# To Wrap a Pork Butt or To Not Wrap A Pork Butt



## grange

I'm hoping the Big Green Egg I ordered last week will come it this week and I will be able to pick up this weekend.  I'm thinking of making a pork butt for my first smoke and am trying to decide if I'll want to wrap it when it hits about 160 degrees F or just let it sit until it makes it up to the full internal temp.  I like to wrap beef, but I've never smoked a pork butt so I'm at a loss as to what I want to do.  Right now I'm leaning toward using the Chris Lilly recipe that is floating around on the internet and I don't think this recipe calls for wrapping the pork butt.

My question is what are the plusses and minuses to wrapping?  Right now I'm thinking if I wrap the pork butt it may be more moist, but I may compromise the bark.  I do wonder though how much of an issue could moistness be for an unwrapped pork butt?  I mean I'll be injecting it.  Does wrapping get the butt up to temperature quicker?


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## terry colwell

The last one I did turned out to be my best one yet. I cooked it at 225 for about 6 or 7 hours before I even opened the smoker, was real close to 165 degrees and a solid bark. let it go for about a hour more and wrapped it dry, no juice or beer at all. Took it to 210 I.T. and it was fall apart good with a good hard bark in places. I didnt lose all the bark . Oh ya,, I served it right away without resting it .


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## jrod62

The + to wrapping will get up to temp faster.
The + to not wrapping you will get a real nice bark on the butts
If you have the time to wait it out i wouldn't foil it.
I put my in pan on the smoker. It will catch all the juice. 
Then after i pull it i defat the juice and pour the juice back into the pulled pork


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## uncle_lar

I also do them without wrapping. In my opinion they just turn out better and the bark is so much better.


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## melleram

Wrapped for the first time superbowl sunday, came out mushy to me.  Wont be wrapping again


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## SmokinAl

I used to foil them, but the bark you get without foiling is to die for & chopped up in the PP it really adds a ton of flavor. So I don't foil anymore.


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## smokinhusker

I'm going to do a pork butt tomorrow and I will not be foiling it. I want that bark! 

Does injecting add to the smoking time?


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## jrod62

SmokinHusker said:


> I'm going to do a pork butt tomorrow and I will not be foiling it. I want that bark!
> 
> Does injecting add to the smoking time?



No it wont .
Just make sure you get temp to 140 in 4 hours


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## smoketexring

SmokinHusker said:


> I'm going to do a pork butt tomorrow and I will not be foiling it. I want that bark!
> 
> Does injecting add to the smoking time?




Yes, IMO, injecting will add to your cooking time.  If I don't inject, it usually takes 12-14 hours.  Yesterday I injected and it had taken 17 hours.  General rule for my expectations after injecting is 16-18 hours and that's reliable for me.


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## SmokinAl

What jrod said, I don't think it adds to the time either, but as he said remember if you do inject or probe the meat in any way it must get from 41-135 degrees internal meat temp in 4 hours or less. That's why a lot of us don't inject large pieces of meat. And also we don't put a temp probe in until the meat has been cooking a couple of hours. If you inject it you might as well put the temp probe in when you put it in the smoker. Also take the meat directly from the fridge to the smoker. Don't let it warm up to room temp. then put it on.


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## meatinc

I usually foil and add a very small amount of liquid - about 1/4 cup.  In order to get that bark crispy, I vent the pan after it has reached the internal temp I am looking for.  Venting the foil - or taking the foil off for about 20 minutes allows the bark to crisp back up and releases the trapped heat so the meat will not continue to rise in temp when you rest it.


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## humpysmoker

I agree, no foil is better, I do use a remote thermometer, and never need to guess the internal temperature


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## hb99

I foil after it its 160-165 because we (wife and I) are not fans of brick hard bark.

I don't see why people don't insert probes until a certain temp.  That is, unless the fear is the probes haven't been sanitized.  

As a homebrewer, I keep a 5 gal bucket of sanitizer on-hand because I brew almost weekly.


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## heyer5

I've been converted - I used to foil, no I am strictly no foil.  The extra time that people save by foiling is made up by smoking at a hot temp, 275-300.  I get great bark, great smoke, and they always turn out amazing.  I'm pretty consistent when it comes to pulled pork these days!


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## smoking b

HB99 said:


> I foil after it its 160-165 because we (wife and I) are not fans of brick hard bark.
> 
> I don't see why people don't insert probes until a certain temp. That is, unless the fear is the probes haven't been sanitized.
> 
> As a homebrewer, I keep a 5 gal bucket of sanitizer on-hand because I brew almost weekly.


The reason a lot of people won't put the probe in right away is so that they don't push the bacteria on the surface of the meat into the center where they are "shielded" & free to grow for awhile. If they wait a couple/few hours, then the bacteria on the surface of the meat have been killed. Regardless of when I put my probe in I always sterilize it first...


