Last-minute pork butt tips... Updated with Qview

[jay porter]

I misjudged the amount of time that it would take for a 12 pound boston butt to thaw out, so I haven't had a chance to dry rub it yet. My usual rub is a salt, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, cumin and black pepper mixture. Normally I go for a 24-hour rest after the meat has been rubbed. That amount of time usually draws about a half cup of liquid out of the meat.


I'll get home around 5:30 today, and can hold out until nearly midnight before I need to put the meat on the smoker. What will the difference be between 5-6 hours rubbed and 24 hours rubbed? I'll still get bark, which is what I'm really after.


Any tips, things to look for, things I should do different?

 

[lemans]

5-6 hours is plenty of time.. And yes you will get plenty of bark

 

[phatbac]

Jay,

 here is what i do i put salt (kosher or sea) on before i cook like 15 minutes -30 minutes all around the outside. don't make it a salt lick but a liberal coating. and smoke that bad boy at 225 degrees. if you want to wrap at the stall you can but the last one i didn't and i got great bark. I mean the rub you suggested sounded good but after 8-12 hours on the smoker can you really taste it? and if it doesn't enhance flavor then why do it? So my suggestion is try just salt and see if you don't make as good a pork product as usual.

Happy Smoking,

phatbac (Aaron)

 

[lemans]

Spritz with apple juice and apple cide vinegar

 

[jay porter]

 
Jay,

 here is what i do i put salt (kosher or sea) on before i cook like 15 minutes -30 minutes all around the outside. don't make it a salt lick but a liberal coating. and smoke that bad boy at 225 degrees. if you want to wrap at the stall you can but the last one i didn't and i got great bark. I mean the rub you suggested sounded good but after 8-12 hours on the smoker can you really taste it? and if it doesn't enhance flavor then why do it? So my suggestion is try just salt and see if you don't make as good a pork product as usual.

Happy Smoking,

phatbac (Aaron)

The cumin, chili, garlic, pepper and salt all make it through the smoking process. I hardly ever wrap a butt, and the bark has an awesome, spicy flavor. I've rubbed with Lawry's seasoning salt before, I just prefer the bark and the flavor that my mix gives a boston butt.

Spritz with apple juice and apple cide vinegar

I have used this method before, but I really like putting the meat on the smoker and going to sleep! If i was doing an all-day smoke I would mix some of my rub with apple cider vinegar and spritz every hour, but this one will be an overnight cook.

 

[SmokinAl]

Good luck & let us know how it turns out.

Al

 

[jay porter]

I'll do my best to post some que-view this evening.

 

[jay porter]

As promised. All 12 pounds, rubbed with mustard and my dry rub about 5 hours ago.

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• jay porter
• Mar 4, 2016

The MES 30 old school is at 230. Meat is going on at 10:30.

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• jay porter
• Mar 4, 2016

The ivation is set, and hopefully the smoker will hold temp close enough that I get to sleep all night. I'll update when I put the breakfast sausage on in the a.m.

 

[SmokinAl]

Looks good so far!

Al

 

[jay porter]

The smoker held temp all night. I rolled over at 6:30 to see this and decided to put some sausage on for breakfast.

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• jay porter
• Mar 5, 2016

My local butcher makes several varieties of cased sausage. This is a few breakfast links and a link of fresh mild to go with dinner tonight.

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• jay porter
• Mar 5, 2016

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• jay porter
• Mar 5, 2016

After repositioning the meat probe, the IT is closer to 190, so the meat stays on for a while longer. The wife needs a pound cake for church Sunday, so I think I'll get started on that.

 

[jay porter]

At an IT of 205 the butt didn't even make it off the rack in one piece.

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• jay porter
• Mar 5, 2016

This is always what I look for. Pulled clean!

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• jay porter
• Mar 5, 2016

The dog will enjoy that later!
Meanwhile, the pork is resting, and the pound cake is out of the oven and the beans are in.

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• jay porter
• Mar 5, 2016

I have some friends who have a new baby, half of the pulled pork and beans will get dropped off with them later.

 

[SmokinAl]

Great job on the PP!

I'm sure your friends will be very happy!!

Al

 

[barbys q]

Looking good! I started my first pork butt of the year about an hour ago. Can't wait until I can tear in to it!

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• barbys q
• Mar 5, 2016

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• barbys q
• Mar 5, 2016

 

[jay porter]

I think I'm going to inventive and make bbq nachos tonight. We were in Memphis last weekend and the nachos at Central BBQ were probably the best thing we ate.

 

[jay porter]

The finished product.

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• jay porter
• Mar 5, 2016

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• jay porter
• Mar 5, 2016

Topped with a little bit of these for that authentic Memphis taste.

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• jay porter
• Mar 5, 2016

And a side of my version of Mr. T's beans.

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• jay porter
• Mar 5, 2016

Dynamite! Now I need a nap...

 

[GaryHibbert]

Well, from an unlucky start, things sure came together well.  The pork looks great.

Nice job.     

Gary

 

[jay porter]

Thanks Gary! They were great! A few tweaks to the cheese sauce and they'll be better than what we had in Memphis.

 

[seenred]

Looks delicious Jay...very nicely done!

Red

 

[b-one]

Tasty looking pp nacho's!Thumbs Up

 

[mike5051]

Nice looking PP!  I love those nachos.  

Mike