My first butt!

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da toad

Fire Starter
Original poster
Aug 16, 2015
69
107
WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Just finished preparing the rub for tomorrow's smoke. 6.5 lb Boston Butt. I do so love rubbing butts! Anyway I will be up early tomorrow as I figure around 2 hours per pounds in the smoker so I'll be starting around 4:00AM. I will be taking it out of the refrig around 2:00 to let it warm up a little bit.

Right now the butt is in the beer fridge, wrapped in foil in the garage. This will be my first smoking a pork shoulder. Wish me luck. This is what it looked like before I wrapped it up.

Any suggestions appreciated such as if I am off on cooking time, internal temp to shoot for, how long resting in foil and when, how to pull apart, need BBQ sauce on the side?  So many questions and so little experience.

11949471_1627321820869682_7313797324776708112_n.jpg
 
Two hours a pound should be a safe bet,what temp are you cooking at? Around 199-205 IT will work for pulling. If there's a bone in it it will wiggle very easily when done and should pull out fairly cleanly. Once it's done wrap it up with foil,double the wrap if using flimsy foil, then rest in a dry cooler after wrapping it with towels for an hour or so if you can wait that long. Sauce on the side you may not want much if any after tasting it! I suggest you use the search feature and look up finishing sauce they can help add flavor and moisture to the pork. Now the big question are you going to go naked or foil that butt?
 
If it's done early, you can hold it in a dry cooler for several hours. Just keep it wrapped in foil, then wrapped in towels. It will hold and stay warm for a few hours like that.
 
I'd wake up a few hours earlier and get it going. If it finishes early wrap it in a few layers of heavy duty foil, then in a towel and place it in a cooler. It'll stay hot for hours.

The bone will slide out with ease when it's done and a hand mixer (same kind you use to mix cake batter) will shred it the quickest. If you like larger chunks use a few forks.

I saw you used some mustard to help the rub stick. Try it without next time. I never use it anymore. The rub sticks just fine. Mustard is for hotdogs. Hopefully this will save you a step.

Good luck!
 
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