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## smoking b

Oh yeah - I don't foil either...


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## brooksy

I've never foiled anything I've smoked. I'm gonna try one day to see what all the hype is about (maybe)


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## freakynorm

I haven't foiled any of the butts in the course of smoking them but that's cause I really like the bark and I have not been rushed to get it served. The first few I cooked til they hit 205° and I thought they were great, but not as moist I would hope. So the last one I pulled at 198° and let it sit in foil in a cooler for a few hours. It was so tender and juicy that way.


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## hb99

Good to know...Thanks.  

Bill


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## bob1961

you guys that don't wrap, how long does the stall last when it hits ??....I know the stall happened to me at bout 155/160 before I found foiling before 150 keeps the meat going up in temp until 205....I did three 11lb shoulders for slices and pulled foiling at 145 tops, until it hit 205 then towels and cooler for bout a 1.5....all three shoulders were done under 6 hours, I even foiled my first brisket a45 and did not stall at all as well, came out great....


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## hb99

bob1961 said:


> you guys that don't wrap, how long does the stall last when it hits ??....I know the stall happened to me at bout 155/160 before I found foiling before 150 keeps the meat going up in temp until 205....I did three 11lb shoulders for slices and pulled foiling at 145 tops, until it hit 205 then towels and cooler for bout a 1.5....all three shoulders were done under 6 hours, I even foiled my first brisket a45 and did not stall at all as well, came out great....



Great...3 11 pounders in 6 hours!

I smoked a butt on Friday.  On Thursday night I injected a 7.72# butt with Chris Lilly's 6 Time World Champion Pork Butt Injection and it turned out just great.

I injected it and applied dry rub then wrapped in plastic wrap over night in the fridge.  I sprinkled more rub on it before assembling the WSM in the morning.

I spritz the meat every 30 - 60 mins. with a 50/50 mix of apple juice and apple cider vinegar.  When I foil I drizzle honey over the meat then apply a coat of rub over the top as well as a 1/2 cup of the 50/50 mix before sealing.  

IMO, the juice in the foil was slightly salty.  I bring the juice back up to a boil and add 1 TBS of rub into it.  Then I lightly sprinkle rub all over the meat before pouring the juice onto the meat and mix it up well.  Any sweet BBQ sauce added to the meat counters the saltiness immediately.  I prefer no BBQ sauce.

Here's the kicker...I smoked a 7.72# butt in only 6 hours.  At 4 hours it hit 160F.  I foiled it for another 2 hours until it hit 199-205F at 4 places.  Then I double towled it (no cooler) for 1 hour.  It came apart really easy, was easy to clean and there were no mushy pieces.  Everyone who's had it so far says it tastes great.


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## nascott

So glad i found this thread..  I am actually smoking a 7.5 lb butt right now that was smoking at 250ish for about 4.5 hrs and hit 140.  Put it in a pan with a half cup apple juice and sealed it up tight with foil and let it roast at 260ish for 3 hours and just checked it.  The pork is falling off the bone and IT is just over 190.  Pulled it out of the pan and put it back on the rack at 275 with a bunch of apple chips for one last smoky push to let it get to 200 or 205 and see if i can get a little bit of bark back before i pull it off and let it cool for a half hour or so before i pull it.  Meanwhile i have about 3 cups of juice with just a little bit of fat to skim off to add back in when i pull the pork apart.  :grilling_smilie:

All in, it will be just about 8.5 hours for the bone in butt.

Thanks to all for all the great tips!


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## cliffcarter

bob1961 said:


> you guys that don't wrap, how long does the stall last when it hits ??....I know the stall happened to me at bout 155/160 before I found foiling before 150 keeps the meat going up in temp until 205....I did three 11lb shoulders for slices and pulled foiling at 145 tops, until it hit 205 then towels and cooler for bout a 1.5....all three shoulders were done under 6 hours, I even foiled my first brisket a45 and did not stall at all as well, came out great....


I'll add my 2C to this 2 year old thread just because....

I don't wrap and my butts don't stall because I cook at 300° and higher. Great bark, a more predictable cook and no lack of sleep tending a fire overnight.


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## sundaysmkr

The topic on foiling is a good one. I normally do a North Carolina serving sauce to go with the meat, so foiling has been a now brainer. The meat turns out amazing with a ton of flavor and is never dry. However, today I am trying more of a Texas style and have not wrapped it. I started the meat at 7:00 AM this morning @225. As advised in this great forum, I did not probe it until a couple hours in. I was surprised that after 6 hours of cook it is still only at 140 IT. The bark looks good, and I am trying to be patient. However, I am worried about getting this bad boy done before 7:00 PM. My question for those that do wrap is; at what internal temperature do you find it best to wrap? I have heard 160 to 170. Does it really matter?













