"Fresh Picnic" VS Butt smoking?

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

marctrees

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Oct 1, 2016
561
23
Tx / LA border, Toledo Bend
Anything to do different ?  I assume not, but askin.

I have a very thick layer of fat and hard skin on one whole side.

Plan on trimming the skin off, leaving 90% of fat before smoking.

I will be searching for "How to smoke Butt" posts here still.

This will be my first ever Big chunk Pork smoke.

I think want to take it to "Pulled"

WooHooo - 88 cent/ lb on sale.

Haven't pulled my PP for years now.

Marc
 
Last edited:
One difference I will mention, it seems to me that a picnic often times takes a bit longer to cook for whatever reason. I also personally prefer the Boston butt for pulled pork. 
 
OK, thanks guys.

I actually prefer the Picnic because I am Weird, I actually like the parts most people dont.

The last thing I like, is the plain lean "fillet" type of meat.

Like the middle of a Loin, not for me.

Ya, weird, I know.

One specific question - Recommended ballpark cooking temp?, and estimate of total time for 8lb piece? (to "Pulling" doneless)

I will be still doing plenty of old post reading.

Thank you all,   Marc
 
Last edited:
 
OK, thanks guys.

One specific question - Recommended ballpark cooking temp?, and estimate of total time for 8lb piece? (to "Pulling" doneless)

I will be still doing plenty of old post reading.

Thank you all,   Marc
250 - 275 works well. You're on your own time wise...........it varies. 
icon_mrgreen.gif
 
 
OK, thanks guys.

I actually prefer the Picnic because I am Weird, I actually like the parts most people dont.

The last thing I like, is the plain lean "fillet" type of meat.

Like the middle of a Loin, not for me.

Ya, weird, I know.

One specific question - Recommended ballpark cooking temp?, and estimate of total time for 8lb piece? (to "Pulling" doneless)

I will be still doing plenty of old post reading.

Thank you all,   Marc
Here's a 7 Pound Pulled Boston Pork Butt "Step by Step":

Pulled Boston Pork Butt  

Bear
 
I smoke my butts at 270-280 & at that temp they take around 1 to 1 1/2 hours per pound.

Your probably going to want to take the IT to around 205 for pulling.

Good luck Mark!

Al
 
Al - makes sense, Thank you !

Bear - Thank you much, I plan to follow your post.

Very much agree w adding the juices back into PP.

For my taste, I'll leave most of the grease, a bunch, just not real overly excessive.

I love me sum fat !!!!

I don't have an AMNPS yet, never do multihour smokes, always smaller stuff.Will reload my chip tray, I dunno, 5 times?

Missus does not like heavily smoked anything.

Read my "Sig" info.

Gonna do this in like 6, 7 days from now.

Marc
 
Last edited:
 
Bear - Thank you much, I plan to follow your post.

Very much agree w adding the juices back into PP.

For my taste, I'll leave most of the grease, a bunch, just not real overly excessive.

I love me sum fat !!!!

I don't have an AMNPS yet, never do multihour smokes, always smaller stuff.Will reload my chip tray, I dunno, 5 times?

Marc
I can't help you with the chip burner time.

Back 7 years ago, when I used mine it was very inconsistent. Sometimes 15 minutes, sometimes a half hour, sometimes no smoke & chips were still there.

Amazing Smokers made my Smoking Life so much easier.

Bear
 
Last edited:
Ya, I will get one in time, finances here, even for that.

Totally sold on the benefits of it.

For multi hour particularly, with Mailbox if needed for particular job.

And, have really had no need yet.

And my future Auber, I will get that only when, and if, I ever make sausages, God willing.

So Bear -  you foil and  fully seal (W some liquid) at around ideal 165???

I'll do what you say.

Marc
 
Last edited:
 
Ya, I will get one in time, finances here, even for that.

And, have really had no need yet.

And my future Auber, I will get that only when, and if, I ever make sausages, God willing.

So you foil seal (W some liquid) at around ideal 165???

Marc
I usually Foil Pan at 165° (give or take a few), and foil cover over.

I no longer trust Foil to not spring a leak & lose the Juice all over the bottom of my Smoker. (Not even HD double wrapped!!)

Bear

BTW: I heat (Nuke) the liquid before I add it, so it doesn't cool the meat.
 
Last edited:
Interesting side, but connected info.

When we bake Beef for pullapart shredding for sandwiches in house oven, Missus favorite, we have found a difference in cooking time/ tenderness achieved IF we intimatetely wrap meat in foill w a bit of liquid, as compared to meat open in a pan, and tightly covering pan top w foil.

We remove all foil last 20+ minute or so, for "toasting", so it does not look like when ET was found in the ditch.

I may be wrong here, but we feel, based on prior cooks, VERY much quicker results if totally intimately foiled, rather than in a Pyrex not oversized lasagna pan and tigjhtly covered.

Just sayin, have not done this in a Lab.

So, I will pan like Bear says, BUT, rather than cover pan tightly, wrap just the meat w liquid, and set in a pan to catch possible leaks/ overflow.

Any comments welcome.

Probably VERY subjective wild goose greased pig chase going down rabbit hole here maybe, I dunno.

BUT - That has just been our apparent experiences.

Marc
 
Last edited:
 
Interesting side, but connected info.

When we bake Beef for pullapart shredding for sandwiches in house oven, Missus favorite, we have found a difference in cooking time/ tenderness achieved IF we intimatetely wrap meat in foill w a bit of liquid, as compared to meat open in a pan, and tightly covering pan top w foil.

We remove all foil last 20+ minute or so, for "toasting", so it does not look like when ET was found in the ditch.

I may be wrong here, but we feel, based on prior cooks, VERY much quicker results if totally intimately foiled, rather than in a Pyrex not oversized lasagna pan and tigjhtly covered.

Just sayin, have not done this in a Lab.

So, I will pan like Bear says, BUT, rather than cover pan tightly, wrap just the meat w liquid, and set in a pan to catch possible leaks/ overflow.

Any comments welcome.

Probably VERY subjective wild goose greased pig chase going down rabbit hole here maybe, I dunno.

BUT - That has just been our apparent experiences.

Marc
I'm not a Chef, 
But I would say Foiling in an oven at 350° or more would make a bigger difference than foiling in a smoker at 220° to 240°.

The foiled Butt in the oven would be getting steamed pretty good with the liquid in there at those Temps.

Bear
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Clicky