First Boston Butt on the WSM

[raleighsmoker]

My wife gave me a 18.5 WSM for my Christmas present and I smoked two Boston Butts.  Things went well with the temperatures and the meat had a great smokey taste.

Question:  how do you guys get that perfect mahogany color and look like the professionals?  When the temperature got to 160, I wrapped the butts to try and keep the color.  I took them off at 195, wrapped them in towels and placed in a cooler until all the guests arrived.  They darkened a little more and did not have that "perfect" look.  I watch Pitmasters on TV and have even been to a competition in which Myron Mixon and Melissa Cookston were competing.  I realize experience is the best teacher, but thought I would see what kind of tips you guys have for me.

 

[noboundaries]

I've found that adding some cherry wood tends to add color.  Also your rub needs to have a lot of paprika in it.  Finally, if it wasn't dark enough for you, take it a little deeper into the smoke before you wrap it, say 170 to 180F.  That way you'll get better bark through the wrap and retain the color.   

 

[raleighsmoker]

Thanks for the reply.  It was actually a little darker than I like, but I let the heat get higher than I wanted one time.  I think that caused more dark than I wanted.

 

[noboundaries]

The amount of sugar in your rub can cause it to be darker or burnt like a meteorite. If you make your own rub, either use less sugar or use raw sugar which has a higher heat tolerance. I've started using less sugar in my rubs then adding raw sugar to the pulled meat if it needs to be a little sweeter.

 

[jirodriguez]

The perfect mahogany color is a bit of a mythical beast - you might achieve it once in a while, but usually not worth all the extra fuss unless your gonna compete. Even a dark bark can still be very tasty - the trick is once you pull if off of the smoker double wrap it in heavy foil and then rest it in a dry towel lined ice chest for at least 1 hr.

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• jirodriguez
• May 19, 2014

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• jirodriguez
• May 19, 2014

 

[raleighsmoker]

Thanks for that info.  I was planning to eat at 6:00 and the port hit 195 at 3:30.  I had already wrapped the butts in foil, so I took some towels and wrapped each one up separately. I then put them in a cooler until about 5:45.  The meat was unbelievably tender and had that great smokey flavor.  Tonight I am smoking chicken wings.

 

[b-one]

Pic's or it never happened!!!!