Smoking Two Pork Butts This Weekend

[adam d]

Soooo bad news... I've run out of pulled pork as of last night :( Did not last long at all. It was just too damn good the wife and I ate it all up... and the guys at the office were a bit peev'd I did not bring any in.

So went to COSTCO tonight picked up a dual cryovac butt... only downside is it's boneless... so I had to tie the sucker with some butcher twine to keep her together... last time I buy boneless if I can avoid it... they are about 8 lbs each.

So I put some rub on them tonight, two different kinds, and put em in the fridge. I'll smoke them after work tomm night, probably around 9-10 like last time. Gonna put a bit more rub on them tomm before they hit the smoker.

Gonna try and let them go without foil, because i'm doing to, it'll be a pain to get to the bottom one in my WSM... so i'll ust keep em moist with apple juice like last time... when they are done, they are done.

Expecting some snow saturday night perhaps, we'll see how she handles. Hope theres not as much wind as last time, as I ate an entire bag of coal due to the wind.

Ohh $1.99 a lb for the boneless... sucks. I'd rather buy a bone-in for less... I figured COSTCO would have a better buy but my local supermarket had the bone in for $1.79 last time, and a 10lber at that... but they don't have a regular stock on them at that price, guess they are not that popular.

 

[krubby]

I would think you might be able to fit both on the top rack maybe? 

 

[adam d]

I'll have to seee if I can... the last butt was 10lbs and it fit no problems, room to spare... 2 7-8 lbrs might fit... they are a big wide and I have an 18.5" model.. we shall see.

It's damn cold out today though, that parts gonna suck

"But a winter storm arrives beginning early Saturday that could bring 2 to 4 inches snow, rain and ice to western and central Long Island -- specifically northern and southern Nassau and northwestern and southwestern Suffolk are covered by the winter weather advisory."

This will NOT stop me. I'm going to put my EZ tent up over the smoker. BRING ON THE SNOW!

 

[themule69]

It should be good. I also prefer the bone in.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[dirtsailor2003]

I'm confused why you need apple juice to keep the butts moist. I smoke with a dry smoke chamber and have no problem producing moist smoked food. If you are expecting snow a dry smoke chamber is easier to control temps. Fill that water bowl with sand, cover with foil and forget it. Having the heat sink in there is way more effective than having a liquid that is evaporating. 

I'm also in the no foil group. I'll run smoke for the entire cook. Produces great bark.

"I'll smoke them after work tomm night, probably around 9-10 like last time"

What does this mean? If its the time you cooked the butts for, you really should cook to internal temperature not time. Pork butts should be cooked to an IT of 200°-205° to get all the fat and connective tissue to break down.

 

[gary s]

Adam, keep us posted and plenty of pics

Gary

 

[adam d]

Ohh I only took it for 9-10 hours no matter what size *rolls eyes*.

I guess you didn't follow my last thread... 9pm-10pm is when I started it last, till the temp reaches what it needs to. Took me 17 hours last time, could be longer or shorter this time, who knows.

I sprayed it with apple juice just to keep it moist, not that it needed it, but I wanted to ensure that if I fell asleep for a good 5-6 hours it didn't dry up.

I'll try using sand this time if you think there will be no issues with moisture... easier for me anyway as I won't have to worry about water.

I have to get charcoal anyway at lowes so i'll pickup a bag of playground sand while im there.

 

[adam d]

Here they are... waiting to go on (sat in fridge overnight after 1 rub, added more rub right before... using two kinds of rub):

10924253_10203815898733329_5105190601008497757_o.j

• adam d
• Jan 23, 2015

Gotta hand it to the WSM (18.5") I was able to squeeze both on the top rack... one probe will goto my RediCheck, the 2nd probe is a local temp only but at least i have two temp probes in the meat, and one in the smoker itself:

10838202_10203815898693328_7227038021017826395_o.j

• adam d
• Jan 23, 2015

Question for you guys... do you think if I have the pork touching the handles if those parts will burn? I only ask because I'd rather rotate the grate a bit so the probe isnt next to the lid... i want the probe centered, and to do that I have to have the pork shoulder touching the handles on the grate...

 

[cliffcarter]

The handles are part of the grate and the butts are touching the grate so, no they will not "burn".

 

[adam d]

Ohhh, well that's a horse of a different color! Good damn logic right there cliff!

 

[gary s]

Nice looking pork

Gary

 

[superdave]

They won't burn because they are touching the handles but because the air flow and heat tends to be convection around the outside of the cylinder.  More likely for those sides to dry out.  I'd turn them a couple times for more even cooking.  (180 degrees or 90 degrees a few more times)

 

[timberjet]

 
I'll have to seee if I can... the last butt was 10lbs and it fit no problems, room to spare... 2 7-8 lbrs might fit... they are a big wide and I have an 18.5" model.. we shall see.

It's damn cold out today though, that parts gonna suck

"But a winter storm arrives beginning early Saturday that could bring 2 to 4 inches snow, rain and ice to western and central Long Island -- specifically northern and southern Nassau and northwestern and southwestern Suffolk are covered by the winter weather advisory."

This will NOT stop me. I'm going to put my EZ tent up over the smoker. BRING ON THE SNOW!

I live in the northwest and the EZ up is always up. I have found they last about 2 years before I have to replace them. I use guy lines on mine since the wind hits 60 mph or more at least once a month. My present one is looking pretty ratty but still doing the job. Good for you not letting the weather get in the way. I am the same way.

 

[susieqz]

is charcoal much drier than a pellet smoker?

i've never foiled or sprayed butts n they all were juicey.

never used water pan either.

 

[adam d]

I've never had anything dry honestly... I do use water though which may help... who knows... it helps me maintain temperature as it takes more heat to boil the water, plus the water will boil at 212 and won't carry over past that, which could raise my temps.

Anyway 2 1/2 hours in and she looks like this, still maintaining temp of between 225-250 (235 right now)

10914769_10203816336144264_1934225396832162609_o.j

• adam d
• Jan 23, 2015

 

[timberjet]

Looking good. But, if your looking and spritzing and whatnot you aint cookin.

 

[susieqz]

thanks, adam i never understood the rationale for the water  pan before.

 

[adam d]

I know someone was gonna say that timber, even thought it myself as i looked "if im looking i aint cooking"

 

[adam d]

Sooo weird issue. I'm maintaining about 225-228 but it's not going above that.. I have all my vents open wide... I used the modified minion method... anybody know why? is it because I have 16 lb's of meat on there??

 

[susieqz]

adam, don't you think 225 is perfect? that's what i shoot for.

?