Smoking pork butt roast for first time Saturday.

foamheart · Mar 6, 2015

Mike, if you have a remote thermometer it takes all the guess work out of smoking. Seriously if you know the recommended mininium internal temp. you can't go wrong. Everything else is only to modify flavorings.

The thermometer is a great learning tool. It cuts 75% out of the learning curve. Use it as a tool and not a crutch. The best way to do this is to start a smoke journal, sort of like a snipers kill book. Heres some to use as inspiration. Its the easiest to forget to do, but really the most important in your learning process. if you don't remember what you've done, you can't remember how to do it again or how you'd like to improve upon it.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/attachments/3

Don't just remember the safe temps and use a thermometer, learn to use your head and your experience. Someday when your thermometer craps out and its a biog smoke, you'll apprceiate knowing how to do it.

Don't get all fancy at first, just cook the meat with a little smoke. Don't over smoke it. And nothing else really matters except getting it cooked to approx. the safe IT. Leave the door shut, you can't make it cook better, you just slow it down. Patience, Patience, Patience...... and a few tall cold drinks.

Bon Chance and looking forward to your Q-view of your smoke.

daricksta · Mar 6, 2015

timberjet said:
I agree but..... one time I was out of mustard and used mayo. It worked the same. Just in case that ever happens to anybody.

I've never seen mayo used but I guess there's no reason why it couldn't be. What would Myron Mixon say?

jted · Mar 6, 2015

Foamheart
High Priest of Hephaestus

Foamheart has given great advice. You will do well A 8 pound butt ( Look for 16 or more hours) will not smoke in a short time so use his experience and have patience, I would cut it in half Be smart by starting early. It is not like cooking a steak for your friends and tell them we will eat at 5pm. Don't do that with a butt unless you smoke it the day before.
Check out Bears steps.
You are ready , You have been given great advice.

The only thing better than eating good Q is reading and seeing ones great Q. Jted

jted · Mar 6, 2015

Foamheart
High Priest of Hephaestus

Foamheart has given great advice. You will do well A 8 pound butt ( Look for 16 or more hours) will not smoke in a short time so use his experience and have patience, I would cut it in half Be smart by starting early. It is not like cooking a steak for your friends and tell them we will eat at 5pm. Don't do that with a butt unless you smoke it the day before.
Check out Bears steps.
You are ready , You have been given great advice.

The only thing better than eating good Q is reading and seeing ones great Q. Jted

timberjet · Mar 6, 2015

Don't forget to make some abt's or something on another rack. A full smoker is a happy smoker. It's always good to have some instant gratification when smoking for hours and hours.

timberjet · Mar 6, 2015

By instant I mean 2 hours or so. Hahaha.... cheers...

smoky mike blu · Mar 6, 2015

I'm planning on putting two different fattest on too.
The chicken turned out great by the way. It was perfect. I can't wait now for the butt tomorrow.
Thanks again everyone
Mike

hillbillyrkstr · Mar 6, 2015

I wouldn't cut it in half. No offense to anyone but it's just something I wouldn't do. I'd rather use the crutch and or hot and fast if I was in a pinch and needed to get it done before I cut it in half. Just put it on early, be patient (to me that means leave the smoker closed. Don't keep opening it), drink some cold ones and most important get that butt to 198-200 degrees before you pull it off and wrap and rest it. Like i said it's almost impossible to screw a butt up.

I'm smoking some ABTs tomorrow night for some guests. I'll send you a pic of my mes 40 mailbox mod.

smoky mike blu · Mar 6, 2015

hillbillyrkstr said:
I wouldn't cut it in half. No offense to anyone but it's just something I wouldn't do. I'd rather use the crutch and or hot and fast if I was in a pinch and needed to get it done before I cut it in half. Just put it on early, be patient (to me that means leave the smoker closed. Don't keep opening it), drink some cold ones and most important get that butt to 198-200 degrees before you pull it off and wrap and rest it. Like i said it's almost impossible to screw a butt up.

I'm smoking some ABTs tomorrow night for some guests. I'll send you a pic of my mes 40 mailbox mod.

Thanks. I don't know what you are meaning by a "mailbox mod"
What kind of ABTs are you making? My wife loved the chicken tonight and the kids didn't believe I had made it at first. My son said I must of bought it at Dinks (a really good local smoke pit restaurant).
Thanks again all
Mike

hillbillyrkstr · Mar 6, 2015

A mailbox mod is what you put the amazn pellet smoker in. I'll send you some pics tomorrow when I go out to the barn to smoke the abt's.

