# Boston Butt-Pulled Pork



## tommy c (Jun 24, 2006)

I'm planning to smoke my first 10# butt on 7/8. I've seen alot of good info. and I appreciate everyones ideas. O.K............225 degrees. How many hours per #? I should rub first? Fat cap down? Wrap in foil last two hours? Do I baste at all during cooking? Or just leave it smoke. Also, I saw a recipe for Jeffs finishing sauce..could I baste with that? Or should I use it, as it says....just for finishing? Sorry i'm really green! And trying to learn.


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## joed617 (Jun 24, 2006)

Hi Tommy.. I'd say about 1 1/2 hours per lb... I cook with the fat cap down. I baste with apple juice about every 20 to 30 minutes or so. I put the rub on first. I hope this helps some.
Joe


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## tommy c (Jun 24, 2006)

Thanks Joe for the info. You say you mopp every 20-30 min? Don't you lose alot of heat by opening the smoker that much?


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## joed617 (Jun 24, 2006)

Tommy, I have a firebox on the side.. So when i add wood I usually mop .. You do lose heat, yes .. but if the coals are hot enough it should bring the temp back up in a short time.  Each time you open the smoker you lose heat and smoke.. I wish there was a better way to mop.. I think Earl "Dutch" did a shoulder that he didn't mop and he said it came out great .. The question is to mop or not to mop. I posted pics of my shoulder in the "Pork Section" 
Joe


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## ma?tley ca 1/4 e (Jun 24, 2006)

I let mine go a while before mopping. I like to let the rub crust up before washing it away. I usually just spray with apple cider. Maybe once an hour. Sometimes I foil, sometimes not. I just depends on how the bark is looking. Once it gets to the color I like, then I foil. If it stays light, I may not foil. The last butt I did was about 8 pounds. I put it on at 5:30 am and took it off at 8:00 pm. Just cook until your desired internal temp. I usually cook mine to 200-205 for pulling.


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## tommy c (Jun 24, 2006)

Thanks guys! When you talk about "bark" i'm assume it's the crust on the outside? What should I look for or try to accomplish.


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## willkat98 (Jun 24, 2006)

Hey Tommy, Joe, and Mystic,

Go to This Thread and add permanent signatures to your posts that include all the smokers and grills you use.

We can answer your questions alot easier knowing what you use.

I see Joe uses an offset from his post, but don't know what your using Tommy.

Thanks

Its great how you guys are joining up and jumping in to post.  Plenty of good folks looking to help you.

And thats a fine looking bark Joe, and I too am a fat cap down on butts and briskets to protect the meat from the heat.

Have a good one


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## icemn62 (Jun 24, 2006)

As for bark, I try not to get the "burned up" look.  A dark tan / light brown is good for me.  I mop/spray every hour during the cook, and spray REAL heavy when I wrap in foil.


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## joed617 (Jun 25, 2006)

It's all a matter of preference.. when you put the rub on, when and if you mop, wrap in foil or not.. I like the black bark in my pulled pork..


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## joed617 (Jun 25, 2006)

I always got good results in pulled pork.


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## icemn62 (Jun 25, 2006)

Tommy, I don't remember if anyone posted this already, but the number one guide for the backyard Que'er is how well his family likes the taste.  

Joe that is some good looking pulled pork


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## tommy c (Jun 25, 2006)

Thanks Joe and Gary. Hope mine tastes as good as yours looks!


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## joed617 (Jun 25, 2006)

Tommy, Gary is right.. it's all in how you like it.. Some like ribs with a li'l pull, others don't.. Just remember a light blue smoke.. and patience ..

Gary, Thanks, next time I'll e-mail out doggie bags .. lol .. The pulled pork was as light as a feather .. 

Joe


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## tommy c (Jun 25, 2006)

Thanks again Joe, I'm going to try some "Wicked good charcoal" the competition blend. Anyone ever try this stuff? It's lump coal from, i believe, south america? The coal itself, is no longer available because the country of origin has stopped cutting down the endangered trees use to make this blend of coal, however, i was able to locate about 40 bags of this stuff in a warehouse here in Wisconsin. They do, however, produce a "weekend warrior" blend which is supposed to be a good coal also. This coal is supposed to burn a long time.


