Smoking pork butt

[Cougar281]

My wife wants to try smoking a pork butt, something I've never done so far. The three main things I have smoked is fillets wings and ribs. And I've used hickory for all of those.

Does anyone have a recommended hardwood to use to smoke it, and if so, why? My usual go-to is Hickory, used with fillets and ribs, but does pork butt warrant something different?

Any other tips/suggestions to smoking pork butt?

 

[gunzby]

My wife wants to try smoking a pork butt, something I've never done so far. The three main things I have smoked is fillets wings and ribs. And I've used hickory for all of those.

Does anyone have a recommended hardwood to use to smoke it, and if so, why? My usual go-to is Hickory, used with fillets and ribs, but does pork butt warrant something different?

Any other tips/suggestions to smoking pork butt?

If you have hickory, I’d go with hickory. I smoked one last week. I have oak and pecan that I’m trying to get rid of.

I smoked the butt using all the dry pecan I had at 225F for two hours. I then bumped it up to 250F with the rest of the dry pecan I had and then switched to oak.

I ran that to around 170F until the fat cap had started to render, wrapped it and cooked at 275F until it hit 203F.

You can do the whole thing with hickory and it’ll take less time, use less wood and taste just as good

 

[indaswamp]

Hickory will work, but the final result will be more of a heavy smoke flavor...not that that is bad, just a function of the long smoke using hickory wood. Best wood IMO for pork butt is either Apple or Cherry wood...they just go so well with pork. Could also use maple as well. My personal preference though is wild cherry...for the flavor, and because I have so much of it.

 

[Compulsive Smoker]

I agree with indaswamp, cherry is all I’ve used for pork butts…but I would not hesitate to use hickory if that’s what I had on hand!

 

[okie sawbones]

I have a mix of burr oak and post oak on my 40 acres, so guess what I use? I like to throw cherry chunks in the mix for color and flavor.

You don't need to inject a pork butt, but I often do. It is added insurance against a dry butt, plus it adds varied flavors throughout the meat. My family prefers the injected pork.

Pork Injection
2 quarts apple juice
2 cups white vinegar
2 pounds sugar
½ pound brown sugar
1 cup salt
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup Accent (MSG) (optional)
28 grams phosphates (optional)

Bring to a low boil, then stir until sugars and salt are dissolved. Let cool. Will keep in the refrigerator for months.

Makes enough for 4 pork butts.

 

[nchapelheel]

I switched to oak from hickory 3 years ago. When I was using the hickory, the butts went into the
smoker "naked". I got good flavor that the family liked. Since I switched to oak, I use a rub that I
got from Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh NC. The flavor profile is different and well received from the
family. Better "bark" too.
I have 2 butts that I will smoke tomorrow for our Labor Day family gathering.

 

[sandyut]

Couple thoughts on smoking a butt. I have a pellet smoker, so no comment on the wood. But...

I run mine at 275 all the way through. When its getting close check it for probe tenderness. when its where you want it all over, pull and rest covered (I use foil) and I put it in the over that is off. then pull it when its cooled enough to pull (or when I lose patience).

To the pulled pork, I add some additional rub to taste and finishing sauce. The finishing sauce makes it.
The Finishing Sauce I use is as follows:

1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
1 Teaspoon Course Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

 

[jcam222]

For a,first smoke I would just keep it simple. Pork butt is likely the easiest smoke there is to get good results. I prefer cherry but hickory would be just fine. Honestly no need on a butt to smoke at super low temps. I'd smoke at 275F the whole time unless you are on a pellet smoker. If so I might run 225 for a couple hours before cranking it up to 275. When it hits 160-165 I wrap tightly in a foil pan with a cup of chicken broth with some rub mixed in. Cook until the butt is 205F. Rest the whole pan in a cooler with towels for a half to full hour and pull away. Mix the pan juice back in for flavor. If your smoker setup allows I smoke above a pan of broth which I then use a cup of in the wrapped pan and save the rest in case more is needed. It's great to add to other things as well with the smokey goodness. One of her options I usually don't take but is perfectly fine is once you wrap you can actually finish in an oven since it's no longer taking on smoke.

 

[philpom]

I think it's obvious the options run the spectrum and depend heavily on what folks have on hand. I just started a butt with pecan pellets mixed in the lump, hickory splits and oak chunks.

I do think there is a reason 99% of your commercially smoked pork products are labeled "hickory smoked" but almost anything will work. Avoid mesquite and save that for beef or wild game.

A lot of folks turbo smoke their butts and wrap them to speed things up (guilty as charged) but I'm not sure cooking at 300° is actually smoking, maybe more like roasting. True enough, pork butt is extremely forgiving however. My favorite way is slow and low no wrap start to finish, I love the primal approach.

Good luck, it'll be great!

 

[sandyut]

I fully agree pork butts are probably the most forgiving meat you will ever smoke. Even when I was a total newbie, I never hosed one up. Hosed up several other things tho.

 

[Elf@shore]

My wife wants to try smoking a pork butt, something I've never done so far. The three main things I have smoked is fillets wings and ribs. And I've used hickory for all of those.

Does anyone have a recommended hardwood to use to smoke it, and if so, why? My usual go-to is Hickory, used with fillets and ribs, but does pork butt warrant something different?

