Pork Butt two ways with Q-view

[worktogthr]

Hey All,

Wife's out most of the day so it's just me and the little one. Prepped a 7.5 butt yesterday in two ways.

Here it is...

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• worktogthr
• Jan 19, 2014

Thick fat cap so I trimmed it a little bit and then working around the bone tried to cut it in half but ended up with a 4 pounder and a 3.5 pounder....a butcher I am not.

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• worktogthr
• Jan 19, 2014

So my plan for the smaller piece was to make a Cuban style shoulder using a paste made of olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, anise seed, coriander, cumin, Montreal steak seasoning and garlic.

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• worktogthr
• Jan 19, 2014

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• worktogthr
• Jan 19, 2014

Topped it with some bay leaves too. I have used this recipe for Cuban sandwiches with pork tenderloin and it comes out great so I figured I'd give it a shot!

The other I piece I am smoking with the standard mustard and bbq rub. I used Memphis dust for this piece. So I wrapped up in plastic wrap and stuck them in the fridge overnight. Here they are this morning.

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• worktogthr
• Jan 19, 2014

And here they are going in the smoker...

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• worktogthr
• Jan 19, 2014

Trying some new stuff today with this smoke. Using wood chunks instead of chips. So far I am loving it and I will never go back to chips. Seems the big chunks smolder so nicely and I get a couple of hours of TBS rather than having to add chips every half hour. I am also smoking these butts with no water pan and at a higher temp. 270-290 range. More pics to follow and thanks for looking.

 

[cliffcarter]

So you should be getting close to done between 2 and 3, is that your expectation?

I count on 50 minutes per pound, more or less, when I cook butts at 290°-315°, my preferred cooking range for butts.

I find that, when cooking at higher temps, you can plan your meal times with more certainty.

Good Luck!

 

[worktogthr]

Cliff, I need them done by 6 or so for dinner. Put them in around 8 to give myself a lot of wiggle room. Gonna cooler them if they come out early. The butts that I have cooked at 225 have come out great but I don't have all day in most cases. At a higher temp should I expect the same kind of stall? Thanks!

 

[cliffcarter]

Cliff, I need them done by 6 or so for dinner. Put them in around 8 to give myself a lot of wiggle room. Gonna cooler them if they come out early. The butts that I have cooked at 225 have come out great but I don't have all day in most cases. At a higher temp should I expect the same kind of stall? Thanks!

There should be no stall, especially if you are cooking at 290°. I think you have plenty of wiggle room.

 

[worktogthr]

Pulled the Cuban butt at 1:30 at an internal temp of 202. Started the smoke with a chunk of hickory and used apple the rest of the way. Here she is:

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• worktogthr
• Jan 19, 2014

The larger butt with the bbq rub is currently at 187!

 

[cliffcarter]

Very nice. Just about right time wise, too.

 

[joopster]

Looks great!

 

[worktogthr]

Here it is pulled... And the Cuban sliders I made for lunch with it!

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• worktogthr
• Jan 19, 2014

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• worktogthr
• Jan 19, 2014

Seriously, this is the best style of pp I have made so far. I will share the recipe in its entirety later on. The bark is delicious! Really happy with this one.

 

[joopster]

Looks very good, can't wait to try mine in a couple hours!

 

[worktogthr]

Very nice. Just about right time wise, too.

Cliff, you were right on the money! The BBQ rubbed half came off at 3. It was only a half pound bigger but had a big piece of bone in it so maybe that slowed it down .

 

[kbow]

This is the temp I try to cook at (300) and it usually takes around five hours to get the butts where I like mine. They will be done earlier than this, but I like mine very easy to pull so i let it go a little longer and the bone just falls out.

 

[worktogthr]

Thanks! Really enjoyed it and of course my dad showed up just in time to sample it haha...he has a knack for that.

 

[worktogthr]

And here's the Memphis dust butt.

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• worktogthr
• Jan 19, 2014

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• worktogthr
• Jan 19, 2014

Also turned out really well. For some reason however, I don't feel that this half of the butt wasn't as juicy but the flavor is real good. I am not sure of the different parts of the shoulder and if one is more tender than the other or more marbled but the half I used for the Cuban style was pulled at the same IT and rested for the same amount of time but was definitely juicier.

Learned today that I will always cut a large butt in half and reduce the cooking time because you get much more delicious bark and like Cliff said, the higher temp along with a smaller piece of meet makes planning mealtime a lot easier. I am also now converted to chunks rather than chips. They smoke longer and cleaner, didn't see any thick white smoke all day!
All in all a good day of smoking. Thanks everyone for looking and all the help you've given me both directly and indirectly.

 

[worktogthr]

Here's that recipe for the Cuban spice paste for a 4-5 pound butt. Works well on a roasted pork tenderloin as well.
8 cloves garlic minced
8 bay leaves
4 teaspoons anise seed
4 teaspoons ground coriander
2 tablespoon ground cumin
Zest of 4 limes
Juice from 2 of the limes
4 tablespoons grill seasoning blend (recommended: McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning) or coarse salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil

Mix all ingredients except bay leaves in a bowl to form a paste.

Rub paste all over pork butt and press the bay leaves on top of the roast.

Smoke away!

When done, discard the bay leaves.

Makes great pork for Cuban sandwiches or just delicious on its own.