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Pork butt Saturday

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gnarbrah

gnarbrah

Meat Mopper
Original poster
May 17, 2014
162
29
Orlando, FL
Good morning - WD had pork butts on sale again so we're having some friends over this afternoon. I was "smart" this time and got everything set up last night and set an alarm for 4:00 to get it started. Too bad I didn't hear the alarm. Luckily the wife woke me up at 5. Butt was on the smoke around 5:30-5:45 so hopefully it'll cooperate for a 6ish dinner time. Loaded the mini up with Stubbs charcoal and pecan chunks. Bad Byrons butt rub on the meat. It's 6:30 now and we've settled in around 240. I'll be back throughout the day for progress reports. Have a smokey weekend!

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So it decided to pour rain at 9:40 for some reason. That's summer I guess. So my temp stared dropping around 9:30 so I took the top off to give the coals a stir. I seem to have a problem with about one third of the basket burning down and the other half or two thirds hardly being warm. Not a huge deal but does anyone else have this issue?
I shift everything around including un burned wood chunks. Of course at that point I get the dreaded white smoke again. Seems to calm down pretty quickly though. I guess it'll be alright in the long haul.

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Looks like I hit 40-140 in 4 hrs ok

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Here's how I light my mini.

1. Fill your charcoal basket full with your charcoal. Add (3-4) 2"-3" chunks of smoke wood on top.

2. Place your pot and lid back on the smoker, open all your vents.

3. Light a propane torch and stick it in one of the side vents (smokey joe gold or modified silver) or the lower vent (non-modified silver).

Leave the torch in running in there until you are 25-30 degrees above your targeted pit temp. Remove torch. The mini should drop below your targeted temp. Once it starts climbing use your lower vent to set the temp.

I can get a 12-16 hour burn at 265 using this method. No adding fuel stirring ash, it's set and almost forget.

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Last edited:
Definitely in stall mode. Just about flat lined at 170. Sure am glad I started it at 5:30 this morning! Hopefully it'll start climbing within an hour or so so I can pull it and let it rest for perfect timing to eat. Temp is in the 250-260 range in the smoker. Any higher and I'll choke it down a bit. Figure while its in stall mode an extra 10-20 degrees won't hurt it.
What's the consensus on wrapping after pulling it out and resting? I plan on 200 - 203 to take it off then wrap in foil stick in a cooler for an hour?

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This stall is killing me! 2 hours and counting...

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Just started hearing some drips sizzle on the pan down below. Does that mean anything?
 
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Looking great so far.  You know that it doesn't hurt a butt to let the chamber temp get upwards of 300 ?  Speeds things up too !! 
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Yeah I've heard that butts are indestructible but at this point it's about the principle! Low and slow and I think I've officially made it past the stall! Onward and upward!!

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Gnarbrah said:
Yeah I've heard that butts are indestructible but at this point it's about the principle! Low and slow and I think I've officially made it past the stall! Onward and upward!!

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All good Gnarbrah.  We were just talking about this in another thread.   Sometimes you have to cast principle aside and go into scramble mode.  Just wanted to give you a heads up in case that was needed.    I'd rather kick temps up or even move something to an oven rather than having people over and missing a dinner deadline by 3 hours (or having to order pizza).  
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Ahhhhhhh!!!! Scramble mode it was. Thing refused to get over 188! Oh well. Wrapped it and let it sit for an hour and I had zero complaints. Have to say it was delicious and other than the bone there was hardly any waste. As frustrating as these butts can be there's nothing better than a pulled pork sandwich (or 3) on a potato bun. Everybody was happy as can be. Hope ya'll had a great day as well. This is what's left in the fridge:

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Gnarbrah said:
Ahhhhhhh!!!! Scramble mode it was. Thing refused to get over 188! Oh well. Wrapped it and let it sit for an hour and I had zero complaints. Have to say it was delicious and other than the bone there was hardly any waste. As frustrating as these butts can be there's nothing better than a pulled pork sandwich (or 3) on a potato bun. Everybody was happy as can be. Hope ya'll had a great day as well. This is what's left in the fridge:

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Looks good.  Nothing wrong with scramble mode.   Finished product is what counts.  Congrats on the smoke!
 
LONG day for sure but honestly I can think of worse ways to blow 13 hours. Pulled pork sandwich leftovers all week! I am not waking up early tomorrow that's for sure.
 
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