Smoking pork butt roast for first time Saturday.

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Hi daRicksta
On post 18 I did mention the weight. It was an 8 pound butt with the bone in. When it was finally finished the bone came out as clean as you could get it. I would not get a pork roast without the bone in my opinion as I think the bone gives it added flavor. Others my think otherwise, this is just my humble opinion. It sure is good. I decided not to have this until the next day and it made the smoking so much less stress because of it. But at 11 p.m. My wife and I were eating a bit of it :-)
Hope this helps.
Mike
On post 18 I did mention the weight. That explains it. I quickly scroll through long threads. I thought that at some point you had to have mentioned it.

Mike, you join the ranks of great chefs and cooks, whole insist bone-in is the only way to go for fuller flavor. I'll buy boneless roasts for convenience depending on what the recipe is. I figure to buy a bone-in pork shoulder weighing a few pounds less since I'm only cooking for the wife and I unless she invites my favorite brother-in-law over for dinner.
 
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Mmmmmm......... fat cap! Ambrosia of the smoke gods! You share yours?
Ha! That fat cap was so good. I had to sit down while I was eating it :-)
I have a family ly of four so we will eat off of this for a few days. The kids love it too. My picky son had two plates full last night, so only sharing with the family, but I would love to bring some to work, but it seems like everyone is so worried about "healthy eating" anymore, it just takes the fun out of it. I'm too old to worry anymore. Life's too short to worry. I think this is the way food was meant to be cooked anyways. Oh well. Just my two cents worth:-)
 
On post 18 I did mention the weight. That explains it. I quickly scroll through long threads. I thought that at some point you had to have mentioned it.

Mike, you join the ranks of great chefs and cooks, whole insist bone-in is the only way to go for fuller flavor. I'll buy boneless roasts for convenience depending on what the recipe is. I figure to buy a bone-in pork shoulder weighing a few pounds less since I'm only cooking for the wife and I unless she invites my favorite brother-in-law over for dinner.
I worried I never mentioned the weight, so I went back to check, that's how I knew it was post 18:-)
You are right about bone in or out if it's only for personal cooking. And for me, I will never think I'm good enough to try and cook in compititions, so do what you want. It's all good and all worth eating :-)
 
I worried I never mentioned the weight, so I went back to check, that's how I knew it was post 18:-)
You are right about bone in or out if it's only for personal cooking. And for me, I will never think I'm good enough to try and cook in compititions, so do what you want. It's all good and all worth eating :-)
We watch restaurant makeover and cooking competitions on TV (not as much as before because they're all so repetitious) and I long ago decided I'd never want to own a restaurant or ever cook in a situation where I'd be judged. Both my wife and I are perfectly happy to cook for ourselves and for family and friends. We really rock the food in our kitchen and I know I'm producing great food when it comes to smoking and grilling in the backyard. We're content to keep pushing each other to go beyond the levels we've cooked before, to keep trying new cuisines and new methods and styles of cooking. When you get it right that's where the fun and satisfaction is. Yeah, we could use some prize money but it isn't worth competing to attempt to win it.
 
Just read through this entire string of messages.  Just got my new electric smoker in the mail yesterday and getting ready to smoke an 8 lb butt on Sunday for my family, the in laws, and my parents.  No pressure for my first smoke on the new smoker!

Am I reading this right, that I should start the butt 16 hours before we want to eat?!  If so, I am glad I read this, or we would have been munching on chips for hours standing around watching the smoker.

Thanks for your advice.  I am amped to cook on Sunday, but feeling nervous with different time frames that I am reading now!  

Any advice is appreciated.

Droops
 
2 hours per pound plus a 2 hour rest. If it get's done sooner it will stay hot wrapped up in double foil and towels in a dry cooler for 4 to 5 hours. Better done early than as a midnight snack. The most common mistake with new smokers is to try and time a hunk of large muscle meat to just be done in time for dinner. Butt's can't tell time worth a darn. They have a mind of their own. I myself usually foil at 165 internal and move to the oven or crock pot. That way I get a little sleep if I need to. I highly recommend following Bear's step by step for your first one. He has the same smoker or pretty close to what you have and his method is solid.http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/140055/boston-butt-pulled-pork-step-by-step
 
Can't hardly go wrong with pulled pork

gary
 
 
Just read through this entire string of messages.  Just got my new electric smoker in the mail yesterday and getting ready to smoke an 8 lb butt on Sunday for my family, the in laws, and my parents.  No pressure for my first smoke on the new smoker!

Am I reading this right, that I should start the butt 16 hours before we want to eat?!  If so, I am glad I read this, or we would have been munching on chips for hours standing around watching the smoker.

Thanks for your advice.  I am amped to cook on Sunday, but feeling nervous with different time frames that I am reading now!  

Any advice is appreciated.