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## joed617 (Jun 25, 2006)

Hey Tommy, I neve heard of it before "Wicked good Charcoal" ...  I use Cowboy brand and one other brand I get when I go up to NH.  Is it expensive? You gace me an idea.. we have a mill not to far away from me that has lots of exotic woods <very hard woods> from all over the world.. I'm going to do some research on this.. wouldn't want to use some wood that would give me an off flavor .. I live in the city so I don't think the folks would enjoy me trying to make charcoal .. lol


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## cajunsmoker (Jun 25, 2006)

I googled Wicked good charcoal and got the following URL [google]http://www.charcoalstore.com/?gclid=CPzzz5qo4oUCFTxpLAodWFVIOA[/google]

Looks like a site to put in favorites just in case :P .


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## tommy c (Jun 25, 2006)

Glad you found that site! It's one of my fave's also


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## joed617 (Jun 25, 2006)

I just noticed that the corp office is in Maine .. Hmmm


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## tommy c (Jun 25, 2006)

Joe, I have some great websites for you and anyone else looking to find and compare hardwood coal.
1. barbecuewood.com
2. charcoalstore.com
3. nakedwhiz.com  ( this site is awsome!!!!!!)


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## tommy c (Jun 25, 2006)

Joe,
You can't get ''Wicked good competition blend" anymore but, they make a "weekend warrior blend." The nice thing about the competition blend was that it does'nt impart alot of flavor. Then you could add your own flavors while smokin'! Lots of good info at www.nakedwhiz.com


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## nmayeux (Jun 26, 2006)

Tommy, if I'm wrong please correct me, but it looks like you have a Klose offset smoker.  It might be easier for you to use standard charcoal (Briqs or lump) to build a bed of coals, and use splits for the rest of the smoke.  Also, there is a lot of great tips to help you with your butt.  I love butts because they are very forgiving, and also this is the Q that almost everybody loves.  Here are some pics of some of my pork, though I might have posted them in another thread.  Note the explanations for each pic.


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## nmayeux (Jun 26, 2006)

In addition...  Mop, coolering, and finished product.


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## joed617 (Jun 26, 2006)

Tommy,I noticed that they stopped supplying the "Wicked Good Charcoal"  Have you tried the "Weekend Warrior" brand? Thanks for the links.. They always come in handy..

Joe


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## joed617 (Jun 26, 2006)

Gary, Nice looking Butt.. Pulled pork looks good as well.. My kids are all grown up .. kinda miss having the young ones around .. Have a good one.

Joe


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## tommy c (Jun 26, 2006)

Mornin'  Joe,
The weekend warrior is a product of wicked good charcoal. It's the only one available now. The competition blend was made of exotic woods from south america and they've stopped cutting those woods down. IvÃ[emoji]169[/emoji] located about 40 bags here in wisconsin, but, they tell me when it's gone, that's it. Now the weekend warrior blend is also exotic woods, but, of a different species. It's available in abundance. I hav'nt tried either blend, but plan to take a drive to the warehouse today or tomm. to get a few bags of the comp. blend before it's gone for good. It's a little pricey at about a dollar a pound, but, they say it burns forever! Gotta try it before it's gone.....right?


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## joed617 (Jun 26, 2006)

Thanks Tommy... I'm going to try the weekend warrior when i get from vacation .. sometime after the 11th or so .. let me know how it works for you .. 

Joe


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## tommy c (Jun 26, 2006)

Hey Noah NICE lookin' butts! Yes I have a Klose offset smoker. I went all out and bought ,what (I) think is a top notch rig. I just hope I can produce some top notch product like some of you other guys.
My wife FREAKED when they unloaded the smoker at my door. She's like.....What the heck do you need that big ole thing for? I said hey it's a guy thing. I have a huge deck around my pool out back and I put the smoker up there. I and two friends had to hook up a pulley system and ropes, planks for the stairs, and then pulled it up onto the deck with my tractor! The niehbors all got a good laugh! Of course I'm the envy of the niehborhood now.
You said to start my smoker with coal and then use splits? What do you mean by splits? Wood chunks? How much coal to start? Should I just use coal and add wood occasionally?
Also I see you have a drip pan under your butts. Should I not let the drippin's hit the bottom of my smoker? There's a drain plug on the bottom of my smoker, and I assumed I was to leave that open during the smoke for that purpose. Please correct me if i'm wrong. Thanks again!


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## willkat98 (Jun 26, 2006)

Charcoal for a coal bed, use 1 lit chimney.

Splits are logs, split into sticks.

Pans are optional, drain when needed.

Don't forget to season your new pit.  Oil it down (peanut, vegetable, whatever) and burn here on high as you can (400+ degrees if you can) for couple hours.


