Rest or don't rest pork butt???

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pg77

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jan 30, 2017
69
20
Staten Island
I've seen some recipes that call for pulling a pork butt apart right off the smoker and some suggesting wrapping in foil and resting. Tomorrow will be my first time smoking a butt, anyone have any suggestions or advice from experience? Thank you in advance.
 
Once the IT has hit the 200 deg mark, the smoker has done its job BUT.... Wonderful things happen to flavor when the butt is then rested for two hours.  Suggest you wrap, place in alum pan and into a cooler with towels below and above. 
 
I never rest more than 15 minutes.

I recently watched a video of Chris Lilley taking butts off the pit and pulling immediately so at least one professional doesn't bother with "resting".YMMV 
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I rest mine for about 30 minutes!

Just to get it to cool down enough so I can pull it with silicone gloves.

Al
 
 
I rest mine for about 30 minutes!

Just to get it to cool down enough so I can pull it with silicone gloves.

Al
That is the only reason to wait . You just spent how many hours melting  collagen ?  wait til it 's cool enough to handle , and get after it . 
 
Let it rest,then you can make or finish all your side dishes ,, then pull it all apart, and enjoy 
 
I always foil and rest in a cooler for 30 after my cook. Like Griz said, gives you time to get everything else ready
 
I'm the same as most of you. I let it rest long enough to let it cool so that it doesn't burn me when I pull it! I take mine off the smoker at 190.

I read an interview with Myron Mixon who said resting is "BS" (to put it nicely).

I love making pulled pork, but I think the pulling part is the biggest pain in the rear! It's just so tedious! lol I do love the result, though!
 
For me pulling is the BEST part of the smoke...that's when I, as Pit Meister, get to make my plate...picking off all those delicious bits of charred goodness stuck to the grate and selecting a few of those pieces of perfectly balanced fat to meat to bark hunks to savor with nothing added...just the sweet juicy fruit of my efforts.
Yeah...it's a little selfish, and yeah, I should mix them in but...

Walt.
 
Ha! That's so true! We do get to taste the best pieces as we're pulling it! The thing is, by the time it's done I don't want to make a plate because I'm full! haha!
 
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