Droops
I think 16 hours is about right, although I personally haven't smoked a pork butt at all. But from reading posts on SMF it could well take at least that long because at some point the pork butt will stall, which means the internal temp will get stuck on 160° possibly for a few hours until you see it start to rise again to a target 200-205° I/T. You don't want your family taking naps so you can wake them up at 2 am to finally eat "dinner".

Remember to use a dual probe therm like the Maverick ET-733 so you can remotely monitor both the smoker and meat temps.
 
 
Just read through this entire string of messages.  Just got my new electric smoker in the mail yesterday and getting ready to smoke an 8 lb butt on Sunday for my family, the in laws, and my parents.  No pressure for my first smoke on the new smoker!

Am I reading this right, that I should start the butt 16 hours before we want to eat?!  If so, I am glad I read this, or we would have been munching on chips for hours standing around watching the smoker.

Thanks for your advice.  I am amped to cook on Sunday, but feeling nervous with different time frames that I am reading now!  

Any advice is appreciated.

Droops
Hi my advice would be in general to have your smoker ready to go and your meat ready that is to have it cleaned washed trimmed and rubbed the night before since this is your first. It always takes me a bit of time outside with the smoker before It's ready to go .If the butt gets done early it is OK to  let him sit foiled wrapped up in towels  in your old cooler for up to 4 hours. He will be still be hot and ready. Always let him rest for at least 1 1/2 hours During that time you can get your finishing sauce ready . The SO-FLA is a good one to try.

Let us know how your smoke goes . Every good butt I have  smoked Had a split fat cap (it splits during a long smoke)  and the flat shoulder bone came out clean Cook that bad boy to 200 and you will delight your family.  Jted
 
16 hours should get you done and rested. It's tough to say so giving yourself 2 hours a pound is a good saftey net. post pics of your first journey into the smoking world, and good luck!
 
 
Just read through this entire string of messages.  Just got my new electric smoker in the mail yesterday and getting ready to smoke an 8 lb butt on Sunday for my family, the in laws, and my parents.  No pressure for my first smoke on the new smoker!

Am I reading this right, that I should start the butt 16 hours before we want to eat?!  If so, I am glad I read this, or we would have been munching on chips for hours standing around watching the smoker.

Thanks for your advice.  I am amped to cook on Sunday, but feeling nervous with different time frames that I am reading now!  

Any advice is appreciated.

Droops
18. 2 hours per pound PLUS a 2 hour rest.
 
Main thing is to ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME  if it's finished early that's a bonus 

Gary
 
Well, I did plan for 16 hours plus two hours rest but it was still not enough time.  I pulled it at 188 because the family was hungry.  It was still delicious and pullable, but I am one day going to go back and do it again until the full 200.  

Thanks for your advice guys.  It turned out great, but next time I will start it even earlier the day before.
 
Glad your family liked the pork. Yes, that last 12 degrees makes all the difference and will be worth trying. I had a similar problem with a chuck roast (chuckie). After two days of trying I couldn't get the I/T above 190° and it remains the biggest disappointment of my almost 3 year smoking career. I'll do one again sometime but it won't be soon.
 
 
Well, I did plan for 16 hours plus two hours rest but it was still not enough time.  I pulled it at 188 because the family was hungry.  It was still delicious and pullable, but I am one day going to go back and do it again until the full 200.  

Thanks for your advice guys.  It turned out great, but next time I will start it even earlier the day before.
The worst thing in the smoking world is to have family over and it is dinner time then another hour then another. Boy most of us have had that day.  If the cut is large just smoke it the day before it's OK..

I don't like long smokes. I always look for small 5 or 6 lb Boston butt. If you don't see any ask the butcher for a crock pot size . A couple 4 ponders make 8. Ha

 You get my drift. Don't get stressed This is should be fun.

Ribs are over in 6 hours and pork tenderloin can be done in 1.5 or 2.
 
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You can throw your shoulder in the oven wrapped in foil at a higher temp (say 300-350) and finish it off. After all that time in the smoker it doesn't need any more smoke. I've had to do it before. This way your reaching your temp and still in time for your guests.
 
You can throw your shoulder in the oven wrapped in foil at a higher temp (say 300-350) and finish it off. After all that time in the smoker it doesn't need any more smoke. I've had to do it before. This way your reaching your temp and still in time for your guests.
I fully condone this practice. The dutch oven or crockpot works well for that too. I like to get some sleep sometimes myself.
 
 
The worst thing in the smoking world is to have family over and it is dinner time then another hour then another. Boy most of us have had that day.  If the cut is large just smoke it the day before it's OK..

I don't like long smokes. I always look for small 5 or 6 lb Boston butt. If you don't see any ask the butcher for a crock pot size . A couple 4 ponders make 8. Ha

 You get my drift. Don't get stressed This is should be fun.

Ribs are over in 6 hours and pork tenderloin can be done in 1.5 or 2.
Agreed, Jted. If it takes over 6 hours or it's an overnight thing I ain't smokin' it.
 
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