pork butt questions!!

[pat ferrante]

i will be smoking a 5 pound pork butt wed.. had a few questions on what types of rub to use and i also wanted to use honey to put a nice glaze on it...i was wondering if that would work....also wanted to know the time and temp to smoke it at and if i will be giving smoke to it the whole cook time...i will be using my amnps for the first time in my mes 30'...

 

[scarbelly]

Hi Pat 

I just moved your post over to the Pork section out of the Roll Call section so you can get more responses. I would also do some searching in this section for both rub and temp suggestions.

I do my butts with a rub I got from a friend that has some cherry in it and smoke them at 230- 250 and plan on 2 hours per pound plus a 2 hour stall. I cook to an IT of 205 for pulling

Good luck with the first one 

 

[pat ferrante]

thank you for moving it and thank you for the advice...i cant wait to try it!

 

[jarjarchef]

Welcome!

I have attached the run I do for mine. It is a sweeter type of rub. It will make way more than you need, so I would cut it down a bit, this was enough for 5 shoulders. I would remove the skin and most of the exterior fat. my cook went very fast, I smoke at a bit higher temp then 225 ( I try for 250, but this one was close to 275 ).


http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/125208/3-shoulder-picnic-ham-smoke-w-q-view

 

[chef jimmyj]

Try this... It is Mild and compliments different style sauces well...If you want spicier increase Blk Pepper to 1T and add 1T Wht Pepper and 1T Mustard powder. The Finishing Sauce, at the bottom, pulls it all together....Anything else, just ask...JJ

Mild Bubba Q Rub

1/2C Sugar in the Raw (Turbinado)

2T Sweet Paprika (Hungarian)

1T Kosher Salt

1T Chili Powder (contains some Cumin and Oregano) Ancho Chile is same without cumin, oregano etc.

1T Granulated Garlic

1T Granulated Onion

1tsp Black Pepper, more if you like

1/2tsp Grnd Allspice

Cayenne or Chipotle Pwd to taste, start with 1/2tsp and go from there.

This Finishing Sauce is one of my Best Recipes...Add it to the pork after Pulling...

JJ's Finishing Sauce

2C Apple Cider Vinegar

2T Worcestershire Sauce or more to taste

1/4C Brown Sugar

1T Smoked Paprika

2 tsp Granulated Garlic

2 tsp Granulated Onion

2 tsp Fine Grind Black Pepper

1 tsp Celery Salt

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper or Chipotle powder. Add more if you like Heat.

1/2 tsp Grnd Allspice

Combine all and whisk well. Let rest, at room temp, 30 minutes for the flavors to meld together.

Some folks eat the Pork just like this or topped with Coleslaw, some like to add a Sweet Kansas City style BBQ Sauce as well. If you need that recipe send me a PM.

 

[schaydu]

The finishing sauce sounds good I am going to try that in a couple of weeks. Thanks!!

 

[smokinhusker]

You got some good info. If it's a shoulder with the skin of course remove the skin, if it's a butt there's no skin to remove. I trim away some of the fat, leaving about 1/4" and then score it so the rub gets down in there. I do mine between 225*-250* and estimate the 2 hrs per pound for cooking time. At an internal meat temp of 160* or so, you have the option of foiling it and can finish in the smoker or in the oven. If foiled it won't take on anymore smoke so no need to continue adding wood unless you have something else on the smoker that needs the smoke. At an internal meat temp of 200-205* is when it's done for pulling. Leave it wrapped in foil and wrap in an old towel, then place in a cooler, tucking more towels into the dead space around it. It will stay hot for several hours.

We like the bark so I no longer foil it during the smoking. Here's the first no foil one I did: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/117875/no-foil-pulled-pork-thank-you-for-this

I've used this rub several times.  I also pat brown sugar on just the fat cap after rubbing it. I simply rinse the meat, pat dry and apply the rub and brown sugar - no yellow mustard.

I give it all a buzz in the food processor.

1/2 - 3/4 c dark brown sugar

1/2 - 3/4 c turbinado sugar

1/2 c paprika

1/4 c kosher salt

1/4 c garlic powder (I decreased this to a heaping 1/8 c)

2 Tbsp onion powder (I increase this to a heaping 1/8 c)

2 Tbsp black pepper

2 Tbsp ground ginger

2 tsp rosemary powder

Mix all together well and store in covered container

Good luck!

 

[scott edwards]

I know this is a little late on answering your question, but here goes.  I just smoked a pork roast, yesterday, and the only thing I put on it was salt and pepper.  I used small oak and cherry logs for the wood, and, after I pulled it, I finished it off with a vinegar, paprika, salt, pepper, sugar, and hot pepper flakes sauce.  I got the recipe for the sauce out of Steven Raichlen's Planet Barbecue book. I think it is quite possibly the best pork I've ever done.

 

[hitechredneck]

I noticed that your question about the honey wasn't really answered, & I'd like to tell you my experience has been good using it.  It's flavorful and will give you a nice sweet bark if you do it right.

I've tried to use the honey to get the rub to stick.  I've tried to get the rub on there and put the honey on right after.  I've tried to put the honey on later on in the process.

And all the other combinations you could think of...  Mostly these attempts were on Ribs, but I have done it on pork butt and I know it works.

I start with honey to coat the meat.  Used like some folks use mustard to bind the rub to the meat...

Sprinkle the rub on and let it sit for a while to marinate.  

I like the idea of trimming some of the outer fat off to get the rub closer to the meat, but if you do a long slow smoke, you'll lose a lot of the fat anyway in the cooking process.  

The kicker is when the butt is done, I finish it in a high heat environment, either jack the temp in the smoker or bring it in and finish in the oven.  Usually about 300dF or so.

But just before jacking the temp up for the bark, I slather the outside with a 75-25 mixture of honey and the drippings.  This will loosen the honey enough you can baste it on the butt with a brush or mop.  After about 20 minutes or so of the higher heat, you get a nice crisp bark to go with the pork.  

The extra heat isn't necessary on ribs.  Just do the 3-2-1 method and the bark will be great.  On the last step would be when I mop with honey.