Planning on smoking my first butt tomorrow..ED: Updated with Q-View.

[kingt36]

I bought a small boston butt (3.5 lbs). If the weather let's up I'm planning to put it in the bbq grillware propane smoker tomorrow. This is my first time really trying to smoke anything. I plan on using Jeff's run. Here are my questions:

1. About how long should I expect a butt of that size to smoke before it is done?

2. Is it possible to use too many wood chips?

That's all I can think of for now..

Thanks!

 

[s2k9k]

The rule of thumb around here for time is 1.5 - 2 hours per lb and add a couple more hours as a cushion. One that small probably will go more on the 1.5 hour/lb, but you can never tell. Do you know about the stall? Anyway time is just a general guideline, you have to cook to temperature, 205* internal temp of the meat for pulling, 190* IT for slicing.

Yes you can use too much wood, you want just enough to give you a nice thin blue smoke (TBS), you don't want thick white billowing smoke, that will give it a creosote taste.

Good Luck and keep us posted and remember we are here for you if you need anything along the way!

 

[indyadmin1974]

+1 for the above answer.

I started out on the same smoker. It will do you well.

Remember to go by temp not time. Its easier to start early finish early and wrap in foil and then a towel plop it in a dry cooler and fill with towels to keep warm... so start about 2-3 hours before you need to.



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[s2k9k]

+2 for indy's answer, having it done early is a lot better than having hungry people staring at you!

 

[kingt36]

Thanks for the answers thus far! I bought a brand new shiny digital thermometer, it will certainly get put to use..I was thinking I probably don't want to fill up the wood chip box and am thinking that maybe I should go with about half full and then check every 1.5 hours or so to see if I need to add more. Does that sound like a good plan?

 

[s2k9k]

I'm not familiar with that smoker so hopefully indy will answer that. I do have a GOSM propane and I like using chunks a lot better than chips. They burn slower so last longer and give a better TBS, at least in my smoker they do.

 

[pineywoods]

As was said your looking for Thin Blue Smoke (TBS) very light blueish smoke or no smoke at all and just the smell of the wood burning. If you can smell the smoke so can the meat

 

[indyadmin1974]

As far as the wood chips are concerned I think you are on the right track. Fill it up though and maybe add a few more after a couple of hours and that's it.

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[kingt36]

Thanks everyone!

 

[kingt36]

I'm holding steady at about 235 and am seeing no smoke, which is causing me some alarm...however Pineywoods comments are calming me down a little bit. I was tempted to turn it up on high just to produce some smoke and then bring it back down..I reckon I'll leave it alone though..

 

[rtbbq2]

Start early. I start mine at 5 am....good luck and happy smokin..

 

[so ms smoker]

  Be sure to show us some q-view of your smoke!

Mike

 

[kingt36]

It came out pretty good. I was fairly impressed with it as it is my very first time smoking anything. I took some to a few people at church and they all enjoyed it. I'm feeling pretty good about it and am thinking that I can only get better at it.  

Thank you all for your help and input!

Here are some pictures:

Here is the pork butt when I first put it on the smoker.

This is before I took it off to wrap it in foil.

I got a late start since I had some problems getting the smoker hot enough. I didn't stop the cooking process until 2 AM this morning. This is the pork butt at 7:30 when I took it out of the cooler. I loved how the bone was begging to come out!

After I pulled it and put the finishing sauce on it. I was satisfied with the smoke ring, I do want a more significant bark, however.

 

[daveomak]

Kingt36... "After I pulled it and put the finishing sauce on it. I was satisfied with the smoke ring, I do want a more significant bark, however."

King, morning.... Looks good to me.....   For more bark, try smoking a butt at 250 for a few hours and lowering the temp to 210 and not foiling.... It will take longer but the final temp is below the boiling point of water.... and not foiling will keep the bark firm... Dave  

 

[kingt36]

Thanks for the tip! I'll give that a shot next time.

 

[rtbbq2]

Yup, not foiling or foiling at 180° - 185° will give you more bark for sure....trial and error....