bag up 1-2 pound portions and freeze them for future meals.

You can smoke in a pan if you wish but since your Gasser has multiple selves, put one or more Butts directly on the racks with a Drip Pan underneath. This way you get max smoke and Bark on the Butts and still have the Dripping to defat and mix in to the pulled meat. Now some guys smoke the entire run and others Foil with some flavorful liquid when the IT hits 160 to 170. This is when the Pan comes in handy. Smoke on the racks but move to the pan, add the liquid of choice, cover with foil and finish the cook. You can continue in the smoker, no smoke needed, or finish in the Oven. Bumping the temp up will save some time. A finished IT of 205° usually indicates the meat is tender enough to pull but poke around with the Probe to see it slides in with no resistance and the bone should wiggle free easily. If all is good to go, a 30 minute rest on the counter tented with foil is plenty. If you need more time, you can foil the meat or if already foiled in the pan, wrap with some old towels and place the meat in a cooler for up to 5 hours.

There are guys that use Mustard or Oil and guys that skip it. Many ingredient in common rubs have both Fat and Water Soluble flavors. So whatever you choose, plain, mustard or oil, it is more important to let the rub spend some time passing the flavors to the meat. I like to rub the night before but any contact time benefits the flavor.

Below are some recipes you may like to try. Anything else just ask...Good Luck...JJ

Mild Bubba Q Rub  (All Purpose)

1/2C Sugar in the Raw (Turbinado)

2T Sweet Paprika (Hungarian)

1T Kosher Salt

1T Chili Powder* (contains some Cumin and Oregano) Ancho Chile is same without cumin, oregano etc.

1T Granulated Garlic

1T Granulated Onion

1tsp Black Pepper, more if you like

1/2tsp Grnd Allspice

For more heat add Cayenne or Chipotle Pwd to taste, start with 1/2tsp and go from there. Makes about 1 Cup

Apply your desired amount of Rub to the meat, wrap in plastic and rest in the refrigerator over night.or longer. The day of the smoke, pull the meat out, add more Rub and go into your pre-heated Smoker...

Note*...Some Chili Powders can be pretty Hot. McCormick and Spice Island are Mild...

Foiling Juice / Sweet Pulled Pork Finishing Sauce

Foiling Juice

For each Rack of Ribs Combine:

1T Pork Rub, yours

1/2 Stick Butter

1/2C Cane Syrup... Dark Corn Syrup...or Honey

1/4C Apple Cider...or Juice

1T Molasses

Optional: 2T Apple Cider Vinegar. Add 2T Mustard and 1/4C Ketchup to make it more of a KC Glaze.

Simmer until a syrupy consistency.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes, pour over foiled Ribs and

run your 2 hour phase of 3-2-1. For the last phase return

the ribs to the smoker BUT reserve any Juice remaining

in the Foil. Simmer the Juice over med/low heat to reduce to a saucy thickness. Glaze the Ribs for presentation or service.

For a Sweet Finishing Sauce for Pulled Pork:  Make a Double batch, skip the Butter.

If you plan to Foil the meat, add 1/2 the batch to the Foil Pack or place it in a Pan with your Butt, when the IT hits 165*F.

Cover the pan with foil and continue to heat to 205*F for pulling.

At 205* rest or hold the Butt in a cooler wrapped in towels until ready to serve.

Pull the Pork and place it back in the pan with the pan Juices and any additional reserved Foiling Juice to moisten, the meat should be shiny and juicy but not swimming in sauce. Serve while hot...OR... Bag and refrigerate until needed.

If you choose to Not Foil or Pan the Butt. Add the Finishing Sauce to the pulled meat before serving. Add the hot Finishing Sauce a little at a time until the Pork is moistened, again the meat should be shiny but not swimming in sauce.

When re-heating place the Pulled Pork in a Pan or Crock pot and add reserved Foiling Juice or Apple Cider, as needed to make up the Juice that was absorbed while the pork was refrigerated. Cover and re-heat in a pre-heated 325-350*F oven or on High in the crock pot to 165*F and Serve.

I was AMAZED...No additional sauce needed. ENJOY...JJ

Tangy Pulled Pork Finishing Sauce

This is more of an Eastern North Carolina style Finishing Sauce...

2 C Apple Cider Vinegar

2T Worcestershire Sauce or more to taste

1/4C Brown Sugar

1T Smoked Paprika

2 tsp Granulated Garlic

2 tsp Granulated Onion

2 tsp Fine Grind Black Pepper

1 tsp Celery Salt

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper or Red Pepper Flake. Add more if you like Heat.

1/2 tsp Grnd Allspice

Combine all and whisk well. This is a thin sauce, bring just to a simmer and remove from heat. Adjust sweetness by adding Brn Sugar or additional Vinegar as desired...Makes about 2 Cups.

For a Lexington Style Dip  add, 1/2C Ketchup and 1-3tsp Red Pepper Flakes...JJ

Hey Lombardi,

I don't trim my butts as the more the fat the more juice there's going to be and you need the moisture for long smokes, as with 7-10lb butts. I usually use cherry or pecan wood on my pork, always tastes great!

Don't worry about how long it takes, leave it in the smoker until it hits an internal temperature of 205F for perfect shredding! Could take 7hrs could take 12hrs, just depends on the size and other, external factors.

Let us know how it goes! Post pictures along the way!

-D

Lombardi23 said:

Hey guys! For my 3rd smoke, I'm doing pork butt tomorrow! I have a good understanding on what I'm doing by reading some threads. What kind of wood do you guys use the most? When I go to the butcher, should I ask for a certain thickness?

Does anyone cook it in a throw away aluminum pan for the drippings? Is there any benefit of using yellow mustard or olive oil before my rub?

Any other tips are welcome!

Click to expand...

Here's my favorite Step by Step on a Pulled Butt: (Includes everything)

Pulled Boston Pork Butt         

Tip: If you put a hunk of meat, like a Butt or Prime Rib on a Wire Cooling Rack, in a foil pan, you'll still get the smoke flavor all the way around, with less clean-up.

Bear