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__ sundaysmkr
__ Dec 23, 2016


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## stone1221

Hey y'all. First time poster here. Currently smoking a 6# pork butt on my MES 30 (using A-Maze-N pellet tray for the first time) and it works great. 5 hrs of smoke and didn't have to mess with chips or re- loading at all. Happy with that part. However, being a novice I started late morning at 225 and it is taking forever (people wanting to eat). Once I hit 160 I moved it to the oven, wrapped in foil at 350 and am hoping it will still come out allright. 
Any experience with this scenario? Advice for next time...besides starting at a higher temp from the beginning?

Thanks. This is a great forum!!


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## stone1221

SmokinAl said:


> What jrod said, I don't think it adds to the time either, but as he said remember if you do inject or probe the meat in any way it must get from 41-135 degrees internal meat temp in 4 hours or less. That's why a lot of us don't inject large pieces of meat. And also we don't put a temp probe in until the meat has been cooking a couple of hours. If you inject it you might as well put the temp probe in when you put it in the smoker. Also take the meat directly from the fridge to the smoker. Don't let it warm up to room temp. then put it on.



Why not get it up to room temp?  I have seen various posts that say you should get it closer to RT?  Any clarification would be appreciated.


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## SmokinAl

stone1221 said:


> Why not get it up to room temp? I have seen various posts that say you should get it closer to RT? Any clarification would be appreciated.


There is absolutely no advantage to bringing the meat up to room temp before putting it in the smoker.

If you injected it it must get thru the danger zone (40-140 degrees) in 4 hours. That's not going to happen if it sits on the counter to warm up.

It will warm up just fine in a 225 degree smoker. Now if your talking about a steak getting ready to go on a hot grill, that's a different story.

In that case it will cook more evenly if brought to room temp before grilling.

Also would you swing by "Roll Call" and introduce yourself, so we can all welcome you to SMF!

Al


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## SmokinAl

stone1221 said:


> Hey y'all. First time poster here. Currently smoking a 6# pork butt on my MES 30 (using A-Maze-N pellet tray for the first time) and it works great. 5 hrs of smoke and didn't have to mess with chips or re- loading at all. Happy with that part. However, being a novice I started late morning at 225 and it is taking forever (people wanting to eat). Once I hit 160 I moved it to the oven, wrapped in foil at 350 and am hoping it will still come out allright.
> Any experience with this scenario? Advice for next time...besides starting at a higher temp from the beginning?
> 
> Thanks. This is a great forum!!


A 6# butt smoked at 225 will take about 12 hours to reach 205, which is where you want to take it too for pulling.

Next time just start earlier.

Al


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## hardcookin

If I'm smoking for myself I usually pan and cover with foil. "Usually 170"














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__ hardcookin
__ Jan 29, 2017







If I'm cooking a large amount I don't wrap and cook them through @ 300.


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## joda

I have always foiled in the past with fine results. The last one I did I left it with no foil and I have to say it took a full 2 hours per pound.It was well worth it. I will never foil again as it was the best thing that has come out of my smoker yet.It was definitely drier but the flavor and texture were amazing.Also, I highly recommend a finishing sauce. It seems to enhance the flavor tremendously and help with part of the dryness.


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## nascott

I am smoking 2 8#ers on Sunday... I traditionally smoke them at 230 to 240 (Weber smoky mtn) until they hit 160, then pan/foil them with a mixture of apple juice and Captain Morgan spiced rum)  for 1 to 2 hours before putting them back on the smoker for the final cook to 195 at a higher smoker temp at which point I take it off,  wrap it tight in foil, wrap that in a towel,  an drop that in a cooler for a half hour or so before taking it out to pull it apart. 

After pulling,  I then use the leftover juice from the pan roasting I did to put the moisture back in. 

Note,  I also use that same liquid mixture and spray it every hour or so while smoking to keep the bark moist. 

This weekend,  I am doing 2 different ones though in honor of New England vs Atlanta...  The New England one will have a sweet brown sugar/maple flavored rub and my spray mix will be apple juice and maple flavored crown royal..  The Atlanta one will be a bit of a spicier rub and the spray mix will be apple juice and Captain Morgan's spiced rum. 

Will see which goes over better!


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## puckinggoalie

Well crap. Here I was, all set to do my shoulders as I have in the past, all wrapped up, and I stumble on this thread. I'm doing a pair of 5.5 lb shoulders for a long weekend in the islands for about 12 people, and thought it would just be plug away... But now I'm thinking about going commando the whole time. 

