First Pork Butt

[HempKnight]

Good day all,

I picked up a pork butt from save-a-lot today. It is a little over 3lbs. This will be my 2nd run on the smoker. I've watched many YouTube videos on smoking butt. Some apply a rub on naked meat, some use a binder like yellow mustard or olive oil, then apply their rubs.

It also seems to vary on smoking temps. Some say low & slow 225 degrees; others say 275 deg Fahrenheit.

Most agree to wrap around internal temp of 160-165 degrees. And cook to temp of 200 - 205. Rest for an hour.

I notice people spraying the butt with apple juice or applecider vinegar. When did you start misting the meat? What is the determining factor?

I plan on using royal oak lump charcoal and using some hickory & apple woods.

Tips appreciated!

 

[pc farmer]

PP is very easy. Any of the options will work. I dont use mustard, I dont wrap, I dont inject. I cook around 275

 

[HempKnight]

PP is very easy. Any of the options will work. I dont use mustard, I dont wrap, I dont inject. I cook around 275

Thanks for your input! The ribs didn't come out the way I wanted, so I want to make sure I make up for it with this smoke.

 

[pc farmer]

Thanks for your input! The ribs didn't come out the way I wanted, so I want to make sure I make up for it with this smoke.

Ribs are harder to get right. Everyone has their wants for a good ribs.

 

[HempKnight]

Ribs are harder to get right. Everyone has their wants for a good ribs.

next time I'll own those ribs!

 

[pc farmer]

next time I'll own those ribs!

I bet you will. I spin mine over a wood fire. Thats the way we like them.

 

[HempKnight]

I bet you will. I spin mine over a wood fire. Thats the way we like them.

That sounds good. I think I rushed the ribs the first time. I know what I did wrong now, I didn't smoke to the appropriate tenderness. I'm going to try a 3-2-1 method my next go round with the ribs. My kids love fall off-the-bone ribs so I think that will give us the results they are looking for!

 

[pigbark]

Spraying meat in most cases is done early on in the smoke. the reason for it is creating a Bark.. Once the bark is created, it holds in moisture... Thats one way, heres another- if you use brown sugar it will caramelize and create its own bark. then later in the cook they spray with Apple juice to add a extra flavor profile.. i have added spices to the Apple juice then sprayed it..

Spare ribs try 3-2-1 Baby Backs may be better at 2-2-1 you just have to check them at the second hour of being wrapped.. Redemption is in yours..

 

[HempKnight]

Spraying meat in most cases is done early on in the smoke. the reason for it is creating a Bark.. Once the bark is created, it holds in moisture... Thats one way, heres another- if you use brown sugar it will caramelize and create its own bark. then later in the cook they spray with Apple juice to add a extra flavor profile.. i have added spices to the Apple juice then sprayed it..

Spare ribs try 3-2-1 Baby Backs may be better at 2-2-1 you just have to check them at the second hour of being wrapped.. Redemption is in yours..

Very nice! I definitely want to get a good bark on this butt. I bought a gallon of 100% apple juice today when I was at the market. How often do you spritz? Once every 45 minutes until you wrap?

I was thinking of doing this.

Inject the butt with:

3/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup table salt
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

After the injection I will cover the butt with yellow mustard. I got this from watching "how to bbq right" on YouTube. I will then cover with a rub:

Pork Butt Rub:
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup paprika
1/3 cup garlic salt
1/3 cup kosher salt
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon black pepper

I figure I will let this rest in a foil pan while getting the smoker setup and up to temp. I'll be placing the butt fat cap down in the middle of the cook chamber (there will be a drip tray beneath the butt).

I'm thinking of holding my temp at 275° and monitoring the internal temp with my ThermoPro TP20 until I hit an internal temp of 165°-170° spritzing every 45 minutes with apple juice. I will then place the butt inside a foil pan and cover with heavy duty foil, placing back on the middle of the cook chamber.

I will be using a water pan on the grate next to the firebox connection, which I'll check & fill every 45 minutes with I spritz the butt.

From what I've read here and other places it seems best to smoke until you reach an internal temp of 205° - 210° so the connective tissues and fat render properly.

If there is anything that seems off here please let me know.

Thanks!!

 

[Fueling Around]

Your rub needs a good overnight rest tightly wrapped in plastic wrap to brine the butt.

I didn't inject or spritz my butt. Looking and spritzing isn't cooking? My injection skills wasn't good.

I smoked them in the Big Chief for up to 6 hours and finished in the oven in a roaster pan wrapped in foil.

Yes, past tense.

Empty nesters here, so been a few years since I pulled a butt. Wife doesn't like it, but daughter is wishing I would make another batch.

 

[HempKnight]

Your rub needs a good overnight rest tightly wrapped in plastic wrap to brine the butt.

I didn't inject or spritz my butt. Looking and spritzing isn't cooking? My injection skills wasn't good.