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## tommy c (Jun 26, 2006)

Hi Bill,
I rubbed my smoker down with bacon grease and loaded it with apple wood and cured it for about 12 hours. Nice thick resin coating now. This is what Klose said I should do. Nice and shiney inside and smells great!


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## tommy c (Jun 26, 2006)

Bill, should I only use splits from this point forward? Or coals also?


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## willkat98 (Jun 26, 2006)

Both (IMO)

Coals to use as a coal bed, then splits for heat and flavor.

I've cooked a few times on a Klose Backyardchef.

Hold heat real well, but eventually, even using all wood, you run out of coal bed to light the next split up, so a chimney of coals or lump is added just to maintain the coal bed.

I would also pre heat your wood on top of the firebox.  Then, when you toss it in, you get instant ignition and no bad smoke


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## tommy c (Jun 26, 2006)

o.k. Bill, thanks again. Did you like the "Klose"?


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## ranger72 (Jun 26, 2006)

Hi There *Tommy C!*

There is some excellent information in your  thread and some great pics of some nicely done butts.


I don't know if you read back far enough to have seen my thread which is a quick tute on pork butts. It answers some of your questions from another perspective..

Has a recipe fpr a great mop which I use on pork shoulders and butts..and has pics from start to finish...Hope it may give you some additional information as well as this great thread!

Go here:  http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=617


Cheers,

ranger72 8) 

OTBS # 14


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## willkat98 (Jun 26, 2006)

Loved it.

love the 1/2" steel firebox.

Very versatile unit.

You have the horizontal?


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## nmayeux (Jun 26, 2006)

Tommy,
I have a Lang, which is very much like yours.  I usually will use all splits, but sometimes I will resort to using charcoal for a coal bed.  When I'm using just wood, I'll light the fire with my brush burner, but sometimes its not around, or I don't have time to mess with building a coal bed from scratch.  Charcoal just makes it easy sometimes, but nothing beats the flavor of all wood if you learn how to manage it.


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## tommy c (Jun 26, 2006)

WOW!!! I'm sure havin' fun here guys! All of your help and responces have been just overwhelming.
Ranger, yes I have seen your thread and plan to try your mopp. Also looking forward to southflaquer's finishing sauce.
Bill, I do have the horizontal Klose. Thanks for the encouragement.
And finally.......Noah, I sure would love to have at one of those brush burners!!!!!! NOW THAT'S A FIRE!


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## nmayeux (Jun 26, 2006)

Tommy,
A brush burner can be yours for just $27.99 at Northern Tool!  
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w..._266859_266859


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## nmayeux (Jun 26, 2006)

Ranger,
I love the setup, and that looks like one cold cook!  Butts look real good.


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## tommy c (Jun 26, 2006)

Thanks....on order!


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## tommy c (Jun 27, 2006)

Hi Noah, I noticed yor grate is very close to the bottom. Do you get alot of ash? And does this effect a long burn? I have a Klose with a fire box that looks alot like yours, except, my grate sits a little higher, and has a pull out ash tray. Will I need to continually dump ashes? Or will they stay under control for long burns.


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## nmayeux (Jun 28, 2006)

Tommy,
That pic is a little deceiving, but my grate is about 4 inches off the bottom of the firebox.  Although I clean out my box after each cook, I can run about two 10 hour cooks before I become concerned about ashes impeding airflow.  When you burn wood, you will be very surprised at how little ash accumulates.  Actually, I was even more surprised at how little wood I use during a cook.


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## tommy c (Jun 28, 2006)

O.k. Thanks! After my question, I went back and looked at the picture again, and thought maybe it might have looked a little deceiving.


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## ranger72 (Jul 1, 2006)

Thanks *nmayeux*!


Sorry for the delay in the reply.

That particular smoke was last winter and you were right it was a cold one!

The steel stove is a great way to get your coals going so that you don't cool off the smoker when re-fueling!


ranger72 :D

OTBS # 14


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## tommy c (Jul 20, 2006)




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## joed617 (Jul 20, 2006)

Hi Tommy, I'm back from vacation and taking some more time off from the auto accident the wife and I were in last week <rear ended we both got whiplash>. I'm going to order a bag of the "Weekend warrior" this week. I'll let you know how it burns. I'm not too thrilled with the "cowboy" brand too many crumbs at the bottom of the bag. I'll be smoking 5 racks of ribs this weekend, I wanted to do a butt, but the wife said ribs would be better for the family get together.  We'll be waiting for the pics.. Digital is the way to go if you can.  But I guess we develop patience to smoke great food, we should develop patience to see the pics as well .. 

