Making my 1st pork butt in my Gravity 560, question.

[Bigheaded]

So, pretty much every person I've spoken to that's into smoking has said a Pork Butt's one of the hardest things to mess up for a long cook. Welp, about 30 minutes after I put the binder and rub on, I realized my rookie mistake of not patting it dry before I started. And I had nowhere near enough of the rub left to rinse it clean and start over. So I just pretended I knew what I was doing and took some paper towels and blotted off what I could lol. The paper towels were pretty soaked, but I still saw what looked like a decent amount of the rub, I applied most of the rest of the bottle in hopes things will mostly work themselves out. Now I know the few times I forgot to pat my steaks dry I didn't like the lack of crust. But I'm not searing here, so with low and slow (240) how much will my mistake affect the bark? And is there anything I can do to help things? I put it on at 2AM and want to be eating it before sundown so waiting till the morning to buy a bottle of rub somewhere and doing it right wouldn't have work. Also, would it be better to leave it uncovered the entire cook, or still put it in a baking tray? I'm hoping somebody read's this and can help me before the sun's up lol.

And I'm hoping it's not going to be as disappointing as the few steaks I've done this to.

 

[PPG1]

I see no problems with you getting the results your looking for. Low and slow it should not matter. I also have a 560 and the biggest mistake you could make is to rely on the the temp gauge on the board. Mine is off by about 25 deg at 240. I never wrap butts but that is a personnel preference. Good luck

 

[jcoleman66]

You should be fine. Keep an eye on internal temp, once it gets to 165 you will hit the "stall" This is where the meat sweats, which like when you sweat, has a cooling effect. The stall can last for a long time. There are several theories on what to do. Leave it and let take as long as it takes. Wrap in pink butcher paper to help with the stall. Wrap in foil vs butcher paper. If you google you will find all kinds of opinions. I personally smoke at around 260- 275, when I get to 165, I put the butt in an aluminum pan with brown sugar, butter and/or honey, and apple juice, I top the butt with brown sugar, butter and/or honey. Cover pan with heavy duty foil bump temp to 300. I also add some more rub to the pan and little on top, optional. Cook to 203. Let rest for an hour, shred or chop to your liking. I take the liquid from the pan and put in a plastic container and let it set over night in fridge, the fat will congeal on top and can be scooped off, the liquid below will be like a loose jello. I typically cook the day before I need, less pressure :) I then use the liquid when I reheat.

Some folks also spray with apple juice or apple cider vinegar. I have not used as of yet, but did get a sprayer and plan to try with my next one.

Meat Church has some good videos

Pork Butt -

Brisket wrapped vs no wrap -
(not a butt but will give ya some ideas)

 

[Bigheaded]

I see no problems with you getting the results your looking for. Low and slow it should not matter. I also have a 560 and the biggest mistake you could make is to rely on the the temp gauge on the board. Mine is off by about 25 deg at 240. I never wrap butts but that is a personnel preference. Good luck

I wasn't sure if due to me not properly drying it before I wrecklessly starting applying the binder and rub would change things. As for the temp, The 7 or 8 times I put my Inkbird's ambient probe in, it read at most +/- 5f from the MB's built-in one. Now for all I know, they both could be way off just happening to be about by the same amount lol. But if that's the case I have no way of knowing. The Meat Church article I read, he smokes his at 275, so if I'm 25f over what I'm set at I should be fine.

You should be fine. Keep an eye on internal temp, once it gets to 165 you will hit the "stall" This is where the meat sweats, which like when you sweat, has a cooling effect. The stall can last for a long time. There are several theories on what to do. Leave it and let take as long as it takes. Wrap in pink butcher paper to help with the stall. Wrap in foil vs butcher paper. If you google you will find all kinds of opinions. I personally smoke at around 260- 275, when I get to 165, I put the butt in an aluminum pan with brown sugar, butter and/or honey, and apple juice, I top the butt with brown sugar, butter and/or honey. Cover pan with heavy duty foil bump temp to 300. I also add some more rub to the pan and little on top, optional. Cook to 203. Let rest for an hour, shred or chop to your liking. I take the liquid from the pan and put in a plastic container and let it set over night in fridge, the fat will congeal on top and can be scooped off, the liquid below will be like a loose jello. I typically cook the day before I need, less pressure :) I then use the liquid when I reheat.

Some folks also spray with apple juice or apple cider vinegar. I have not used as of yet, but did get a sprayer and plan to try with my next one.

Meat Church has some good videos

Pork Butt -

Brisket wrapped vs no wrap -
(not a butt but will give ya some ideas)

I planned to put it in a pan with butter and brown sugar, I read the Meat Church article on how to make pulled pork. Thought it was only right since I was using their Honey Hog + Holy Gospel rubs. I was just concerned that with not drying it befoee it might be a better idea to leave it uncovered. I lack BBQ knowledge, but my brain at least thinks uncovered would possibly help the bark dry out. But that's not from any actual knowledge I have. When it hits 165 I'll put it in my turkey roasting pan with some butter, brown sugar and the last few shakes of Honey Hog I have.

Thank you both for your speedy replies, I was probably overthinking things here so I was worried I'd end up with mushy bark or something. I know better and I dry my meats but today I just forgot :(

 

[smokerjim]

You'll be fine, I wouldn't be afraid to bump temp up when it hits the stall, I put my rub on day before smoking and let it sit in fridge uncovered over night. I dont wrap or spritz I smoke at 250-275 until done.

 

[SmokingUPnorth]

Should be good. If you have some brown sugar laying around rub that on there, I’d you used a store naught rub it’s most likely brown sugar base anyway

 

[Chasdev]

Some cooks don't apply anything at all to the meat before smoking, no salt, no pepper, no rub of any kind, they just rely on the excellent flavor smoke imparts to the meat.
So, to me adding tons of sugar or sugar bearing mixtures is gilding the lilly.
If I want sugar I eat ice cream, but I like smoked meat so salt and pepper works fine for me.