Boston butt, to foil or not to foil?

[aceoky]

I never foil (not even to rest) don't dread the stall and see no reason to mess up the bark  JMO and $.02

 

[pgsmoker64]

I foiled for the first time ever on my last Butt smoke.  The results were good but I really like the bark, so I am playing with a way to speed up the cook with foil and still get some bark on that meat!

When I do baby back ribs I foil after 2 hours for 1.5 hours then back on the smoker nekid for 1.5 hours.  This firms up the bark on the ribs so I'm thinking doing this with the butts will do the same.

I'll let you know how it goes, or you can do this for yourself.  The important thing is to monitor the internal temp and pull the butts at around 195 to 200 IT.

Happy Smokin'

Bill

 

[flash]

I did a foil, no foil a week ago.

Butt wrapped10006 (2).JPG

• flash
• Aug 1, 2014

Butt Foiled

Unwrapped Butt 010015.JPG

• flash
• Aug 1, 2014

Butt, not foiled. Definitely a better bark.

But I gotta say, I liked the wrapped butt due to more juiciness

Butt wrapped 010008 (2).JPG

• flash
• Aug 1, 2014

Not as much with the unwrapped butt. The unwrapped butt was still plenty moist, just not as much.

In my opinion, I would still wrap, but wait as long as you can. I normally wrap at 165 to 170º. Now I will shoot more for 180º or so.

Oh and to add, both these butts had 75% of the fat cap removed before smoking.

 

[timberjet]

I just had an idea. I think the next one I do I will cut a small roast off one end and use it not wrapped just for the bark to mix in with the other one. What do you guys think about that? I usually do naked Butts almost every time. But I really do like the extra moisture that foiling provides. The best of both worlds?

 

[grillmonkey]

 
I did a foil, no foil a week ago.

But I gotta say, I liked the wrapped butt due to more juiciness

Not as much with the unwrapped butt

In my opinion, I would still wrap, but wait as long as you can. I normally wrap at 165 to 170º. Now I will shoot more for 180º or so.

So Flash, you've got to tell me; doesn't the unwrapped butt bark get soft after it's pulled and mingles with the moist meat? You have to see my thread:  
[h1]Why dry rub? Why not just season the pulled pork after it's cooked?[/h1]
It seems that bark would just be seasoning after the pork is pulled and it mixes with the meat. If I'm wrong, tell me why the bark is so important. What does it do, specifically, to the overall flavor of the pulled pork that seasoning after it's cooked doesn't do.

 

[timberjet]

 

[grillmonkey]

 

 

[timberjet]

Just pitching some crud on ya. Hahahahaha...... I am a real bad smart a$$ I know. You should just try it for yourself and see. It seems no one really has a good explanation for you.

 

[flash]

 
So Flash, you've got to tell me; doesn't the unwrapped butt bark get soft after it's pulled and mingles with the moist meat? You have to see my thread:  
[h1]Why dry rub? Why not just season the pulled pork after it's cooked?[/h1]
It seems that bark would just be seasoning after the pork is pulled and it mixes with the meat. If I'm wrong, tell me why the bark is so important. What does it do, specifically, to the overall flavor of the pulled pork that seasoning after it's cooked doesn't do.

 I would say the spices and rubs create the bark, thus the reason some rubs don't do as well. Of course there is no reason you cannot season the pork after you finish.

Does the bark get softer. yes, in either one, once you start "mingling" the meat as you call it.  My normal procedure is to wrap and bump the smoker temps up, again to speed up the cooking time. Could not do this with the unwrapped butt in there too.  I am sure you could though, probably creating even more bark on the unwrapped butt.

 

[grillmonkey]

 
Just pitching some crud on ya. Hahahahaha...... I am a real bad smart a$$ I know. You should just try it for yourself and see. It seems no one really has a good explanation for you.

I have a real bad smarta$$ problem too. I meant to imply that you were the crybaby, not that I was crying. But your right; some things just can't be explained, it just is. I'm thinking of trying a barked butt this weekend. Hopefully, I too will become a convert and post a huge apology on that thread and try to ask everyone to forgive me for my unforgivable ignorance.

 

[flash]

 
I have a real bad smarta$$ problem too. I meant to imply that you were the crybaby, not that I was crying. But your right; some things just can't be explained, it just is. I'm thinking of trying a barked butt this weekend. Hopefully, I too will become a convert and post a huge apology on that thread and try to ask everyone to forgive me for my unforgivable ignorance.

 I am guessing you don't think the bark really adds flavor?? Is that your point?  My wife would bonk you on the head at 30 paces with a beer bottle if she heard you say that.

 

[grillmonkey]

 
 I am guessing you don't think the bark really adds flavor?? Is that your point?  My wife would bonk you on the head at 30 paces with a beer bottle if she heard you say that.

No. Not my point. I have not smoked pulled pork with dry rub, creating a bark. The question is, is the bark necessary if it just gets blended into the meat when you pull it? Why can't the seasoning used to make the bark just get added to the meat after it's pulled? I'm going to try it sometime, maybe next weekend. Maybe cut a butt in half and rub one half and do the other one my way...see which one the crowd likes best. If the barked butt wins, I'll make a public apology and ask everyone to forgive my ignorance.

 

[flash]

 
No. Not my point. I have not smoked pulled pork with dry rub, creating a bark. The question is, is the bark necessary if it just gets blended into the meat when you pull it? Why can't the seasoning used to make the bark just get added to the meat after it's pulled? I'm going to try it sometime, maybe next weekend. Maybe cut a butt in half and rub one half and do the other one my way...see which one the crowd likes best. If the barked butt wins, I'll make a public apology and ask everyone to forgive my ignorance.

Well since I have dinner coming on, I will give you this:

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/bark.html

 

[timberjet]

 
 I am guessing you don't think the bark really adds flavor?? Is that your point?  My wife would bonk you on the head at 30 paces with a beer bottle if she heard you say that.