When to start?

[peavley]

Hello everyone!

I have really found this web site and all of yall's information very useful, so thank yall first of all.

Secondly, I was wondering...I see yall always refer to all nighters for the pulled pork. I have done four pork butts now and they all came out wonderfull, but I can not get the timing down. For the past four I have done I get up about 4am and cook all day and it is ready for supper, maybe...one time it went longer and everyone gave up on me. I am using a Oklahoma Joe Longhorn smoker and I do not have a coal basket, so I am adding new coals pretty frequently. What would be the best time to start the smoke to have two butts ready by 11am? I guess what I mean is not only best time to begin...but do any of yall cook, say...until mid night over the smoke, than put in the oven and get some sleep? Or do yall ever just take off of the heat entirely and get some sleep? I am not trying to be a wennie and miss out on the "All Night" experience, but I would like to be alive and wake the next day...if that makes any sense. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Steve

 

[baz518]

The best way to have some pulled pork ready by a certain time (especially that early) is to do it the day before. You can do one of two things... smoke it to where you like it and wrap and store in fridge whole or smoke it, pull it, and then store it. If it's already pulled then it won't take as long to reheat and you might want to use a finishing sauce to keep it moist (although I've never had a problem with dry meat with my butts). If you leave it whole, leave yourself plenty of time for the reheat and then pull when it's warm throughout. I prefer keeping it whole and pulling it apart right before serving, but that's just me.

 

[jbg4208]

Peavley, Some on here would say that the oven is the devil

. Not me, I usually finish my butts in the oven once they reach 160 unless I have something else on like ribs ect.. that needs more smoke. I can't keep adding fuel and burning up $$$ on the limited budget we are on. So if I can finish up in the oven I will. That way I can save $$$$ on fuel and be able to spend time with my family.

That is just me. It is really up to you and what your situation is.

(puts on hard hat and flak jacket)

 

[meowey]

If you are going to foil your butts, there is nothing wrong with finishing in a 250° oven. It saves me charcoal and wood for another smoke. I also would echo the "do it a day ahead if you can" and re-heat for serving. I sometimes will smoke butts a whole week before the day I serve. I pull them, add a little finishing sauce, seal them in foodsaver bags, freeze them, and reheat the bags in hot water.

Hope thise helps!

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey

 

[pineywoods]

When a butt hits a plateau you never know how long it will be there so timing is very hard so if you need it that early either figure on being up all night or cooking it the day before. I almost always finish mine in the oven at 250* it saves gas and I don't have to keep checking the smoker once its foiled its not gonna take in any more smoke anyways so why not make life easy and stick it in the oven?

 

[sumosmoke]

If you're wanting to serve freshly pulled pork at 11am, I'd have those roasts on the smoker no later than 5pm the night before. That gives plenty of time to allow room for a long plateau, trouble with smoker temps, etc ... and still finish in time to let it rest prior to pulling. Even if the roasts are done right at 12 hours (when roasts hit temp = 195-205) they can be pulled off the smoker, wrapped, and rested in a well insulated cooler (with towels and such) for up to 8 hours. The meat continues to steep in those juices and when it's time to pull it will be the easiest thing ever!

If it's cool to serve the food re-heated, go with baz518 suggestion.

I've done 4 butt roasts so far and each one has been different in time. Can't nail down the time but I sure can give myself plenty of it.

 

[seboke]

Agree with everybody.... To get to the foiling temp, I have gone anywhere from 6 to 10 hours. Then ya gotta get it up to 200. Since it is in foil, why not put it in the oven? It ain't getting any more smoke wrapped in foil!!!! Set your alarm temp for 200 and go do whatever. Once it reaches 200, keep it foiled and wrapped in towels in a cooler. I have pulled em out of the cooler after 6 hours and have had them still too hot to handle. But back to your question - yeah, do it the day before. Or a week before. If you have a food saver (or any vac-pak) seal it up, dunk it in boiling water for a few minutes, open and serve!

 

[peavley]

Thank yall for all of the responses. I will get this thing started at 5pm this evening. I will try to post some pics as well.

Thanks again,
Steve

 

[ron50]

If you decide to let it rest in the cooler for an extended period, just be careful the internal temp doesn't go below 140 degrees.

As has been said, there is no way to know when it will be done so there is no way to be able to say when to start.

 

[richoso1]

What Ron50 said.