Doing another pork butt today!!!

[hap12]

This is my second pork butt for pulled pork. Love this stuff.

I have to ask though, last time I did it the butt stalled at 165 for aabout 3 hours, the recomended temp for wrapping in foil. Do you folks usually have it wrapped during the stall period, or wrap after? The last one I wrapped about an hour into the stall, but if I could get away with more time in the smoke, i'd like to. But I don't want to risk drying it out either.

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• hap12
• Jun 7, 2014

Almost ready for the smoker!

 

[cliffcarter]

Hello HAP12 from a fellow Mainer.

I do not wrap butts, I do cook them at 300°, more or less, cooking at that temp there is no stall and therefore no need to wrap and the meat stays in the smoke for as long as you want. BTW cooking at 300° cook times are reduced to 50-60 minutes per pound, much more enjoyable than those 12-16 hour cook times when going low and slow.

 

[hap12]

Hi Cliff. Thanks for the tip. Got her in the smoker now, maybe I'll bump the temp up and try your method. Does the butt dry out at all when you do it this way? My last one I did at 225 and alot of juice came out while it cooked in the foil, but wasn't dry at all, I think alot of water is added before packaging. Next time I'm going to try and find one that has not been cured or water added.

But I do like doing things easier if it doesn't mess up the meat. And I like a good hearty smoke so I'll give it a go at higher temp without foil.

 

[hap12]

So it apears my smoker will only let me go up to 275. Its a MES40 electric. My first year using electric. Been a faithfull diehard charcoal guy up until now. Though I still like my steaks and choppers done over the charcoal.
I'll have to try it at 275. Thanks again.

 

[geerock]

Don't worry about drying out a pork butt from higher temp cooking. They can take it. I've gone to cooking butts like cliffcarter....275 to 295, no wrap, no stall (or very short one).
Now I will suggest you verify your temps with that MES. Don't go by that readout, it can be off 20, 30, 40 degrees high or low. Meat probe isn't usually reliable either, but maybe you have a good one. A maverick et733 or similar is a great tool to have.... especially with the MES.

 

[marauder]

have you ever cut the butt in half to double the amount of bark and also reduce cook time .?.http://amazingribs.com/images/pix/four_roast_cooking_time.jpg

 

[cliffcarter]

 
have you ever cut the butt in half to double the amount of bark and also reduce cook time .?.http://amazingribs.com/images/pix/four_roast_cooking_time.jpg

Cutting a butt in half won't double the surface area, another example of Meathead's fuzzy thinking.

HAP12 I've had butts dry out cooking low and slow, never hot and fast. Good Luck.

 

[marauder]

ive cooked only 1 butt so far and  foiled it at the end to 205

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• marauder
• Apr 24, 2014

turned out dish

 

[hap12]

The butt is done and pulled. Didn't take a pick. It came out great. The bark with the higher temp came out much better than my last one. I could have pulled all the bark off and just ate that!!! [emoji]128516[/emoji]

I did check my meat probe temp on my last butt I did and it was about 15 deg. off. I have to keep that in mind until I can find my digital one. It got packed up when we moved last November and I havnt seen it since.
I have been looking at the Maverick et 733 and I may pick one up if I can't find my other one.

Halving the butt has crossed my mind, it would give me a lot more bark and area exposed to the smoke. I plan to give it a try in the future.