The ABTs tomorrow are jalapeños and some small bell peppers stuffed with a cream cheese, sriracha, home made bbq rub mix and wrapped in bacon. They go over pretty well. I always have to cater to people who don't like hot foods so the mini, colored bell peppers work well for them.

jted · Mar 6, 2015

hillbillyrkstr said:
I wouldn't cut it in half. No offense to anyone but it's just something I wouldn't do. I'd rather use the crutch and or hot and fast if I was in a pinch and needed to get it done before I cut it in half. Just put it on early, be patient (to me that means leave the smoker closed. Don't keep opening it), drink some cold ones and most important get that butt to 198-200 degrees before you pull it off and wrap and rest it. Like i said it's almost impossible to screw a butt up.

I'm smoking some ABTs tomorrow night for some guests. I'll send you a pic of my mes 40 mailbox mod.

Hi a friendly disagreement on a post about a butt. You won't hurt my feelings no offenses taken just a matter of opinion. My point that I did not get across or explain well is the time It is going to take. Most new guys don't have the patients for a long daytime cook. If he puts it in at 6:30 am he won't be eating before midnight. My thought was a 4lb chunk would be done and rested in less than 12 or 13 hours. He could also foil one and smoke one naked to see the differences. Jted

hillbillyrkstr · Mar 7, 2015

10 4 jted. Like I said I mean no offense.

gary s · Mar 7, 2015

The time it takes to smoke a butt to get to of an internal temp of 205 (for pulled) is relevant to thickness Example: say you have two steaks 1 lb each one steak is 2" thick and another is 1" both weigh one lb. But which one will get to medium first. So you are right a smaller less thick piece of meat will not take as long to cook. Jump in and give it a try,

Gary

hillbillyrkstr · Mar 7, 2015

No doubt a smaller piece of meat will cook faster no argument there. I'd just rather smoke it for at least 4 hours and then crank it up and use the hot and fast method instead of splitting it into two pieces. Personal preference. I've smoked a 8 pound butt in under 8 hours on my Sfb at an average temp of 300 degrees. It came out great. That was an accident after I made some mods to that smoker and it was just running to hot all day. But the results proved to me you can do a butt hot and fast and it'll come out great. I still opt for the low and slow at around 225, but if I need it in a pinch I'll use the hot and fast without a second thought.

foamheart · Mar 7, 2015

Everyone just wants to share what worked for them. You want to help those who need it. How can something be wrong with showing another different posssible route to the same end result? Its the nice thing about smoking, we all reconize there is may ways to get to the final product and we respect each other enough to be able to share them all or outr personal opinion without blood shed....LOL

Its why we smoke, each persons abilities continiously evolve and as they do we want to share that knowledge. Its a good thing. We get to smoke more to try all the different possibilities! And like old Martha Steward says, and that's a good thing.

Now listen to me, mine is the best way...... <Chuckles> Low & Slow, no crutch just allow enough time. My first butt on my MES was smoked at 220 its was 10 pounds and it took 24 hours. You put it on today whenever you want to eat tomorrow and its nearly never lets you down. Don't worry about out thinking it, don't try to do anything fancy the first time in that box. You don't need 24 hours of smoke. when you apply smoke it will absorb it, no worries.

The pork will be fine. Worry about your finishing sauce, your BBQ sauce, your buns and your slaw. None of which do you need to open that smoker door you use....LOL

Relax, let the smoker and the pork work its magic. What is most important is that its stress free and you enjoy it. If its delicious its just a bonus, and after a 24 hour smoke how could it not be? LOL

Enjoy it, and take pictures so we can watch you master that first butt!

smoky mike blu · Mar 7, 2015

Thanks everyone. I woke up late and didn't get the butt on the until 7:30. I did not cut in half. I put a fatty in too. My wife isn't happy that I will be doing this all day. So I'm sure if I don't order the amazen pellet she will. I already am figuring the butt will be for tomorrow's dinner. I'll keep you all posted on the butt.
Mike

foamheart · Mar 7, 2015

smoky mike blu · Mar 7, 2015

How does one post pictures on it?

smoky mike blu · Mar 7, 2015

I figured it out. I will shoot a picture when I take my fatty out in an hour. I should of taken a picture of the chicken last night too.

foamheart · Mar 7, 2015

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/125263/how-to-upload-a-photo-q-view-to-your-post

Smoking pork butt roast for first time Saturday.

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

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