First Butt

jkc64

Smoking Fanatic

Original poster

★ Lifetime Premier ★

Dec 7, 2011

539

244

Portland, TN.

• Dec 9, 2011

• #1

I am going to do my first pork butt this weekend. The plan is to rub and refr for 24 hours

put in smoker (MES30) and apply smoke for about 4 hours at which time I will more than likely fall asleep and get up Sun morning to a pork butt that is hopefully finished. Questions:I will be smoking in a foil pan to catch drippings, do I go fat cap up or down and what do cross cuts in the fat do? Is this something I should do? Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

John

 

mmain1

Newbie

Dec 2, 2011

26

10

Tulsa, OK

• Dec 9, 2011

• #2

I'm sure other more experienced smokers will reply but here goes my opinions!

I will be smoking in a foil pan to catch drippings.

I think you will want to start out not in a pan and around your 4 hour mark then put it in a pan.  It won't pick up much smoke (especially since your going to put the fatcap up!) while it's in the pan.

Fatcap up or down?

I say up, we'll see what others say.

Cross cuts?

Allows the smoke to get down to the meat where it belongs!

If you haven't already, start by reading here: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/57139/basic-pulled-pork-smoke

 

Last edited: Dec 9, 2011

SmokinAl

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

Staff member

Moderator

OTBS Member

★ Lifetime Premier ★

Jun 22, 2009

51,390

12,228

Central Florida (Sebring)

• Dec 9, 2011

• #3

jkc64 said:

I am going to do my first pork butt this weekend. The plan is to rub and refr for 24 hours

put in smoker (MES30) and apply smoke for about 4 hours at which time I will more than likely fall asleep and get up Sun morning to a pork butt that is hopefully finished. Questions:I will be smoking in a foil pan to catch drippings, do I go fat cap up or down and what do cross cuts in the fat do? I would put the pan on a rack below the butt, and smoke it fat side up. The crosshatch lets the rub & smoke get to the meat. Is this something I should do? Yes, this way you will catch the juices & get smoke all around the butt. Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated. For the next one you may want to get a AMNPS, so you will get smoke all night long & not have to refill the chip loader.

Also a finishing sauce will make the PP the best ever. Check out this one: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/49892/finishing-sauce-for-pulled-pork

Good luck!

Click to expand...

 

Last edited: Dec 9, 2011

tom c

Smoking Fanatic

Aug 26, 2011

450

16

Orlando, FL

• Dec 9, 2011

• #4

SmokinAl said:

Also a finishing sauce will make the PP the best ever. Check out this one: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/49892/finishing-sauce-for-pulled-pork

Click to expand...

You have to do the finishing sauce.

 

jkc64

Smoking Fanatic

Original poster

★ Lifetime Premier ★

Thread starter

Dec 7, 2011

539

244

Portland, TN.

• Dec 9, 2011

• #5

Yes finishing sauce is in the plan and an AMNPS is on the wish list.

 

chef willie

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Dec 31, 2010

3,201

376

Willamette Valley, Oregon

• Dec 9, 2011

• #6

all good advice above....butts are very forgiving so you should be fine and sounds like you are allowing plenty of time....low & slow the way to go....enjoy the ride & post pics

 

mballi3011

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

SMF Premier Member

Mar 12, 2009

14,477

58

• Dec 9, 2011

• #7

Now I have always smoked my butts with the fat cap up so that the fat will drip down on the meat as it melts. As for scoring the fat cap that is for the cuts to catch more of the rub and give you more surface area to hold the rub helping to flavor the meat that much more. For the pan I never use a pan because after the 165° mark I always foil my butts. Then tha foil catches all the juices and that always seems to be plenty of juices for me to add back into the meat after I pull the meat. So get that puppy smoking and don't forget the q-view.

 

• 

Reactions: mmain1

owlcreeksmoker4

Smoking Fanatic

Nov 24, 2011

371

10

Paoli, Ok

• Dec 9, 2011

• #8

like someone above mentioned butts tend to give you plenty of give and are a great try out smoke. good luck!

 

raptor700

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

May 20, 2010

4,065

56

Crestview, Florida

• Dec 9, 2011

• #9

Good luck John, 

Don't forget the Qview 

 

so ms smoker

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Dec 20, 2010

1,874

42

Gulfport, MS

• Dec 9, 2011

• #10

  As Mballi said, at about 165-170 degrees internal temp, you should wrap in foil. Then you can finish in the smoker or the oven. This keeps much more of the natural juices to mix with the pulled pork!

Mike