The plan is to start the chimney in the morning before work to let them go minion method at 225 and then let them go through the day. My GF will still be here and I'll be tracking the temp from my phone (thanks technology!) so I'll be watching it as well, but my WSM us solid, so I'm not too concerned about keeping temp. 

I'll have to let you all know my thoughts on going unwrapped!


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## heavyd4561

I was always a wrap at 165-170 guy but last few runs I have gone no wrap and the bark is just awesome!!!

Same goes for fat cap. I was always a fat cap on guy but last few without the fat cap for more bark have just came out great!!!













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__ heavyd4561
__ Jul 18, 2017


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## justin bennett

Pit Barrel Cooker, no injection, just rub. Started at about 11AM and it was done by 5pm 203F internal temp. So, I pulled it and put it in a Dutch Oven to rest. Figured it would hold the temp nicely and catch any other juices. Oh, and I did not wrap in foil. I too want the bark. I peeled a bit off the grill and sampled. OMG, it is delicious!


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## mdubc

I did a butt over the weekend and I dry brined first then hit it with Jeff's Rub minus the salt and sugar. Took about 7 hours to get to 155 then I put it in a foil pan with a half cup of a 50/50 mix of apple cider vinegar and water and cover the pan in foil. Turned out to be the juiciest butt to day. Still had a good bark but the taste was phenomenal. Will definitely follow this method again.


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## Rings Я Us

How about foil and get it done..
Shred up a couple cups and spread it out on a pan and crisp it under the broiler.
Mix that back in with the other stuff.. .there you have a bunch if nice crispy bits. Nobody will know.


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## GaryHibbert

I've always cooked low and slow and foiled at the stall.  You don't get great bark in a MES at 240 degrees so i never really thought about it.

I've never trimmed the fat cap but the last 2 butts had a pretty thick cap.  I wasn't happy with the amount of fat cap left after cooking. So for my next butt I'm gonna trim the cap down to about 1/3 inch and see if I like that better.

Gary


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## SWILSON

freakynorm said:


> I haven't foiled any of the butts in the course of smoking them but that's cause I really like the bark and I have not been rushed to get it served. The first few I cooked til they hit 205° and I thought they were great, but not as moist I would hope. So the last one I pulled at 198° and let it sit in foil in a cooler for a few hours. It was so tender and juicy that way.


I wrap the butts during the resting period, usually ~2hours wrapped in foil then a couple of towels inside a styrofoam cooler.  This brings the sweat and helps finish the final stages of breakdown.


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## JumpNJack

I just started to foil some after 40 years of not foiling. I bring butts to 140 degrees (approximately 3-4 hours at 225) turn back foil to expose as much butt as possible without loosing juice. This will help with bark.  Continue cooking (approximately 2-3 hours) or until desired internal temp. Wrap butts back and place in cooler. After a few hours pull pork and add back desired amount of juice in foil. If you like it a little crispy put meat back on grill or in oven uncovered. This is just the way I do it. Doesn’t make it right.


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## noboundaries

One of the great things about old threads being resurrected is that it proves people had the same questions years ago they have today. Another thing it proves is there's no one way, or "right" way, to smoke a butt. Every butt I've smoked talks to me. They say, "What do you want, Ray?" I experimented until I found the answer that was right for me. And that method has changed several times. The great thing is that butts are the perfect meat to experiment on and they always taste delicious. 

And yes, I'm seeking counseling for the butt voices in my head.


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## lancep

noboundaries said:


> One of the great things about old threads being resurrected is that it proves people had the same questions years ago they have today. Another thing it proves is there's no one way, or "right" way, to smoke a butt. Every butt I've smoked talks to me. They say, "What do you want, Ray?" I experimented until I found the answer that was right for me. And that method has changed several times. The great thing is that butts are the perfect meat to experiment on and they always taste delicious.
> 
> And yes, I'm seeking counseling for the butt voices in my head.


Absolutely Ray, ever since the first person built a pit with cinder blocks instead of digging a whole in the ground folks have been arguing about what is the right way. I go back and forth on the shoulder section. Whole shoulder, picnic, butt, chopped, pulled, etc. doesn’t matter it’s all delicious. I’ve always wrapped myself. That’s how I was taught and it’s never let me down. On the Peter hand I experimented with paper on the last one and it was the bees knees!

Lance


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## flash gordon m.d.

bob1961 said:


> you guys that don't wrap, how long does the stall last when it hits ??....I know the stall happened to me at bout 155/160 before I found foiling before 150 keeps the meat going up in temp until 205....I did three 11lb shoulders for slices and pulled foiling at 145 tops, until it hit 205 then towels and cooler for bout a 1.5....all three shoulders were done under 6 hours, I even foiled my first brisket a45 and did not stall at all as well, came out great....



what temp was the smoker?


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