First smoke butt tomorrow

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daddycreswell

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jul 4, 2012
40
10
Lebanon, TN
Like a kid at Christmas, I can't wait till tomorrow morning. I am going to attempt my first butt smoke for pulled pork, my son's 9th birthday on Sunday. Going to pick up the butts later on and get them rubbed down and in the fridge. I think I am ready, I told the wife to have a backup plan in case things go wrong tomorrow night when I pull them off. I am excited yet intimidated at the same time. I think I have read just about everything, but any tips would be great. One question, should I smoke them in a foil pan? I will update this thread tonight and through out tomorrow with pictures.
 
Hey Daddy...nice choice! Pork butt is pretty easy. Remember the rule of thumb - 1.5 to 2 hrs per lb smoking time. If you are looking you aren't cooking...keep the lid/door closed as much as possible. I don't foil mine at all any longer - we like the bark! Most people foil at 160*-165* or so and at that time you can finish it off in the oven. Wrapped in foil means it won't get any more smoke flavor, that's why you can finish in the oven. 

Chef Jimmy J has a foiling juice that lots of people really like. I've never tried it yet though.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110881/foiling-juice-chef-jimmyj

Also here's finishing sauce folks here are partial to: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/51933/soflaquers-finishing-sauce-for-pulled-pork

What kind of smoker? 

Good luck and keep us updated!
 
I smoke mine in a pan most of the time. Easy clean up in the smoker.
I defat the juice then pour it back over the pulled pork after you pull it.
 
Hey Daddy...nice choice! Pork butt is pretty easy. Remember the rule of thumb - 1.5 to 2 hrs per lb smoking time. If you are looking you aren't cooking...keep the lid/door closed as much as possible. I don't foil mine at all any longer - we like the bark! Most people foil at 160*-165* or so and at that time you can finish it off in the oven. Wrapped in foil means it won't get any more smoke flavor, that's why you can finish in the oven. 

Chef Jimmy J has a foiling juice that lots of people really like. I've never tried it yet though.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110881/foiling-juice-chef-jimmyj

Also here's finishing sauce folks here are partial to: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/51933/soflaquers-finishing-sauce-for-pulled-pork

What kind of smoker? 

Good luck and keep us updated!
Thanks, SmokinHusker, I am using a master forge gas smoker.
 
I have gone both ways.  In my smoker,, if straight on the rack,, you do not get any drippings like you would get with a foil pan.  Smoking,, doesnt make a difference in flavor or texture except for juices,, the temp will be lower but will slowly level out, only because of reflective nature of the foil pan.  Once inside of smoker is up too temp,, makes no difference at all,, IMO.   If you are young and not afraid of melted fat,, those drippings mixed with some bbq sauce,, what a cocktail too dribble over a sandwhich :),, but without, pork is juicey enough to stand on its own. 

Remember there may be a stall in cooking,, allow for it.  My average cook time with 8# on electric MES is 16 hours at 225f.  That normally gives me an internal temp of 198f which after it sits for an hour, wrapped in foil - towel in cooler.  It comes out perfectly. 

Trust me,, I understand your feelings of intimidation.  I am a computer geek,, smoking something too me was so far out of my league,, crazy.  Simple steps too follow and you will do just fine.

1)  Not sure what you have for a smoker but make sure temp guage is accurate.  If you can get something with a probe too put in the butts,, even better.  When they hit internal temp of 195 - 210,, they are done,, let them rest. 

2) PLEASE,PLEASE,, PRETTY PLEASE with SUGAR on it, let it rest.  The juices when you cook,, settle to bottom of the meat.  When it is at desired internal temp,, pull it,, wrap in foil,, wrap a big towel around it and put in a cooler.  As the internal temp cools, the meat will suck the juices back up inside itself. Let it rest as long as you can.  I have done up too 3 hours and it is so hot n juicy that you will burn your hands trying to pull it.

