Up early to tackle this big butt.

mquast010

Fire Starter

Original poster

Jul 26, 2013

48

13

ft bliss/ el paso

• May 3, 2014

• #1

Well I made the rookie mistake of grabbing the biggest piece of meat I could find at wallyworld. I have a 10 pound , probably a 9.5 after trimming pork butt. This thing is going to be a pain in the butt to smoke haha. I also have some country style ribs I'll throw on later on. Any advice on a good mop? I'm thinking about something with some rum in it. Sorry for the bad quality, I'm a little sleepy and I took it with my phone.

pork butt.jpg

• mquast010
• May 3, 2014

porkbutt2.jpg

• mquast010
• May 3, 2014

 

fire in the hole

Meat Mopper

Jun 10, 2008

233

14

williston nd

• May 3, 2014

• #2

Everyones taste is different but I'd spritz with plain ol'apple juice..........maybe once an hour.

 

mquast010

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Original poster

Thread starter

Jul 26, 2013

48

13

ft bliss/ el paso

• May 3, 2014

• #3

I Decided on just applejuice also. The liquor store wasn't open at 7 this morning when I had to go to lowes. Here it is about 3 hours into the smoke:

use this.JPG

• mquast010
• May 3, 2014

 

brentman0110

Meat Mopper

Oct 4, 2007

216

10

• May 3, 2014

• #4

I usually use a apple juice/captain morgan mix. But, plain 'ol apple is fine as well. What type of rub did you use?

 

mquast010

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Thread starter

Jul 26, 2013

48

13

ft bliss/ el paso

• May 3, 2014

• #5

I used a rub from walmart, forgot the name. It is a name brand pork rub. The main ingredient is chili powder. I also used the peppercorn grinder on the middle setting , so the pepper is a little bit bigger. I wanted something that had a little kick to it, since the apple juice will be sweet. I want to get around to making my own rub. it is sitting at 140 degrees , 4 hours into the smoke. Is that normal? I'm running around 250 degrees.

 

Last edited: May 3, 2014

marauder

Meat Mopper

Aug 31, 2013

160

17

Oklahoma City east Cleveland County

• May 3, 2014

• #6

looking good    !!!! take her to 205 internal and youll be able to stir it with a spoon!

 

realtorterry

Master of the Pit

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Jun 5, 2009

2,859

79

Bullhead City, AZ

• May 3, 2014

• #7

140 in 4 that's the golden rule!! Looks good from here

 

mquast010

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Original poster

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Jul 26, 2013

48

13

ft bliss/ el paso

• May 3, 2014

• #8

well hopefully reaching 205 won't be too late tonight. It hit the grate at 5 its a little under 10 pounds, hopefully itll be done before midnight haha. I didn't know 140 in 4 was a golden rule, makes me feel a little better about it. I cooked it fat side down, I know its a split decision on fat up or down, but I feel better having it down just to protect it from the heat. Should I stop throwing wood chunks on after it reaches the plateau? How often should I spritz it? I don't like opening up the smoker too much. 

 

Last edited: May 3, 2014

smokngun

Meat Mopper

Jan 25, 2013

165

90

NOCO

• May 3, 2014

• #9

I have used several different spritz's anything from apple juice or cider to different alcohols all with good results but my new favorite is any of the Throwback products from Pepsi with #1 being Dr. Pepper, it adds a nice sweetness to the bark. I spritz about once an hour. As far as adding wood I personally add it throughout the cook even if the meat doesn't take on any more smoke I like the smell. Hope that helps.

 

mquast010

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Jul 26, 2013

48

13

ft bliss/ el paso

• May 3, 2014

• #10

That helps a lot, I did a 2:1 of apple juice and some orange juice, thought the slight citrus taste would compliment the flavors. I have used wood throughout a smoke before, and I didn't have great results according to my wife. I'm not sure if she just doesn't like the taste too much, or it was because I had mesquite wood and it was probably too much smoke. I am using apple right now for the butt. Lowes had it on sale for fairly cheap for the chunks. As for the soda spritz, I will have to use that next time. A sweet dr pepper taste sounds amazing.

