Foiling a butt

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cconk454

Fire Starter
Original poster
Aug 27, 2007
37
10
I have done a few butts but have always followed the tried and true of foiling at 160 until it hits 200,resting and then pulling. Has anyone left their butt in the smoker until it hit 200 without touching it or foiling it at all. I would like to try but it is such a long and tedious smoke, just want to know if anyone else has done it before I embark.
 
I personally haven't tried not foiling. If you see the amount of juice in the foil and pan between 160 and 200, consider that all that juice will be lost to the water pan without foiling. I would just as soon take the time to foil. Just my opinion, of course.
 
I used to take them all the way to 190-200 without foil, till I came here. Bark was better, but meat was definately drier. I comprimise a lil and wait to foil my butts till they get to 170-180 range. I still get moist meat, but a better darker bark. I also rest for 2-3 hrs ina cooler covered with towels before the actual pulling starts, and its still 170-180 degrees then.
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Why try that, you'll lose all the juices and elimate the braising proccess that is needed for the tenderness and moistness. Brasing is the way to go at the end.

Hope this helps.
As always JMHO. I don't want the smoking cop on my @#@.
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I am not a professional smoker, someone else here is, I'm sure, just been around cookin' for almost 50 years.
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Try it the other way then you will know which way is better for you.I've seen and tried some new way's to do my old faves on this forum some are good some not so good.I've learned some new stuff here and love the forum but you are the ultimate judge.Before this forum I just threw stuff on and winged it , or used smokin books not specific to smoker types.Never had anything not edible it"s only good BBQ if the people you feed it to like it .
 
I've done it both ways and both produced excellent results. If you don't choose to use foil, I would recommend frequent mopping and spritzing to minimize moisture loss.

Even if I don't foil in the smoker, I always foil it when I place it in the cooler.
 
I agree with ron, it's the braising proess that the foil step provides that gets the meat tender enough to pull with your fingers. I also give it at least a 2 hour rest in a cooler.
 
most the times i'm a no foil,when your cooking 20-30 butts this step could cost you money and a bunch of work,i take em to 200 all the time un foiled and the bark is what people all love about mine. of course when you wrap em after they hit 200 they still cook some in the foil and it'll loosen that bark up also. my 2 cents anyway
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Having been in the restaurant bussiness I can understand the cost factor with the foil. However in my opinion the cost (loss) of yield in the finished meat would out weigh the cost of the foil.
Best way to know is to test the results.

I am not a pro smoker, just basing this on years of cooking experience.
 
Capt Dan has got it going on. That has worked for me too.
 
Give it a shot. The results will still be more than edible and you can say you've done it.............heck you may even like it better.
 
I did one a couple of weeks ago using the foil method and it came out very good and tender. I gave some to my son and daughter in law and they both said it was the best pulled pork they have had and her dad cooks them alot but they said mine was better. He doesnt foil them. Can learn alot from this site.
 
I've done both at different times. Foiling seems to be a bit more sure fire. No foil, some butts do tend to be a bit dryer, others seem to have enough fat to keep right on cooking forever. I say try it and give us your opinion.
 
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