Any other tips/suggestions to smoking pork butt?

Pork Butt Pellet Grill :
I use a Mixed blend that has either Apple or Cherry , along with Oak,Maple,Hickory, What ever the mix is?
Competition Blends are usally like this.
Many are on sale now with L Day sales, Try something new!
Rack the Butt after dry rubbing it over night, with a water pan with Apple juice, adding water later when needed.
I use 250 to start and bump it up a few hours later to 275.
Done this on both a gasser and pellet a few times with no issues .
I also flip the butt due to the water pan, giving it bark on the bottom part too !
Usually takes 10 to 12 + hrs.
Pull @ 200 and wrap in foil for an hour, I do not use a cooler, but in cold oven.
Everybody has their own way to do it I guess ?

 

[JLinza]

I don't use much hickory these days usually post oak and pecan. If i want a lighter smoke ill do apple or cherry

 

[Cougar281]

Thanks for the replies, we'll have to sift through them. I agree, the opinions run the entire spectrum, everyone has different tastes, but especially with things like this, it never hearts to look for other opinions. It can never hurt to experiment with other ideas. She mentioned wanting 'Lexington Style', and requested Cherry, so I obtained that and we're going to work with that. The recipe she found to work on uses a rub (we figure it's all one big experiment, why not try it - if we want, we can always try it again, all things the same except no rub, as one example), and it suggested a 275 smoke... My personal opinion is that that's too high for a slow smoke, at least initially. My opinion is start the smoke low and slow to get the smoke, and you can always turn up the heat later to accelerate the cooking. I've also found bits about putting wood chunks at various levels in the charcoal stack, so I'm going to give that a whirl too.

Experimentation is never a bad thing with smoking. The ribs we smoke up and everyone loves were a happy accident. Basically, the recipe called for an apple cider and butter baste, but for some reason, she mis-read it as apple cider vinegar... Well, they came out awesome, so that's how we make them. Could try with the original recipe using plain apple cider, but why lol?

 

[Fueling Around]

What smoker/cooker are you using for the butts?
I agree with the others butt is forgiving and most processes work well. The nice thing if you use a full butt there is a lot of internal meat that doesn't get the smoke. Pull the meat and mix well and let rest to get the flavors mixed and mellowed.
I only smoke a a 2-3# slab of pork butt for few hours and finish in a foil wrapped pan in the oven. That is my wife's preference.

I think it's obvious the options run the spectrum and depend heavily on what folks have on hand.
...

Yep
I run only oak pellets in my pooper. To me and (more importantly) my wife it is a nice flavor. I use pellets in a tube for more specific flavor. Pork is hickory pellets in the tube.

 

[chopsaw]

She mentioned wanting 'Lexington Style', and requested Cherry, so I obtained that and we're going to work with that.

I didn't get involved in the wood suggestion . I use mesquite for just about everything , and you were told to avoid it . Lol .
Anyway . Here's a Monroe county Kentucky mop I've been using on butts and sometimes ribs .

1/2 cup butter
2 cups white vinegar
2 TBLS black pepper
2 TBLS brown sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper
1 TBLS hot sauce
I TBLS salt - I skip the salt .

Melt the butter , add the rest and simmer a bit .
Cool and use to baste .

Do your cook as you have it planned , but with the mindset of trying stuff , keep that for another time or make some up as a dip . Adjust the heat to your taste .

 

[philpom]

Thanks for the replies, we'll have to sift through them. I agree, the opinions run the entire spectrum, everyone has different tastes, but especially with things like this, it never hearts to look for other opinions. It can never hurt to experiment with other ideas. She mentioned wanting 'Lexington Style', and requested Cherry, so I obtained that and we're going to work with that. The recipe she found to work on uses a rub (we figure it's all one big experiment, why not try it - if we want, we can always try it again, all things the same except no rub, as one example), and it suggested a 275 smoke... My personal opinion is that that's too high for a slow smoke, at least initially. My opinion is start the smoke low and slow to get the smoke, and you can always turn up the heat later to accelerate the cooking. I've also found bits about putting wood chunks at various levels in the charcoal stack, so I'm going to give that a whirl too.

Experimentation is never a bad thing with smoking. The ribs we smoke up and everyone loves were a happy accident. Basically, the recipe called for an apple cider and butter baste, but for some reason, she mis-read it as apple cider vinegar... Well, they came out awesome, so that's how we make them. Could try with the original recipe using plain apple cider, but why lol?

If you think about it (and it seems you have a bit) cooking in general is a kind of science experiment. Combining various elements, looking for certain outcomes. Experimenting keeps it fun, the spice of life.

IMO apple cider vinegar is magic, I spritz with it, use it to cut bbq sauce, stir a tad in with finished product, and more. It really helps things pop. Reminds me, the other day I was helping out daughter with a chemistry lab. 9 drops of base, 3 drops of acid, 1 gram of substrate.......

 

[philpom]

I didn't get involved in the wood suggestion . I use mesquite for just about everything , and you were told to avoid it .

LOL.... Only because you hear so many people complaining about how strong it is, overwhelming. I figure if someone is not sure then jumping right in on mesquite might not be the best place to start. I love the stuff, it's a Texas legend.