3) Your perfect flavor is going to take you a long time to develop and work out.  Dont be concerned right now.  Pretty much any recepies that you see here on the site for pulled pork ?  The pork flavor is the king.  Rubs give the outer crusty layer extra flavor for those of us that like those chewier bits,, inside ?  Sweet juicy pork :)

Hope all goes well,, Happy Birthday to your son.  If it doesnt turn out like you planned,, promise him a special cookout between guys,, then fire up the smoker and make him something extra special :)
 
I picked up 3 4lb butts, can I g ahead and rub them down, going to smoke them in about 18 hrs.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2
 
certainly,, careful on the strong spices .  4lbs each,, that shouldnt take too long.  Do you have something to monitor their internal temp ?  If you put all 3 on one rack,, probe the middle one and monitor that one.  I would think, imo (still a newbie), that a 4lbs'er would take any more then 10 hours to smoke at 225f before it is at shreddable temp of 195f minimum, no more then 210f.
 
Here is a shot of them before I rub them down. Then after rub and heading to fridge till 7am in the morning.





Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2
 
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Awesome! I'm doing my first butt in the new smoker tomorrow, just did the rubdown (trying Jeff's recipe) and put in in the fridge 'till early tomorrow morning (getting up at 5:00 am to put some meat in a smoker? we must be a crazy bunch!). Hope yours comes out fantastic!
 
Awesome! I'm doing my first butt in the new smoker tomorrow, just did the rubdown (trying Jeff's recipe) and put in in the fridge 'till early tomorrow morning (getting up at 5:00 am to put some meat in a smoker? we must be a crazy bunch!). Hope yours comes out fantastic!
I am not getting started as early as you, we are not eating it till Sunday so I got time to burn. So I'll start about 7 in the morning. Thanks for the well wishes, I hope yours turns out great and we smoke many more.
 
REMEMBER............PATIENCE...PATIENCE...PATIENCE
icon_exclaim.gif
 
Well I am 3 hrs behind, 7 9-11 yr old boys spent the night last night. So it was a late one, I woke up to steady rain. Got everything fired up, had my digital temp gauge out, seems its not waterproof. So got the butts in watching my oven temp gauge that's in the smoker to see when I get back up to temp. Then I guess I'll run to lowes and buy another temp gauge. Day not starting off good.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2
 
Bummer about the late start and the rain, I'm sure it'll be fine, at least you have plenty of time today! Mine went in at 5:00 am and hit 165 at 11:00. Double wrapped it and it's creeping up to temp, should be done in time to rest before dinner. Man, it looked and smelled good when it went in the foil.... Think I'll make up some finishing sauce and try it on at least part after pulling it.
 
Well I am 3 hrs behind, 7 9-11 yr old boys spent the night last night. So it was a late one, I woke up to steady rain. Got everything fired up, had my digital temp gauge out, seems its not waterproof. So got the butts in watching my oven temp gauge that's in the smoker to see when I get back up to temp. Then I guess I'll run to lowes and buy another temp gauge. Day not starting off good.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2
 If time becomes a factor, just get your pork up to 165 tp 170º internal. Hopefully a good bark by then. Wrap in foil and increase your smoker temp to 290 to 300º if you can. Once it hits 205º internal, remove it from smoker and let it rest in a cooler for a while.
 
Well I am 4:20 into cooking, this rain has crapped on me. Went to lowes and bought 2 more gauges. One for the smoker, one in the butt that's on the bottom rack, figure it will get done sooner than the other since the heat gets to it more. The wireless gauge reads 141 degrees on the lower butt. Been there for about an hr. So I figure the others are in that range. Put some more wood chips a couple of times to keep the smoke going, when I do ribs I only keep the smoke rolling a couple of hrs, but figured I'd keep the smoke going until IT gets 165 degrees. Still haven't decided if I am going to foil them at 165 degrees or not, got a little more time before I have to decide.
 
Relax and have a frosty beverage, makes the time pass quicker...
beercheer.gif
  I wish we'd get some rain, just not while the smoker is going. It's incredibly dry here, had a tenth of an inch in the past 3 weeks or so and 10 days over 100 in that time.
 
Relax and have a frosty beverage, makes the time pass quicker...
beercheer.gif
  I wish we'd get some rain, just not while the smoker is going. It's incredibly dry here, had a tenth of an inch in the past 3 weeks or so and 10 days over 100 in that time.
Mike, I have seat down in my chair play some Call of Duty online, that's how I relax. Got the wirless beside me gone 3 degrees. In middle tenn where I am we has 10 days of 100, a few of those were 108. Down 7" for the year. It has rained for about 3 days now, in those 3 days we have gotten about 5 inches of rain. It has cleared for now...
 
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