# Little Juice - Pork Butt Smoke



## pbrown86 (Aug 28, 2015)

Hey y'all,

  I recently smoked a pork butt (7lbs) on my MES30 w/AMNPS and had a weird occurrence.  I seasoned the pork butt, put it in the smoker.  Smoked it at 225F until IT hit 205F and did not wrap the pork butt because I wanted a better bark.  I had a disposable pan on the shelf below the pork butt, but when it was all said and done, there were almost no juice/drippings in the pan.  I smoked the pork butt fat side down.  Has anyone else had this occur?  The pork butt pulled apart nicely and was tasty and juicy (not soupy, but juicy).  I originally wanted to have the drippings to make a sauce so was disappointed when I didn't have any drippings afterwards.  I checked thinking perhaps that the dripping catch pan wasn't positioned properly beneath the pork butt, but there wasn't drippings anywhere.  Thoughts?


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## mummel (Aug 28, 2015)

Actually no drippings = a much more juicier butt!  Do you have an Mav to know what your actual cooking temps were?  How long did it take?  My most recent butt had a lot of drippings.  I want to try one with less drippings.  What did you do?  Did you brine?


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## pbrown86 (Aug 28, 2015)

I would have thought much juicer, but I've done butts before (not on MES30) that were juicer and still resulted in drippings.  I did a dry rub about 2 hours prior to smoking.  I didn't have a Mav at the time (just got one), but had an independent of the MES30 digital thermometer to verify the MES30 internal temp. I just another thermometer to check IT as I had heard that the MES30 thermometers aren't reliable.


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## bmaddox (Aug 28, 2015)

How close was the pan to the heating element? You could have gotten some drippings but then burned them off if the pan was too hot.


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## pbrown86 (Aug 28, 2015)

The butt was on the 2nd from the top shelf and the dripping pan on the shelf below it.


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## bmaddox (Aug 28, 2015)

Without any before, during and after pics it is hard to tell. You could have just had a butt without much fat in it.


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## worktogthr (Aug 28, 2015)

Sounds like the juices may have just evaporated from the pan like 

 bmaddox
 suggested.


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## pbrown86 (Aug 28, 2015)

Does it help to put water in the drippings pan so they dont evaporate?


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## jted (Aug 28, 2015)

Hi, I like a naked butt. They are almost juicy wit great bark.













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__ jted
__ Apr 15, 2015






I don't always get a lot of drippings since the butts smoke normally over 14 hours. that is why I would smoke 2  4ponders rather than 1  8.But you must remember that it is thickness not mass that determines the cook time. If that was confusing what I mean is that a half of a 8 pound butt that is 6x6 inches will cook as long as a larger 6 tall x 8 long.

I really like 2 naked butts













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__ jted
__ May 5, 2015






let's face it I like butts. A product like JJ's foiling juice is a good friend.  Jted


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## pbrown86 (Aug 28, 2015)

Thanks jted.  I looked up JJ's foiling juice.  I am planning to make a butt for a family gathering and will make it a day a head of time and shred it and put in the refrigerator.   If I don't get a good amount of drippings again, do you think it would be a good idea to make JJ's foiling juice and add it to the shredded pork before putting in the fridge so when i put it in the oven the day of the family gathering that it'll still be very moist?


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## jted (Aug 28, 2015)

PBrown86 said:


> Thanks jted.  I looked up JJ's foiling juice.  I am planning to make a butt for a family gathering and will make it a day a head of time and shred it and put in the refrigerator.   If I don't get a good amount of drippings again, do you think it would be a good idea to make JJ's foiling juice and add it to the shredded pork before putting in the fridge so when i put it in the oven the day of the family gathering that it'll still be very moist?


Hi, I have to admit that I called JJ's finishing sauce a foiling sauce. Two completely different things. JJ's finishing sauce is to be added to the meat when it is to be eaten after it is pulled. I have added the finishing juice when first pulled and then again the next day. I would just add it when I reheated the pulled Pork. If you want the right answer just P/M JJ and he will answer your question   Jted


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## pbrown86 (Sep 2, 2015)

Do you recommend smoking it with fat cap side up or down?


