Pulled pork 101

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bbq bubba

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
Feb 12, 2007
3,646
12
new baltimore, mi
Gonna smoke 3 butts for a dinner at the gun club on wed. thought id do a pictorial? for all the new members we have. Heres 3 6 lb butts deboned from Costco (thus the butchers string)

Butt 1 is splashed with Worsh. sauce and covered with All South rub
Butt 2 is slathered with mustard and covered with Pig Dust
Butt 3 is slathered with mustard and covered in my homemade pork rub

Also doing a 6 lb brisket for dinner, trying something different, just worsh. sauce and salt n pepper
Smoking with mesquite and cherry first thing in a.m. in my elec. ECB with water pan filled with some liquid? Have updates in a.m.
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Smokin my first pork butt next weekend. Looking forward to following your progress and learning as much as possible.
Really appreciate the live tutorial.
 
That almost makes me hungry again Bubba! ... but I was judging a competition this afternoon and I'm still full ... hard work that!

Looking forward to seeing more pix my friend ...
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Gonna smoke with mesquite and cherry mix (chunks soaking) ECB runs about 240 ish, maybe a lil' less with this much mass! Lite blue smoke
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till the pork hits 150ish and will wrap in foil, spraying with 2 parts apple juice, 1 part rum the whole way thru, pull of smoker at 200ish and rest.
I will pull a little for dinner along with my brisket but havent decided weather i'll pull em and bag or reheat whole in the oven and pull before dinner
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Will be taking Jeff's finishing sauce and some basic bbq sauce, will be serving sammies with slaw, tater salad and chips, BYOB
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Simple and yummy! (they usually get pizza
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)
 
Damn Squeezy, another judging
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you gettin sick of bbq yet??? how long to get your kcbs cert? or u doing it for the grub?
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BTW, wheres your pics from last weeks cookoff
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Pizza....???

The poor souls won't know what hit them....
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The lesson looks good so far......looking forward to seeing the finished products.


P.S. What's Pig Dust...???
 
Ah Bubba! It's a bit of both and then some. I love checkin' out other peoples Q and learning what is good and what is not so good. KCBS certification is not available in Canada, have to go stateside, so they don't demand it here.

BTW ... I'm doing the amateur portion ...
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...tomorrow!
You will just be eatin' all day tomorrow, you seem to have lots!!!!
 
Just wanted to say thanks for starting this post. They have Boston Butt on sale at the local market $1.17/lb, so I believe it will be my first smoke experience. However, it probably won't be until next weekend or the weekend after before I get a chance to do it. So with that in mind, I have a *few* questions:

How long does it take a 5lb butt to unthaw? What’s the best way to do this?


How much rub should I make? Do you apply more rub at any point?


How long before it goes in the smoker should I apply the rub?


How often should I turn the meat? Do I flip it? Turn it over a quarter of the way?


I’ve read that it no longer needs smoke after it hits 140, does that mean that I should foil it for the rest of the time? Also, once foiled should I move it to the hottest portion of the smoker or keep it in the same spot (this is an offset smoker)?


How long should it be rested in the foil, towel, cooler contraption? Speaking of that, why towels?
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What’s your favorite thing to do with leftover pulled pork?[/font]


Feel free to answer whatever portions of this you want. Also, if there is something I should read that would answer these questions for me, please feel free to refer me.

Thanks,
-DD
 
Good mornin all! about 7:15, smoker's loaded (literally) re-applied rub to everything, pan full of water, ready to go
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I have been using sand in the water pan lately with great results, got a new pan so i thought i'd try the water again, just to see if theres a difference. Will keep u updated
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Good questions. I recommend you go to the main home page and look on the left hand side for "Smoking Meats". Under that, read "Pork Shoulder" and "Pulled Pork Receipe" Jeff has written a wealth of info about the subject.

Best way to thaw meat is in the fridge, but it takes some time. If in a hurry, can place in a pot of water. Change the water out every so often. Sometimes I just put the thing in the sink over night and finish it in the fridge.

