Some advice please...my first smoke

louballs said:

This coming Friday I plan to do my first pork butt. I looked around for some ideas, but I do have a few questions:

Just to give an idea, I am using the Smokin It Model 1, which is electric and similar to a smokin tex.

I purchased Jeff's Rub/Sauce Recipe to support this site so I'm going to give that a go. Here are my questions:

1. Do you think that 2 ounces of wood will be enough for a butt? I know that TOO much would could cause creosote and nasty flavor, so I definitely don't want to overdo it. I plan on using hickory and cherry.

Not too familiar with that model. Maybe look to see what the manufacturer recommends for each use. 2 ounces is not very much wood. What causes the creosote is when you do not have a TBS (Thin Blue Smoke). From what it looks like in your smoker the wood goes in a tray above the heat element. I do not really see an issue with the too much smoke or creosote. But someone who has used that type of smoker may have better input.

2. Do most people inject their meat? I was thinking of injecting with some apple juice.

Injection is a personal preference. But if you do inject it, I would strongly suggest you follow the 40-140 in 4 hour guideline.In short by injecting the meat you run a chance of introducing bacteria to the inside of the meat when penetrating the whole muscle with the needle. So you want to go from 40 to 140 IT in under 4 hours.

3. I saw the recipe for pork butt on Smoking-Meat.com, do many of you use that?

Not me. Too many on this site to still try.....

4. Lastly, I have friends coming over for dinner around 8 - 9 PM. What should be my LATEST starting time, so I make sure to get the process underway.

Your start time will be determined by the size of the Pork Butt you are using. When cooking at 225 the average is 1.5-2 hours per pound. You will hit a stall at around 165 that can last for hours. Some people will wrap the meat with foil and some juices to help push through the stall. Some refer to this as the Texas Crutch. I personally will cook at 250-275 and don't see the stall as much, maybe an hour. I then wrap mine for the resting period of an hour before pulling. I still plan on my cooks taking close to 1.5 hours a pound just to be safe.

So if you go to Sam's Club and buy their package of Pork Butts. They most of the time are cut in half, so a 12# package will have roughly 2ea 6# butts. So if cooking at 225 and 2 hrs per pound and a 2hr cushion. You are looking at starting at 6am...

Thanks for any help or additional tips you may have for a first timer!

Lou

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