Pulled pork - trimmed and deboned vs. untrimmed

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ace_3s

Newbie
Original poster
Aug 13, 2019
3
0
Long Island, NY
Hello all,

I usually purchase a shoulder that's been trimmed and tied by the butcher. This time, he wasn't in so I bought 2 five-pound untrimmed shoulders - with the fat/skin and bone intact.

It went well. Probably due to the fat/skin layer (which I had on top), I didn't even notice the stall. But I believe the meat acquired less of a smoke flavor due to it.

What do you all think? Trimmed or not?

Thanks in advance.
 
Agree with Poukie. I usually buy butts in the 8-9 pound range (bone-in) and trim off the majority of the fat. The butt has plenty within itself to keep everything moist and this allows for more rub on the meat for bark development.
 
I've always gone with a bone-in, better price when the butcher ain't involved. Early Thursday morning I’m going to fire up the SQ36 and get on with smoking a Boston butt for some pulled pork sannys that evening. I figure to go at 225-250º until the internal temp gets somewhere around 195º-200º, let in rest for a hour wrapped in foil, then pull it. Wednesday afternoon I’ll coat the butt with mustard and apply a dry rub to let it sit in the fridge overnight. I’ve got a bottle of some store-bought-rub, just wondering if anyone has a recipe for making a nice rub from scratch. I’m thinking I’ll smoke in hickory wood and spray on a little apple cider every hour or so. Who knows, might turn out edible! RAY
 
I've always gone with a bone-in, better price when the butcher ain't involved. Early Thursday morning I’m going to fire up the SQ36 and get on with smoking a Boston butt for some pulled pork sannys that evening. I figure to go at 225-250º until the internal temp gets somewhere around 195º-200º, let in rest for a hour wrapped in foil, then pull it. Wednesday afternoon I’ll coat the butt with mustard and apply a dry rub to let it sit in the fridge overnight. I’ve got a bottle of some store-bought-rub, just wondering if anyone has a recipe for making a nice rub from scratch. I’m thinking I’ll smoke in hickory wood and spray on a little apple cider every hour or so. Who knows, might turn out edible! RAY

Check out this link to Chef Jimmy J's recipe index below. Lots of great stuff in there. Try out his sauces too. Everything I have ever made of his is outstanding and you wont be disappointed.

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/recipe-test.269304/#post-1762346
 
See the rub in the butt recipe below. It has never failed to please those I've served it to.

Thanks a runnin' ton! I've got everything in the pantry, no need to go shopping. I'll read it again 3-4 times and try to follow directions, this recipe looks to be "can't miss". Thanks again! RAY
 
If it has skin on it, I'd get rid of that, but on my Pork Butts, I like to leave the fat cap on, while making cuts through it into the meat, so the smoke can get to the meat. Then I put it in my smoker fat cap up, so it can baste the meat while smoking.
The Fat will render & end up underneath the cooling rack, in the pan. Then I can separate the meat juices from the Fat & put the defatted juices back into the Meat.

Like These:
Pulled Boston Pork Butt (230°--April 23, 2013)
Pulled Boston Pork Butt (265°--Oct 21, 2018)


Bear
 
  • Like
Reactions: sawhorseray
I just wanted to get back to this thread so I could give major kudos to Scholtz. I used the brine and rub from his "your 1st butt" posting. I soaked the butt from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday evening, then rinsed it, patted it dry, and applied his rub for a overnight nap in the fridge. Up at 4 on Thursday morning I fired up the SQ36 and had a bed of charcoal and hickory ready for a 5:30 smoke at 250º. About one in the afternoon the butt hit the stall at 160º so I wrapped it in foil, raised the smoker temp to 275º, and tossed it back on after another dousing with apple juice. I pulled the butt when the IT hit 202º at 4:30 and placed it into a cooler with some old towels around it for a couple of hours.
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After pulling I served the crowd the pulled pork on some fresh baked buns with tater salad, cole slaw, Bush's beans, and Sweet Baby Ray's on the side for those who wanted it. Everyone raved about the flavor, the men went back for seconds, there wasn't enough left over to make a burrito. Thanks for a great recipe Scholz, best pulled pork we ever had. RAY
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bearcarver
I just wanted to get back to this thread so I could give major kudos to Scholtz. I used the brine and rub from his "your 1st butt" posting. I soaked the butt from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday evening, then rinsed it, patted it dry, and applied his rub for a overnight nap in the fridge. Up at 4 on Thursday morning I fired up the SQ36 and had a bed of charcoal and hickory ready for a 5:30 smoke at 250º. About one in the afternoon the butt hit the stall at 160º so I wrapped it in foil, raised the smoker temp to 275º, and tossed it back on after another dousing with apple juice. I pulled the butt when the IT hit 202º at 4:30 and placed it into a cooler with some old towels around it for a couple of hours.
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After pulling I served the crowd the pulled pork on some fresh baked buns with tater salad, cole slaw, Bush's beans, and Sweet Baby Ray's on the side for those who wanted it. Everyone raved about the flavor, the men went back for seconds, there wasn't enough left over to make a burrito. Thanks for a great recipe Scholz, best pulled pork we ever had. RAY



Looks & sounds Perfect !!!
Nice Job!
Like.

Bear
 
  • Like
Reactions: sawhorseray
I just wanted to get back to this thread so I could give major kudos to Scholtz. I used the brine and rub from his "your 1st butt" posting. I soaked the butt from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday evening, then rinsed it, patted it dry, and applied his rub for a overnight nap in the fridge. Up at 4 on Thursday morning I fired up the SQ36 and had a bed of charcoal and hickory ready for a 5:30 smoke at 250º. About one in the afternoon the butt hit the stall at 160º so I wrapped it in foil, raised the smoker temp to 275º, and tossed it back on after another dousing with apple juice. I pulled the butt when the IT hit 202º at 4:30 and placed it into a cooler with some old towels around it for a couple of hours.

After pulling I served the crowd the pulled pork on some fresh baked buns with tater salad, cole slaw, Bush's beans, and Sweet Baby Ray's on the side for those who wanted it. Everyone raved about the flavor, the men went back for seconds, there wasn't enough left over to make a burrito. Thanks for a great recipe Scholz, best pulled pork we ever had. RAY

Glad you and the crew liked the results! It's never failed us and now you have a goto smoke as well. Have a great weekend!

Matt
 
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