My 2nd Butt (aka “Shoulder”) - some advice?

[TShepp84]

Picked up a 7.5 lb bone-in pork butt for this weekend. I smoked my first one a couple months back and honestly was a bit unhappy with the results. My method prior was: Rubbed with Jeff’s rub and refrigerated overnight, smoked in MES at 275* until the internal temp hit 160*. Put in foil pan with 1/2-1cup apple juice and double foil over pan, pulled at 203* and put pan and butt in a cooler with a towel over the top for 1 hour. It looked great (added pics below) but In my opinion it turned out a bit mushy and really didn’t have the best flavor for what I was hoping. One thing I think I failed to do after pulling was sprinkle in more rub and maybe add finishing sauce and I think I should have drained the fat and juices out of the pan before putting in the cooler as there was a lot of liquid in there.

Well, time for redemption!! I am thinking this time I will smoke until 160* and then wrap in foil (not a pan) with some more rub but no additional juice, and done around 200-205* into the cooler or let it rest in the counter for 30 and then pull. I am not sure if the additional juice was needed or the problem before but figured it’s worth a try? I considered no foiling but I like the shorter smoke time added with the crutch. I don’t want to run into a situation where the butt isn’t ready by dinner time and I am not wanting to smoke overnight. What does everyone think? Any other pointers?

 

[PacBeachsmoker]

Looks good to me!! I was going to say with your first one to let it rest BEFORE you pull it but it sounds like that's what you did. I let it rest for more like 45 to an hour then pour the juices in to a fat separator, pull it and reincorporate the juices, add more of your rub and good to go. It's an easy piece of meat and I bet your first one was delicious too!!

About to fire up the smoker and start a pulled pork this morning

Be safe,
S

 

[WildewoodBBQ]

One of the things I do is to take a paring knife and make slits/cuts into the pork. I’m not sure it does anything extra, but I try and shove seasoning and stuff in there..

Also maybe try and either go a little heavier on the rub this time and see how you like it? Or take it to an IT or 175 before you wrap it.. that’s what I have found the last 3-4 I’ve done that I e me the flavor that everyone raves about..

Try it one way and then make notes or mental ones at least and change it up next time until you get what you love and everyone else likes(or loves) as well.

Good luck and happy smoking!!!

 

[briggy]

You may want to let it cool for a bit (30 minutes) before the cooler step. Otherwise you are continuing to cook/steam it.

 

[TShepp84]

You may want to let it cool for a bit (30 minutes) before the cooler step. Otherwise you are continuing to cook/steam it.

A buddy of mine actually takes his out and puts it in a casserole pan on the counter (still foiled) for 30 mins then he pulls it, no cooler needed. I think this is a good idea considering I should be serving it up right around the time it is done and I don’t need to keep it warm for an extended time

 

[briggy]

A buddy of mine actually takes his out and puts it in a casserole pan on the counter (still foiled) for 30 mins then he pulls it, no cooler needed. I think this is a good idea considering I should be serving it up right around the time it is done and I don’t need to keep it warm for an extended time

That would work also, cooler is only really needed if you need to hold for long periods of time.

 

[SlowBurn11]

Still looking good! I do more rub after the first rub has time to impact the meat overnight

 

[SmokyMose]

Looks pretty good to me, TShepp! I wrap mine in a towel right out of the smoker and into a cooler, foil and all for about an hour and then let it cool a bit before pulling. It's not just keeping it warm. It lets the juices absorb back into the meat a bit. I never use a pan and 1 1/2 cups of juice seems like a lot. Never used that either. Maybe that's where the mushy came from?
I assume it got ate up? That's what counts....

 

[zwiller]

I wasn't really happy with my PP until I started injecting but applying rub or using a finishing sauce after smoking could also work. Also, huge fans of bark and if you break the shoulder into you get twice the bark and reduce cook in half-ish. Team 275F and no wrap here.

 

[TShepp84]

Looks pretty good to me, TShepp! I wrap mine in a towel right out of the smoker and into a cooler, foil and all for about an hour and then let it cool a bit before pulling. It's not just keeping it warm. It lets the juices absorb back into the meat a bit. I never use a pan and 1 1/2 cups of juice seems like a lot. Never used that either. Maybe that's where the mushy came from?
I assume it got ate up? That's what counts....

Oh we definitely ate it up with some SBR and also made some killer Cuban sandwiches but I still kept thinking there was room to improve. I used between 1/2 and 1 cup but not a whole 1.5, that would be ALOT of liquid including the rendered fat. I do think that had something to do with it though but who knows.

Right now I think I am planning to just foil without any extra liquid and see how it turns out. I’m curious about no wrap but hate to have to cook it for 10+ hours if it stalls long and then I miss dinner.

 

[SmokyMose]

Keep playing with it. You'll find your groove.
A suggestion. Don't start a butt for dinner. Cook it a day ahead ;-)

 

[TShepp84]

Well 2nd go around was a HUGE difference. I trimmed almost all of the fat cap and chunks off last night, rubbed with Killer Hogs BBQ rub, then wrapped. Put in the MES this morning and at 275* with Pittmasters Choice pellets for about 5.5 hours until it stalled at 170*. I took it out and foil wrapped with a little bit of added rub and brown sugar and put back in until IT reached 200*. Took it out and let it sit in the foil on the counter for 30 minutes, drained the jus out then shredded it up with a little more rub and jus added back in it WOW it was delicious! We were stuffed, but still picking at pieces until bed time. I could’ve gone for a little more bark if I am being picky so maybe next time I’ll go for no foil but I sure as heck wouldn’t be upset if my future butts turn out this way!!

 

[WildewoodBBQ]

Grats!! It’s always good when it turns out so close to how you want it!

 

[SmokyMose]

Well 2nd go around was a HUGE difference. I trimmed almost all of the fat cap and chunks off last night, rubbed with Killer Hogs BBQ rub, then wrapped. Put in the MES this morning and at 275* with Pittmasters Choice pellets for about 5.5 hours until it stalled at 170*. I took it out and foil wrapped with a little bit of added rub and brown sugar and put back in until IT reached 200*. Took it out and let it sit in the foil on the counter for 30 minutes, drained the jus out then shredded it up with a little more rub and jus added back in it WOW it was delicious! We were stuffed, but still picking at pieces until bed time. I could’ve gone for a little more bark if I am being picky so maybe next time I’ll go for no foil but I sure as heck wouldn’t be upset if my future butts turn out this way!!

I had a feeling you'd keep trying 'til you got it right!
Good job :-)