smoking my butt

[suboc]

I'm going to be doing a pork butt tomorrow night for pulled pork for a Sunday party. The butt my wife got was a little bigger than I wanted and is going to take roughly 12.5 hrs to smoke. My question is could I start it in the oven and finish it the smoker? I'm just trying to keep from staying up all night tending the smoker.

 

[seenred]

The first few hours of cook time are when the meat will absorb the smoke flavor.  You can't achieve that in the oven.  If your smoking it, it has to start in the smoker.  There have been times when I have finished one in the oven, after I pulled if from the smoke and foiled it. 

And don't rely too closely on that estimated cook time...butts tend to differ in how long it takes them to go through what we call a stall, when it could go for as long as several hours without any significant internal temperature rise.  You'll see it written here often:  it's done when it's done.

 

[hambone1950]

Hey suboc , that's a great idea , actually. I have read that after the meat gets to a certain temp , it won't take the smoke as well. I'm sure others with more technical know how can tell you....but I would be inclined to try it once and see how it works out.  I mean , I've done pulled pork totally in the oven and it was excellent. I would just put a little liquid smoke in the juice when pulling the meat. I suppose that technically , it's cheating , but what the heck it's just pork butt. I'd be curious how it comes out.

 

[pgsmoker64]

Yes!  I don't but don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it.

So, you figure 12.5 hours?  So, you have about a 6 pound butt?

Always figure about 2 hours per pound but cook to an internal temperature.  185 - 190 for sliced, 195 - 205 for pulled pork.

Good luck,

Bill

 

[jarjarchef]

The first few hours of cook time are when the meat will absorb the smoke flavor.  You can't achieve that in the oven.  If your smoking it, it has to start in the smoker.  There have been times when I have finished one in the oven, after I pulled if from the smoke and foiled it. 

And don't rely too closely on that estimated cook time...butts tend to differ in how long it takes them to go through what we call a stall, when it could go for as long as several hours without any significant internal temperature rise.  You'll see it written here often:  it's done when it's done.

When I have PP for lunch. I will start the cook at around 4pm the day before. When I go to bed around 11pm. I will place it in a pan with some beer, apple juice concentrate and a bit of apple cider vinegar. Wrap with plastic then foil and into an oven set at 200 (so it cooks, but not over cook). When I get up in the morning my house smells great. I check to see where we are on the tenderness and adjust accordingly. If I am good to go i turn the oven down to 170 and if it needs more i will turn it up to 275 and continue to cook.

When the pork is done I drain the juices into a pot or pitcher, place in fridge to get the fat to seperate. Let the pork rest. When the fat is seperated I reheat it and mix in with the pork as I finger pull it. I save any of the extra pan juices and mix with a sweet BBQ sauce and serve on the side.

 

[suboc]

Yes!  I don't but don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it.

So, you figure 12.5 hours?  So, you have about a 6 pound butt?

Always figure about 2 hours per pound but cook to an internal temperature.  185 - 190 for sliced, 195 - 205 for pulled pork.

Good luck,

Bill

The last one I did on the smoker it was 5 pounds and took about 8 hours so I figured about 1.5 hours per pound. This butt is 8.5 lbs.

 

[suboc]

Yes!  I don't but don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it.

So, you figure 12.5 hours?  So, you have about a 6 pound butt?

Always figure about 2 hours per pound but cook to an internal temperature.  185 - 190 for sliced, 195 - 205 for pulled pork.

Good luck,

Bill

The last one I did on the smoker it was 5 pounds and took about 8 hours so I figured about 1.5 hours per pound. This butt is 8.5 lbs.

 

[suboc]

Yes!  I don't but don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it.

So, you figure 12.5 hours?  So, you have about a 6 pound butt?

Always figure about 2 hours per pound but cook to an internal temperature.  185 - 190 for sliced, 195 - 205 for pulled pork.

Good luck,

Bill

The last one I did on the smoker it was 5 pounds and took about 8 hours so I figured about 1.5 hours per pound. This butt is 8.5 lbs.

 

[suboc]

Woops how do I erase those last 2 posts?

 

[davidhef88]

Be careful planning your time I always figure 2 hrs per pound. The last one I did was 10.6 lbs. and took 20 hrs. http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/137641/overnighter-big-butt/30#post_950095

 

[suboc]

posting from my phone sucks

 

[davidhef88]

Are you using the mobile version? I love posting from my phone.

 

[smokeusum]

posting from my phone sucks

I love the mobile version! But if I try posting from the full site from my phone things get real screwy -- I did miss not having the little emoticons though!!!

 

[suboc]

I have tried both mobile and full site, the full site is very screwy, and the mobile version all the tabs show up as blank squares so I have to guess which block to click. Windows phone go figure.

 

[davidhef88]

I think you found your problem. Lol.

 

[suboc]

Thanks for all the help :) I started the smoke about an hour ago. I will post some pictures how it turned out.

 

[seenred]

Good luck, and Happy Smokin'!  Hope it turns out great....