First Boston Butt is off but there's no bark!

dtsdowntosmoke · Feb 10, 2013

Hey everyone.

I wanted to try my hand with a boston butt today so I fired up the MES electric this morning at 0515 with a 4.5 pounder.

I prepped it with mustard and Jeff's rub yesterday and it looked good to go. I will try to attach a pic here but having trouble doing it from my ipad.

At 0815 after 2.5 hours at 230* the IT reached 160* and I took it out, foiled it and put some some of Chef Jimmy's foil juice on it.

3 hours later at 1145 the IT was at 207 so I pulled it out and unwrapped it. Im not sure if it was because I put so much of Jimmy's juice on it or because I foiled it or what but it looked very moist. It didn't look dark with bark at all. It was litterally like squishy. I was really hoping for some bark.

I can't post pics from my ipad but I will get them on soon.

It's now 1215 and the butt is resting wrapped in a towel where I added the other part of Jimmy's juice and the drippings from the butt. I put it in the oven (no the oven isnt on). I didnt have a cooler here.

I would like to hear your thoughts.

Thanks,

BB

smoking b · Feb 10, 2013

What did it look like when you foiled it? Was it soft & moist then? Were you using water in your pan & was your exhaust vent wide open?

I use a dry chamber in my MES & never foil butts - I like the bark too much & they come out great that way...

pgsmoker64 · Feb 10, 2013

Afternoon DTS...If you want bark, and it sounds like you do, then don't foil! The foiling pretty much does away with any bark that formed until you wrapped it. This is common, you didn't do anything wrong.

I do not foil my butts or briskets for the simple reason that I love bark.

Good luck on the next one!

Bill

dtsdowntosmoke · Feb 10, 2013

Thanks Smoking B and Bill-

I'm so dissapointed. I've been Thinking about this bark for 3 freaking days! Ha!

Guess there is a learning curve on this too.

One more question.

At 1345 today the butt will have rested for 2 hours. What should I do with it until our 5:30 dinner? I was going to pull it but then I didnt know if I should put it in the oven, crock potor fridge.

What would the recommendations be?

Thanks!

linguica · Feb 10, 2013

Smoking B said:
What did it look like when you foiled it? Was it soft & moist then? Were you using water in your pan & was your exhaust vent wide open?

I use a dry chamber in my MES & never foil butts - I like the bark too much & they come out great that way...

X2 best advice

dtsdowntosmoke · Feb 10, 2013

Smoking B said:
What did it look like when you foiled it? Was it soft & moist then? Were you using water in your pan & was your exhaust vent wide open?
I use a dry chamber in my MES & never foil butts - I like the bark too much & they come out great that way...

Smoking B - it was soft and moist when we foiled it. Vents were open the whole tme. I did have water in my pan when I started,but I noticed that it had all evaporated when I had finished. I'm not sure how long it had been gone, but there certainly wasnt any left at 1145.

Next time- no foil and no water for sure.

pgsmoker64 · Feb 10, 2013

DTSDownToSmoke said:
At 1345 today the butt will have rested for 2 hours. What should I do with it until our 5:30 dinner? I was going to pull it but then I didnt know if I should put it in the oven, crock potor fridge.

What would the recommendations be?

Thanks!

If you are expecting to eat it all I would pull it an put it in the crockpot. I usually pull and separate into 1 lb containers and freeze at least 5 pounds.

You could also pull it and put it in shallow pans , cover and into the fridge until you are ready to heat it up.

Or...put in more towels and let it rest until you are ready to pull it. In my experience it will stay hot for about 4 - 5 hours.

Bill

smoking b · Feb 10, 2013

DTSDownToSmoke said:
Thanks Smoking B and Bill-

I'm so dissapointed. I've been Thinking about this bark for 3 freaking days! Ha!

Guess there is a learning curve on this too.

One more question.

At 1345 today the butt will have rested for 2 hours. What should I do with it until our 5:30 dinner? I was going to pull it but then I didnt know if I should put it in the oven, crock potor fridge.

What would the recommendations be?

Thanks!

You can put it in a crock pot with the juices to keep it warm - since you don't have any hard bark it won't affect it. I have left them in the cooler for over 5 hours & they were still hot enough to burn you when I took them out but you said you had it in the oven...