Hope this helps and Good Luck with your smoke!
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3 hour update! Pit holding at 226*
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brisket at 145* and pork at 138*
I love the smell of mesquite in the morning
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D.D....thaw in the fridge 2 days prior
A 5# butt will take about a cup of rub but make twice that for next time, i put on my rub the day before and rerub before it goes on the smoker
I personally do not flip, move or rotate my meat, fat side up so it self bastes
Foiling makes the cook go a lil' faster
Resting in a cooler is a trick from the comp. guys, resting it on the counter is also fine if your gonna eat right away, or double wrap with foil and then wrap in towels and place in a cooler, keeps it cookin and keeps warm longer.........i once had a brisket in a cooler for 13 hrs. and when i took it out it was still to hot to cut!!
 
Hi DD -

Q: How long does it take a 5lb butt to unthaw?
Whatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s the best way to do this?

A:Over night and in the fridge. It can be done underwater as CrewDawg suggested but it'll still take all day. Best to keep it in the fridge all day.

Q: How much rub should I make? Do you apply more rub at any point?

A:Rub doesn't go bad it just looses some flavor (unless it's like months all and in the open air) So I mix it up in large batches anway. If you use the 1-2 oz. shacker bottles just put it back in there. One butt shouldn't take more than one bottle full. I usually princkle more rub on about 1/2 way through the smoke after spritzing with apple juice.

Q: How long before it goes in the smoker should I apply the rub?

A: There are several schools of thought on this one. Some like to do it the night before and wrap it tight in plastic wrap until smoking time. Other me included often do it right before the smoke and add a sprinkle after the smoke has started. If you think of it - do it the night before, if not don't worry do it that day.

Q: How often should I turn the meat? Do I flip it? Turn it over a quarter of the way?

A: Another place where opinions differ. I am a flipper! I turn it about once an hour when I spritz it with apple juice. Hard to get both side if I don't. Some people put it on and never touch it until it's time to come off. Both work. I usually have a pretty full smoker and move things around for that reason.

Q: Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve read that it no longer needs smoke after it hits 140, does that mean that I should foil it for the rest of the time? Also, once foiled should I move it to the hottest portion of the smoker or keep it in the same spot (this is an offset smoker)?

A: I run smoke than whole time it's in there. I'm not sure where that idea came from but it ill take smoke after 140°F. I believe someone suggested that it may be confused with the fact that the smoke ring may stop developing after 140°F. The meat will take on a smokey flavor untill it's out of there!

I don't foil my butts until they are comming off and going into the cooler. Sometimes I don't even foil my briskets until then. It kin of depends on what the meat looks like beforehand. If it's really fatty I start it high open then foil it after and hour or so to catch the extra juices then unfoil it again.

I don't have an offset yet ...
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But I would move the meats around if you have a hot spot for even cooking. Hot spots tend to dry out the meat more OR make a nice bark. Both are useful and can be used to your advantage!

Q: How long should it be rested in the foil, towel, cooler contraption? Speaking of that, why towels?
A: At least one hour two is better. I usually start late and pull my meat in th wee hours and double or triple wrap it in heavy foil, wrap it in towels, go to bed and deal wth it in the morning! The towels are added insulation and keep the meat steamy! I'vehave keep meat in the cooler all night and day until I got home from work and still had meat so hot I burned my fingers pulling it! They were the juicest of all!

Q:Whatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s your favorite thing to do with leftover pulled pork?
A: Eat it! Anyway! Throw it in a chilli, put it on a bun, make a stew, grind it with bacon for sausage, burittos, fajitas, throw it in a sauce for spaggetti, mix it with pasta for a pork Cacciatore or Cavatelli, mix it with taters for a stroganoff. The posibilities are endless! It's good food mix it with your favorite things and get creative!

Hope this helps!
 
Been about 6 1/2 hrs. brisket hit the infamous "plateau" been stuck at 156* for 2 hrs, sprayed and foiled

Butts are in the 150 range, added some more cherry chunks and spritzed
 
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