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## bmaddox (Sep 2, 2015)

PBrown86 said:


> Do you recommend smoking it with fat cap side up or down?


I do everything fat side up in my MES. The heating element isn't going to scorch the meat so you don't need the fat cap on the bottom as a "shield". When it is up it bastes itself as it cooks.


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## jted (Sep 3, 2015)

PBrown86 said:


> Do you recommend smoking it with fat cap side up or down?


The first butt I smoked on the MES I  was still thinking that I was going to need to protect the meat from the heat. That is conventional thinking from using a off set stick burner. After that 1 time I realized I did not need to do that. Besides It made quite a mess with the fat cap sticking to the grate.I personally now remove all the fat cap I can easily shave. The Boston Butt is full of fat to render and I think it does not need it in the MES.I try to smoke all of my butts naked and keep the smoke on for as long as the AMNPS smokes usualy  10 to 11 hours.

This works for me  but your mileage may very  Jted


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## chef jimmyj (Sep 3, 2015)

Thanks for the recommendation Jted. Here is the two sauces I use. The sweeter Foiling Juice was originally for foiling ribs but the kids liked it so much they asked me to put it in Pulled Pork. I usually don't add anything to Pork that will not be eaten that day. Either one of the sauces can be used to add flavor and moisture during the reheat...JJ

*Foiling Juice / Sweet Pulled Pork Finishing Sauce*

*Foiling Juice*

For each Rack of Ribs Combine:

1T Pork Rub, yours

1/2 Stick Butter

1/2C Cane Syrup... Dark Corn Syrup...or Honey

1/4C Apple Cider...or Juice

1T Molasses

Optional: 2T Apple Cider Vinegar. Add 2T Mustard and 1/4C Ketchup to make it more of a KC Glaze.

Simmer until a syrupy consistency.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes, pour over foiled Ribs and

run your 2 hour phase of 3-2-1. For the last phase return

the ribs to the smoker BUT reserve any Juice remaining

in the Foil. Simmer the Juice over med/low heat to reduce to a saucy thickness. Glaze the Ribs for presentation or service.

*For a Sweet Finishing Sauce for Pulled Pork:*  Make a Double batch, skip the Butter.

If you plan to Foil the meat, add 1/2 the batch to the Foil Pack or place it in a Pan with your Butt, when the IT hits 165*F.

Cover the pan with foil and continue to heat to 205*F for pulling.

At 205* rest or hold the Butt in a cooler wrapped in towels until ready to serve.

Pull the Pork and place it back in the pan with the pan Juices and any additional reserved Foiling Juice to moisten, the meat should be shiny and juicy but not swimming in sauce. Serve while hot...OR... Bag and refrigerate until needed.

If you choose to Not Foil or Pan the Butt. Add the Finishing Sauce to the pulled meat before serving. Add the hot Finishing Sauce a little at a time until the Pork is moistened, again the meat should be shiny but not swimming in sauce.

When re-heating place the Pulled Pork in a Pan or Crock pot and add reserved Foiling Juice or Apple Cider, as needed to make up the Juice that was absorbed while the pork was refrigerated. Cover and re-heat in a pre-heated 325-350*F oven or on High in the crock pot to 165*F and Serve.

I was AMAZED...No additional sauce needed. ENJOY...JJ

*Tangy Pulled Pork Finishing Sauce*

This is more of an Eastern North Carolina style Finishing Sauce...

2 C Apple Cider Vinegar

2T Worcestershire Sauce or more to taste

1/4C Brown Sugar

1T Smoked Paprika

2 tsp Granulated Garlic

2 tsp Granulated Onion

2 tsp Fine Grind Black Pepper

1 tsp Celery Salt

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper or Red Pepper Flake. Add more if you like Heat.

1/2 tsp Grnd Allspice

Combine all and whisk well. This is a thin sauce, bring just to a simmer and remove from heat. Adjust sweetness by adding Brn Sugar or additional Vinegar as desired...Makes about 2 Cups.

For a *Lexington Style Dip*  add, 1/2C Ketchup and 1-3tsp Red Pepper Flakes...JJ


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