 

foamheart

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

Apr 4, 2013

11,236

3,319

South Louisiana, on the Mississippi River

• May 3, 2014

• #11

Captain Morgan's and Apple juice never works for me, someone always drinks it. Dr. Pepper was always Texas secret for cooking. Especially when baking a ham. Its a syrup with some interesting flavors.

 

mquast010

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Jul 26, 2013

48

13

ft bliss/ el paso

• May 3, 2014

• #12

I'm more of a sailor Jerrys type of guy , but you are right...it wouldn't make it to the butt lol. Many people talk about the stall...and I have gotten that with my brisket, but i jumped straight through the 150s with no stalling. Is a plateau on a butt a different temperature?

 

Last edited: May 3, 2014

smokngun

Meat Mopper

Jan 25, 2013

165

90

NOCO

• May 3, 2014

• #13

On pork I usually hit the stall somewhere in the 160's, some of them pushed through in as little as an hour and a half and some have taken as long as 4. Each one is different, I've done 2 butts at once a 7lb and a 8lb and the 8lb finished 2hrs before the smaller one.

 

mquast010

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Jul 26, 2013

48

13

ft bliss/ el paso

• May 3, 2014

• #14

Well I think I hit the stall, I have been sitting at 171/172 for a good minute now. I was hoping that i blasted through the plateau. Of course spritzing it is only making it take longer i believe. From what I have read , the stall is the butt basically sweating. 

 

bob1961

Smoking Fanatic

May 15, 2010

387

15

lackawaxen, PA.

• May 3, 2014

• #15

I'd post the link but can't here, rules ya know....I was smoking a 10lb shoulder for PP and while I was waiting I ran across that link I can't post....read in it to foil between 140 and 150 instead of the normal 160 that most do....well I checked my temp, it was right at 145 so I foiled it....it went right to 205, put it in the cooler to chill out....we were eating 6.5 hours after starting to smoke it Thumbs Up ....I did this to 3 more 10+lb shoulders and 11lb brisket and all were done under 6.5 hours with no stall ever, I watched these temps every hour after reading that link to log temp and how long from that 140 foiling....

 

mquast010

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Jul 26, 2013

48

13

ft bliss/ el paso

• May 3, 2014

• #16

The foil method seems interesting, How was your bark afterwards? I heard foiling hinders the bark. If so, do you think that once you unfoil you can throw it back on the smoker , or some other high heat to harden that bark back up?

 

mquast010

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Original poster

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Jul 26, 2013

48

13

ft bliss/ el paso

• May 3, 2014

• #17

So it's about 7 hours into the smoke, and I'm sitting at about 177 degrees.

 

WP_20140503_012.JPG

• mquast010
• May 3, 2014

 

bob1961

Smoking Fanatic

May 15, 2010

387

15

lackawaxen, PA.

• May 3, 2014

• #18

all meat will only take in so much smoke, that is bout 4/5 hours IMO, I could be wrong....I never had any trouble not having good bark....but I also start smoking in an open foil pan then just cover it with foil when temp reaches 145 while still in smoker....the less time the meat is not out of the heat from smoker the better....only takes seconds to cover and close smoker, maybe that is a key to my no stall smokes so far HMMMM??....now I have another thing to try next time....

 

bob1961

Smoking Fanatic

May 15, 2010

387

15

lackawaxen, PA.

• May 3, 2014

• #19

you could unfoil it I guess, but when my stuff goes in the foil I don't open it until time to prepare for eating Thumbs Up ....

 

mquast010

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Jul 26, 2013

48

13

ft bliss/ el paso

• May 3, 2014

• #20

Yeah I will try the foil method next time for sure. To be honest I just built this UDS. Im just suprised that it hold temp so well. Then again compared to what I was using before, anything holds temp great ( ECB )