Thanks for the reply,

Joe


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## joed617 (Jul 20, 2006)

Hey Noah, The butts look great.. you may want to edit one of your pics there may be an error, I may be wrong and it wouldn't be the first time. Here is where I think  may be incorrect.  "You smoke at 125 degrees and wrap in foil when the temp reaches 165 degrees."  You may have ment smoke at 225 degress but some newbees or someone like my wife would try to cook at 125 to reach a temp of 165 degrees.  As my wife would say I am very anal so I'm not trying to bust them on you.. 

Happy Smoke'n,
Joe


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## monty (Jul 20, 2006)

Hiya, Joe! How was Montreal? And the Jazz thingy you were attending was a smash I would hope!

Gonna do a couple of pork butts this weekend myself. Will also have a beer can chicken or two and a few fatties. Cannot get any good Jalapenos for ABTS but I keep looking!

Cheers!
Monty


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## joed617 (Jul 20, 2006)

Hiya Monty my Man!  The Jazz fest was great, We usually hang around the "Blues Stage"  "Mississippi Heat" is a great Blues Band. 2nd year they were there.

You would think you would be able to find some Jalapenos peppers seeing how it is the season for them. I got a few the other day and smoked them, we also smoked and dried some habinero's. Right now I have my webber kettle going and I'm doing a rib eye that's 1 1/2 thick. yummy.. We get all our beef, chicken and pork at Whole Foods and it's costly but very good.  I'm looking for a farm around the area that raises natural meats.. there are a few in western Ma and NH but haven't had the time to check them out. 

I'll be making my Red North Carolina Q Sauce for the ribs .. It's a complex sauce but it is good .. I'll post it later when I have a chance.. It has garlic, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and dry mustard .. I'll look it up and post it .. 

Good to hear from you again,

Joe


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## nmayeux (Jul 21, 2006)

Thanks Joe!  That post has been there a while and no one else picked it up.  125 degrees would mean a really long smoke...


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## monty (Jul 21, 2006)

Heya, Joe! 

Happy to hear you had a great time up north! As for the jalapenos this area does not have a great demand for them. And since everything is trucked from Boston this way all we get is the softer "gone by" type. Excellent for chili and other things but not for ABTs.

Where are you in MA? I spent a good bit of time in Western MA in my younger days and settled into Eastern MA when married. Much preferred Western MA!


Cheers!
Monty


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## joed617 (Jul 21, 2006)

Noah, Yer right, cooking at 125 to get to 165 would be a very long smoke. :)


Joe


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## joed617 (Jul 21, 2006)

Monty, I love those ABT's.. I was born and raised in Boston, Moved to NH back in the 80's, moved back to Boston and I know live in Cambridge "The republic of Cambridge" as they say.  The neighbors are close so when I do a smoke they all get to smell the goodies, I never had any complaints from smoking out the neighbors..hence "the thin blue smoke" and I either cookout on my webber every other night or do a weekend smoke with no problems. I like the privacy of NH but I also like it here, so many ethnic places to eat within walking distance. Who knows I may start a new trend "Smoked Sushi" .. laugh 

Joe


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## tommy c (Jul 21, 2006)

:( Sorry to here of your misfortune :( Hope you both have a speedy recovery! My wife told me last night she ordered a digital camera :shock: I guess I get to jump into the 21st century after all. Good luck with your ribs this weekend. Saturday we're goin' to a pig roast 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  Our prayers are with you and your wife.  Tom


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## joed617 (Jul 21, 2006)

Hi Tommy, Thanks for the well wish's.. Hmm a whole pig.. My brother use to do one pig a year but gave it up a while back.  I wish you the best weather for your roast.  Good to see you're moving to the 21st century.. laugh .. I hope you get your pics back soon. You'll be taking some pics of this pig roasting? I'd love to see a pic of that. I still haven't ordered that charcoal yet .. call it procastination ..  I'm in a lazy mood today .. could be the muscle relaxers .. I'll be in maine on sunday for the wifes family reunion.. Smoking the ribs on saturday, in the fridge that night and then in a cooler filled with hot water for our 4 hour trip. If its really hot I could lay the ribs on the dash board but my wife would complain like she did last time <kidding> .. 

Thanks again Tommy,

Joe


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## tommy c (Jul 21, 2006)

hmmm grease on the dashboard :shock: who needs armor-all :lol:


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