Try putting play sand in your water pan & cover it with foil so you can reuse it - does a lot better job with stabilizing temps.

dtsdowntosmoke · Feb 10, 2013

So I've decided to leave it wrapped until around 3. At that time we'll pull it and put it in the crock pot. When I do put it in the crock pot should I put the juice in with it? I dont want it to be swimming in juice since we are using it for sandwiches.

Thanks!

dtsdowntosmoke · Feb 10, 2013

Also, sorry for all of the questions. Prior to my smoking hobby the only cooking I had ever done was in a microwave.

pgsmoker64 · Feb 10, 2013

DTSDownToSmoke said:
So I've decided to leave it wrapped until around 3. At that time we'll pull it and put it in the crock pot. When I do put it in the crock pot should I put the juice in with it? I dont want it to be swimming in juice since we are using it for sandwiches.

Thanks!

Yep...just don't put too much juice in...just what you want.

Bill

pgsmoker64 · Feb 10, 2013

DTSDownToSmoke said:
Also, sorry for all of the questions. Prior to my smoking hobby the only cooking I had ever done was in a microwave.

Dude...we love questions...it's what we do besides smoke & drink and listen to the wife...

and drink...

Gotta go....wife just walked in!

smoking b · Feb 10, 2013

DTSDownToSmoke said:
Also, sorry for all of the questions. Prior to my smoking hobby the only cooking I had ever done was in a microwave.

Don't worry about the questions - that's how you learn! There are lots of good folks on here willing to help

fpnmf · Feb 10, 2013

Forget all the mustard,spritzing and such..leave the smoker closed..

Read this...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/128258/todays-smoke-a-tale-of-two-butts

Craig

smokeusum · Feb 10, 2013

Dude...we love questions...it's what we do besides smoke & drink and listen to the wife...

and drink...

:laugh1: Gotta go....wife just walked in!

Haha! I'm smoking (and thinking about drinking) while my husband did the weekly grocery shopping and is now cleaning the carpets!!!

Photo added only to preserve the Big Guy's manhood :)

image.jpg

smokeusum
Feb 10, 2013

smokeusum · Feb 10, 2013

DTSDownToSmoke said:
Also, sorry for all of the questions. Prior to my smoking hobby the only cooking I had ever done was in a microwave.

I either did it in the microwave or on the grill at a temp that was hotter than heck! If it was 500 degrees I wasn't happy! I've actually "roasted" a tday turkey at 450 in the oven!

Low and slow is new to me, I actually bought our smoker for The Big Guy for Christmas...Now, I won't let him touch it! Tons of research, TONS, since Christmas... I smoke every weekend now, slowly changing one thing at a time to fine-tune... Have a blast, be patient and smoke on!!!

s2k9k · Feb 10, 2013

Lean trimmed butt + no foil + dry smoke chamber = Super moist juicy pork with Awesome bark

I learned a lot from Eric and these two threads, took my pork to a whole new level:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...dry-smoke-chamber-q-view-finished#post_855699

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...t-dry-smoke-chamber-q-view-method#post_830635

pgsmoker64 · Feb 10, 2013

smokeusum said:
Haha! I'm smoking (and thinking about drinking) while my husband did the weekly grocery shopping and is now cleaning the carpets!!!

Photo added only to preserve the Big Guy's manhood :)

image.jpg

smokeusum

Feb 10, 2013

LOL...hey, at least you're cooking!!!!

Y'all know I'm just messin' round!

Tell the big guy he is a lucky, lucky man!!!

Bill

smokeusum · Feb 10, 2013

LOL...hey, at least you're cooking!!!!

Y'all know I'm just messin' round!
Tell the big guy he is a lucky, lucky man!!!

Bill

Haha! Awesome, Bill!! I'm the lucky one; he's cleaning up after MY dogs, MY cats, and does the grocery shopping because I come home with one bag of grocery ($200), 3 pairs of shoes ($200--WHAT?! THERE WAS A SALE!!) and then ask "What's for dinner?"

kathrynn · Feb 10, 2013

DTS......change the setting for SMF....to mobile on your Ipad ....will let you upload pics then.

First Boston Butt is off but there's no bark!

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