Pork Butt

That butt looks great! Nice job! Lots of people, me included, like a dark, heavy bark on a butt...after you pull it, that bark adds a great flavor to the PP. How did it taste? It's really about preference...if you didn't care for such a heavy bark, you can lighten the amount of bark you get next time by foiling the butt once it reaches an internal temp of about 160*. It's good to splash a little liquid, like apple juice, on the butt when you foil it, then continue to cook until it reaches 200-205*.

Best advice is to try a few different methods and decide which you prefer.

Red

I am not the bark expert but we were discussing it earlier tonight. I think the black bark comes from a higher temp possibly but mostly for the use of sugar in your rub. When I do a salt pepper onion garlic rub, in the reefer over night, then just before going in the smoker a very light, light brown sugar rub, mine are not as dark. The sugar is to encapsulate the meat sort of like and big M&M. Keeps juices in and gives pork that nice sweetness. Now when I have done a heavy store bought rub normally they have a load of sugar then my but gets really dark.

Either way I don't think I have had bad bark as long as it wasn't over smoked.

BTW that's a beautiful smoke ring on that butt! Well done!

Heres the difference,

Light Sugar, no foil


Heavy Sugar, foiled


I am assuming that the foiling only effects the density of the bark, usually the foiling process gives a softer my pliable bark where the unfoiled is a bit dryer.

Again I am no expert, these are just my observations.

But either way it looks like a delicious butt you've made! Its a perfect M&M! soft and chewy, melt in your mouth inside with a tastee candy coating! Excellent!

Did it taste good? If so it's not to dark. Looks awesome!

hillbillyrkstr said:

Did it taste good? If so it's not to dark. Looks awesome!

Click to expand...

x2

For what it's worth, I think that's a nice, very nice smoke !! Thumbs Up That bark is awesome and will be very good when combined with the rest of the moist innards.... If I were you, I would be damn proud of that smoke and again, that bark, :drool. Damn fine !!

I hate when my bark doesn't look like that!  Excellent job!