First Pork Butt!

One of the main reasons to wrap the pork is to limit the amount of smoke the pork gets. Being that it will be on the smoker for a long time you don't really want it to get smoke for the whole cooking time. I will wrap mine when it reaches an IT of 170. I will put it back on until it reaches an IT of 190. Take it out and let it rest for at least 30 min before pulling.

I have one going in the smoker note for lunch tomorrow too. I'm new to this and this is just my second butt. I have not foiled and was not planning on doing it on this one either as I like a good amount of bark.

I'd say try this one without foiling and then do your next with foil, our vice versa. Find which way you like it best. :thumbup:

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The Foil will speed you through the Stall but if you like the smokey flavor and are a Bark Hound, let it ride. I use an AMNPS with a Hickory, Cherry and Maple blended pellet called Pitmasters Choice. The flavor is great and even with a continuous 10 hours of smoke the meat tastes delicious and not too smokey. If you have a family that has not yet developed a taste for smoke, let it smoke until it hits 155-165*F and Foil it until 200*F if you plan to Pull it and resta minimum of 30 minutes on the counter covered or wrapped in towels and in a cooler for up to 5 hours. You may want to add a Finishing sauce to the meat. If you like Sweet Pulled Pork, try this...

Foiling Juice

For each Rack of Ribs Combine:

1T Pork Rub, yours

1/2 Stick Butter

1/2C Cane Syrup... Dark Corn Syrup...or Honey

1/4C Apple Cider...or Juice

1T Molasses

Optional:

2T Vinegar, 2T Mustard and 1/4C Ketchup to make it more KC Style.

Simmer 5-10 minutes until syrupy consistency.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes, pour over foiled Ribs and

run your 2 hour phase of 3-2-1. For the last phase return

the ribs to the smoker BUT reserve any Juice remaining

in the Foil. Simmer the Juice over med/low heat to reduce to a saucy thickness. Glaze the Ribs for presentation or service.

For a Sweet Finishing Sauce for Pulled Pork:  Make a Double batch, Butter optional or do as I do...Use the Smoked Pork Fat from the drip pan...

Add 1/2 the batch to the Foil Pack or place it in a Pan with your Butt, when the IT hits 165*F.

Cover the pan with foil and continue to heat to 205*F for pulling.

At 205* rest or hold the Butt in a cooler wrapped in towels until ready to serve.

Pull the Pork and place it back in the pan with the pan Juices and any additional reserved Foiling Juice to moisten and Serve...OR... Bag and refrigerate until needed.

When re-heating place the Pulled Pork in a Pan or Crockpot and add reserved Foiling Juice or Apple Cider, as needed to make up the Juice that was absorbed while  the pork was refrigerated. Cover and re-heat in a pre-heated 325-350*F oven or on High in the crockpot to 165*F and Serve.

Note: the addition of the reserved Foiling Juice or Apple Cider should make the PP moist but not Swimming.

I was AMAZED...No additional sauce needed. 

For a Tangy Vinegar Based North Carolina style Finishing Sauce, try this...

JJ's Finishing Sauce

2C Apple Cider Vinegar

2T Worcestershire Sauce or more to taste

1/4C Brown Sugar

1T Smoked Paprika

2 tsp Granulated Garlic

2 tsp Granulated Onion

2 tsp Fine Grind Black Pepper

1 tsp Celery Salt

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper or Chipotle powder. Add more if you like Heat.

1/2 tsp Grnd Allspice

Combine all and whisk well. Let rest, at room temp, 30 minutes for the flavors to meld together.

Don't be scared of either!  I personally don't wrap any of my meat, but I have three slabs of ribs I'll be doing tomorrow in which I'm going to experiment with a couple.  One I'll be doing the way I always do, another I'm going to wrap, and another I'm going to put the mustard on before the rub, and wrap it.

Pork is a very forgiving piece of meat, and as long as you meet the minimum safe temp to eat it, you can serve it chopped, pulled, or sliced.

Just try to do it one way first, make notes of what you did, then experiment.

Good luck!

So, how'd we do?