I smoked them in the Big Chief for up to 6 hours and finished in the oven in a roaster pan wrapped in foil.

Yes, past tense.

Empty nesters here, so been a few years since I pulled a butt. Wife doesn't like it, but daughter is wishing I would make another batch.

I have utilized meat injection for quite some time so it is a process I am very comfortable with. I especially like to inject Poultry. My wife is from the Philippines, and although they eat a lot of pork, they of course don't have American style BBQ. This will be her first experience with pulled pork of this type.

I will go ahead and inject & rub my butt tonight when I get home from work. With this being a relatively small butt, being only 3.1 lbs, I'm estimating approximately 5 hours total cook time. Of course I'm not going to go by time, but internal temp and tenderness.

 

[eddiememphis]

I will go ahead and inject & rub my butt tonight when I get home from work.

Enough about your lifestyle, What about the pork roast?

 

[HempKnight]

Enough about your lifestyle, What about the pork roast?

Can't it be both?

 

[pigbark]

I have never injected any type of Sugar . not saying it cant be done.. mix all your spices but the sugars. pat them in real well then, cover with the sugars... you do not have to have 3 types of sugar as Dark Brown sugar has molasses in it, light brown has less than Dark and white has none.. i think Dark Brown is best on a Butt.. then you have 2 types of salt, so that is 5 different spices to buy for sugar and salt which are highly used. i would ditch the Kosher "for now" and boost Garlic salt..Garlic and Pork go good together.. thats 1 type of salt and 1 sugar - Maybe add a coat of Onion Powder if you have some, if not, no biggie.. your plan sounds good and i think your in for a treat bruh.

 

[HempKnight]

I have never injected any type of Sugar . not saying it cant be done.. mix all your spices but the sugars. pat them in real well then, cover with the sugars... you do not have to have 3 types of sugar as Dark Brown sugar has molasses in it, light brown has less than Dark and white has none.. i think Dark Brown is best on a Butt.. then you have 2 types of salt, so that is 5 different spices to buy for sugar and salt which are highly used. i would ditch the Kosher "for now" and boost Garlic salt..Garlic and Pork go good together.. thats 1 type of salt and 1 sugar - Maybe add a coat of Onion Powder if you have some, if not, no biggie.. your plan sounds good and i think your in for a treat bruh.

Nice

 

[pigbark]

Nice

Hope i didnt come off to harsh or critical man, just trying to save you some money in the long run.. spices are not cheap when your covering big chunks of meat.. ill tell how i narrowed my spices down. simple, if i could not taste it , i didnt replace it ... the only thing i measure, is any and all hot spice.. the rest, i coat with.. heres my rub- 1 coat of seasoned salt-1 coat of Garlic Powder-1 coat smoked Paprika-1 coat Onion Powder- pat it in-1 coat Dark brown Sugar ...

 

[HempKnight]

Hope i didnt come off to harsh or critical man, just trying to save you some money in the long run.. spices are not cheap when your covering big chunks of meat.. ill tell how i narrowed my spices down. simple, if i could not taste it , i didnt replace it ... the only thing i measure, is any and all hot spice.. the rest, i coat with.. heres my rub- 1 coat of seasoned salt-1 coat of Garlic Powder-1 coat smoked Paprika-1 coat Onion Powder- pat it in-1 coat Dark brown Sugar ...

Your good, I have a fully stocked pantry full of spices. I cooked professionally for many years so I always keep a fully stocked kitchen. Smoking meat though is different than grilling, saute, etc. Getting that smoke flavor profile and that proper bark is a different beast. I'm always open for new ideas and techniques.

 

[HempKnight]

Smoke is on!

 

[pigbark]

hell yea, looking good Hempster... man i need a fire basket like yours... im going to check my Outlaw and see if the side wall is ok or not.. time to do something with it...

 

[HempKnight]

hell yea, looking good Hempster... man i need a fire basket like yours... im going to check my Outlaw and see if the side wall is ok or not.. time to do something with it...

I bought non galvanized expanded metal from the Home Depot. And then two pieces of angle iron 3/4 inch. I made my fire box 12 x 13 in 6 inches high oh, that is plenty of room and it is easy to get in and out of the Firebox.
My smoke is coming along very well I have been holding a very consistent temperature between to 68 to 275 throughout the cook. My internal temperature is at 167 and after the first hour and a half maybe hour and 45 minutes I started spraying with 100% apple juice that I picked up from Save-A-Lot. After that I sprayed every 45 minutes just giving it a good 10 to 15 squirt all around.

Once I get to an internal temp of 170° Fahrenheit I am going to pull it off play sit in a foil pan and wrap it tightly with aluminum foil placing it back on the smoker until I reach an internal temp of 207 Fahrenheit. below I have posted some progression shots throughout the cook