Boston Butt (Pulled Pork Step by Step)
There are many ways to Smoke Pulled Pork, But.............
Here is how I Smoked this Boston Butt for Pulled Pork, on my MES 40, with AMNPS filled with Hickory Pellets.
So, If you never smoked a Butt before, this might help you with your first one.
Day #1 (Prepping)
Take one 7 pound Boston Butt, and rinse, pat dry, score the fat cap, apply yellow mustard, and cover with a good rub.
Then cover with plastic wrap, and put in fridge. I like to put it in overnight so the meat can absorb the flavor of the rub.
Day #2 (Smoking Day)
6:30AM------------Preheat Smoker to 220˚.
6:45AM------------Put more rub on Butt (optional), and place it on 2nd shelf grill, and foil pan on 3rd shelf grill.
7:00AM------------Fill my AMNPS with Hickory pellets, and light one end.
11:00AM-----------Insert Sterile Meat probe in center of Butt---Internal Temp measures---124˚.
Note: This is why I never probe uncured whole meat until it's been in the smoker for a few hours, unless I'm positive it will get to 135˚ in time. This one's been in over 4 hours at 220˚ smoker temp, and still in the Danger Zone (under 135˚).
Resume------
12:00Noon--------137˚ Internal Temp. Meat has been in smoker for 5 hours and 15 minutes, and just got out of Danger zone (41˚ to 135˚ in 4 hours).
Since I did not break the seal by probing the Butt, or injecting the Butt, it was OK to go longer than 4 hours in the Danger Zone.
If I know for sure how long it will take to get my meat from 41˚ to 135˚, by using the temperature I'm setting it for, it would be safe to probe or inject the meat.
However, I usually play around with trying different temps. This time I started it at only 220˚, to try to get more smoke time, but since I didn't probe or inject, it didn't hurt anything to be in the Danger Zone for more than 4 hours.
12:00Noon--------Bump heat up to 240˚.
3:00PM------------165˚ Internal Temp. Put Butt in foil pan, add 6 ounces of Apple Juice, and cover & seal with Double Foil.
3:00PM------------Also bump heat up to 260˚, and remove AMNPS (1/2 row was left unburned---Separate & save unburned pellets).
5:30PM------------Internal Temp is 203˚------Cut heat back to 100˚, instead of putting in cooler.
6:00PM------------Pull at 208˚ Internal Temp. (Coasted 5˚)
6:00PM------------Uncover just long enough to bust off a big enough hunk to pull for our Supper, and cover back up again.
Eat Supper while the rest of the Butt sits covered in foil.
Pull the rest of the Butt after Supper.
Soooooooo Tender & Tasty !!!!
More info in captions, with pictures below.
Thanks for Looking,
Bear
Best price I could find ($1.98 lb)
All rubbed and ready for the smoker.
Trying a Frogmat----Jury still out:
I love looking at the food, without having to open the door:
I just took a small hunk from the freshly smoked Butt, so I could keep the rest foiled longer:
A couple sammies from that small hunk:
The rest of the Butt.
Bone looks ready to fall out:
Bone came out real easy:
Boy this stuff pulls real easy, even with a pair of thin dinner forks.
Ready for eating. The small container is for my Son:
Foiling juices (Meat drippings and Apple juice) separated over night in fridge:
Remove solidified fat from top of juices:
This is awesome tasting stuff. All it needs is heating up to be excellent Au Jus.
No need to add anything to it. I love to mix these juices back into the meat, after removing the fat:
That's All Folks!!!
There are many ways to Smoke Pulled Pork, But.............
Here is how I Smoked this Boston Butt for Pulled Pork, on my MES 40, with AMNPS filled with Hickory Pellets.
So, If you never smoked a Butt before, this might help you with your first one.
Day #1 (Prepping)
Take one 7 pound Boston Butt, and rinse, pat dry, score the fat cap, apply yellow mustard, and cover with a good rub.
Then cover with plastic wrap, and put in fridge. I like to put it in overnight so the meat can absorb the flavor of the rub.
Day #2 (Smoking Day)
6:30AM------------Preheat Smoker to 220˚.
6:45AM------------Put more rub on Butt (optional), and place it on 2nd shelf grill, and foil pan on 3rd shelf grill.
7:00AM------------Fill my AMNPS with Hickory pellets, and light one end.
11:00AM-----------Insert Sterile Meat probe in center of Butt---Internal Temp measures---124˚.
Note: This is why I never probe uncured whole meat until it's been in the smoker for a few hours, unless I'm positive it will get to 135˚ in time. This one's been in over 4 hours at 220˚ smoker temp, and still in the Danger Zone (under 135˚).
Resume------
12:00Noon--------137˚ Internal Temp. Meat has been in smoker for 5 hours and 15 minutes, and just got out of Danger zone (41˚ to 135˚ in 4 hours).
Since I did not break the seal by probing the Butt, or injecting the Butt, it was OK to go longer than 4 hours in the Danger Zone.
If I know for sure how long it will take to get my meat from 41˚ to 135˚, by using the temperature I'm setting it for, it would be safe to probe or inject the meat.
However, I usually play around with trying different temps. This time I started it at only 220˚, to try to get more smoke time, but since I didn't probe or inject, it didn't hurt anything to be in the Danger Zone for more than 4 hours.
12:00Noon--------Bump heat up to 240˚.
3:00PM------------165˚ Internal Temp. Put Butt in foil pan, add 6 ounces of Apple Juice, and cover & seal with Double Foil.
3:00PM------------Also bump heat up to 260˚, and remove AMNPS (1/2 row was left unburned---Separate & save unburned pellets).
5:30PM------------Internal Temp is 203˚------Cut heat back to 100˚, instead of putting in cooler.
6:00PM------------Pull at 208˚ Internal Temp. (Coasted 5˚)
6:00PM------------Uncover just long enough to bust off a big enough hunk to pull for our Supper, and cover back up again.
Eat Supper while the rest of the Butt sits covered in foil.
Pull the rest of the Butt after Supper.
Soooooooo Tender & Tasty !!!!
More info in captions, with pictures below.
Thanks for Looking,
Bear
Best price I could find ($1.98 lb)
All rubbed and ready for the smoker.
Trying a Frogmat----Jury still out:
I love looking at the food, without having to open the door:
I just took a small hunk from the freshly smoked Butt, so I could keep the rest foiled longer:
A couple sammies from that small hunk:
The rest of the Butt.
Bone looks ready to fall out:
Bone came out real easy:
Boy this stuff pulls real easy, even with a pair of thin dinner forks.
Ready for eating. The small container is for my Son:
Foiling juices (Meat drippings and Apple juice) separated over night in fridge:
Remove solidified fat from top of juices:
This is awesome tasting stuff. All it needs is heating up to be excellent Au Jus.
No need to add anything to it. I love to mix these juices back into the meat, after removing the fat:
That's All Folks!!!
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