Smoking Butt for xmas..quick question

stump · Dec 7, 2010

Hello everyone and what a great site with a ton of info. I have spent the last few days reading ever thing on here. I consider myself a beginner smoker as I have tinkered around the last few years with it. I purchased the famous "Jeff's Rub" since I'm always trying different ones and never seem to be happy. Anyways I'm smoking a 9lb butt for xmas dinner but the wifey has told me she does not want me messing with it all xmas day.

Anyways I guess I will cook it on xmas eve. My question is this. I'm going to follow the sticky and I'm going to use Jeff's finishing sauce and his rub recipe. We are eating dinner at 4pm on Saturday. I will cook it on Friday and was wondering if I pull it apart Friday what is the best way to store it and reheat it? Should I put the finishing sauce on it as I reheat it the next day? Any advice is appreciated! Thanks again!!

masonman1345 · Dec 7, 2010

Dont pull it till your ready, in fact store it at a safe temp then later wrap it in wax paper pop in the microwave till just over warm. pull it, sauce it then place in oven covered till hot enjoy.

jirodriguez · Dec 7, 2010

Stump - since you have an electric smoker I would just do an overnight smoke. Prep the butt friday evening right after dinner, then stay up late and fire up the smoker at 11:30, get it pre-heated and have the meat on by 12:00, go back to bed. If you are unsure of how well you smoker holds temps at night set an alarm for every 2 or 3 hrs. and just get up and check it, adjust as needed.

Allowing for approx. 1.5 hrs. per. lb. for the butt you are looking at approx. 13.5 hrs. cook time plus rest time. Just let it ride and do its thing, should finish up between 1:00 & 2:00, then you can pull it off of the smoker wrap it in double layer of foil, wrap that in an old towel, and place it in a dry clean ice chest, fill the rest of the chest with more old towels. You can keep a butt warm for up to 6 hrs. this way and still have it be to hot to handle with bare hands.

Now remember you are cooking to temp. so the times are just a rough guide. You want an internal temp. of 200-210 for pulled pork, and you want to have at least 1 hr. of rest time in the cooler, preferably 2 hrs. So it is better to have the butt finish up early and hold it in the ice chest instead of trying to rush it to be done.

Once you pull it out of the ice chest shred it and hit it with finishing sauce, then sit back and listen to all the rave reviews!

Your electric should be fairly self sustaining and a pork butt doesn't need any fiddiling with once you get it going. Good luck and don't forget the Qview!

rbranstner · Dec 7, 2010

I always pull mine after it has rested while it is still hot then reheat them then next day if need be. I don't like to let the butt get cold while it is still whole. In my experience I have had much better results pulling it while it is hot then reheat versus letting the whole butt get cold then reheat and pull it when you are going to eat it. Again this is my personal preference. Also make sure you save all those yummy juices and warm them up and pour them over the meat before you eat them or even better yet make up a finishing sauce to serve with it.

stump · Dec 7, 2010

JIRodriguez said:
Stump - since you have an electric smoker I would just do an overnight smoke. Prep the butt friday evening right after dinner, then stay up late and fire up the smoker at 11:30, get it pre-heated and have the meat on by 12:00, go back to bed. If you are unsure of how well you smoker holds temps at night set an alarm for every 2 or 3 hrs. and just get up and check it, adjust as needed.

Allowing for approx. 1.5 hrs. per. lb. for the butt you are looking at approx. 13.5 hrs. cook time plus rest time. Just let it ride and do its thing, should finish up between 1:00 & 2:00, then you can pull it off of the smoker wrap it in double layer of foil, wrap that in an old towel, and place it in a dry clean ice chest, fill the rest of the chest with more old towels. You can keep a butt warm for up to 6 hrs. this way and still have it be to hot to handle with bare hands.

Now remember you are cooking to temp. so the times are just a rough guide. You want an internal temp. of 200-210 for pulled pork, and you want to have at least 1 hr. of rest time in the cooler, preferably 2 hrs. So it is better to have the butt finish up early and hold it in the ice chest instead of trying to rush it to be done.

Once you pull it out of the ice chest shred it and hit it with finishing sauce, then sit back and listen to all the rave reviews!

Your electric should be fairly self sustaining and a pork butt doesn't need any fiddiling with once you get it going. Good luck and don't forget the Qview!

thanks for all the info...i appreciate it!! I had a few more questions and was hoping you could help. I do use the masterbuilt electric smoker and always wondered if i should be putting anything in the drip tray. Some say yes and some say a apple juice mixture. Also if I'm going to do this over night how often should I put new wood chips in. I always thought to keep putting them in because if the smoke stops then its not good. I know realize that's not correct!! Thanks again!!

raptor700 · Dec 7, 2010

I'm with JIRodriguez on this one. He gave you all you need to pull this one off. Saved me alot of typing! Don't forget the Qiew!

scarbelly · Dec 7, 2010

The only thing I will add to what Johnny said is that I have held butts for as long as 6 hours in a well insulated cooler with lots of towels to fill all the voids and when I pulled them to shred them they were still too hot to handle bare handed

smokinstevo27 · Dec 7, 2010

Once I get a good bark going, I generally stop applying smoke. It doesn't take as much as you think to get the smoke flavor into the meat. Good luck man, it'll be great!

stump · Dec 8, 2010

Thanks guys!! What is your take on the drip pan? Should I just leave it dry or added juice/water to it? Thanks again!!!

jirodriguez · Dec 8, 2010

If your smoker has problems keeping temp in cold winter weather leave the pand dry, if it can hold temps good then a little water in the drip pan can make a nice thermal mass that helps your smoker recover if you have to open the door for something. The pork butt has so much fat in it that it will stay moist either way.

mballi3011 · Dec 8, 2010

I have to say I'm with Johhny and if my wife told me NO we might have a problem. But we'd be eating some ham the next day. Go for it.

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Smoking Butt for xmas..quick question

stump

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stump

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