Hanging Vs. Grilling Butt

[Jim Burgin]

I have a PBC, ready to do my first Butt. Is there any advantage of hanging it on the hooks over placing it on the grill grate? If so, what is the advantage?
If I place it on the grill, should it be fat side down or up? Thanks. Jim Burgin

[David Parrish]

I've never noticed much of a difference hanging vs putting the butt on the Grate. I cut off the fat cap and I don't wrap.

Jim tell us how you plan on cooking the butt and we'll give you some more pointers... what rub? dry brine? wrap in foil? what recipe are you following?

[Jim Burgin]

Thanks much Boss

[Jim Burgin]

Thanks for asking. Here's my plan. Salt 24 hours before cook. Rub from Meathead 12 hours before cook. Smoke on PBC up to 160. Wrap up to 200-205, maybe in house oven. Unnwrap. LIght sauce with my own sauce. Back on high heat grill for 10-15 minutes to dry. More pointers? Jim

[David Parrish]

I personally only wrap pork butts if I'm time constrained. They're better if you let them go all the way to 203 F unwrapped. That said, they're great either way so do what you have time to do.

-Salt 24 hours before cook. - Good
-Rub from Meathead 12 hours before cook. - No need to do this 12 hours prior. Throw the rub on anytime prior to the cook.
-Smoke on PBC up to 160. Wrap up to 200-205, maybe in house oven. - Wrapping is fine if you don't have time, but I prefer to hang the butt until it hits 160, then transition it to the grate until it gets to 203F and let it cook the whole time unwrapped.
-Unnwrap. LIght sauce with my own sauce. Back on high heat grill for 10-15 minutes to dry. - Not a good idea. Just pull the meat apart into small pieces and put sauce on the table. Folks can add it if they want to.

More pointers? Jim - Start one to two hours earlier than you think you should. =)

[_John_]

Butts are heavy, have a lot of individual muscles, and get really tender so hanging is always a risk. You can mitigate a lot of the risk by being careful, but that usually means more hooks and in the end the but is positioned exactly the same way just with 4 extra holes in it. I trim mine well but personally do fat down, no real reason, just out of habit.

[Jim Burgin]

Thanks much John. FYI, one site (forget which) says fat side down to protect the meat from direct heat. Jim

[Danjohnston949]

Welcome to the Pit! Jim Burgin your are getting Good Advice from David Parrish & _John_! So other than say I always use indirect heat with a water pan generally I use a Dry Rub (my concoction), in a refrigerator bag and in the Fridge for at least 24 hrs. Smoke for first 2 hrs, at +- 225* - 250* until done by a "good" thermometer. The blade bone should pull cleanly from the Butt. Good Luck 👍👍👍👍👍. Dan

[Jim Burgin]

Thanks much Dan. How do you use a water pan in the PBC? Do you place the water pan on the PBC grill grate, then a lighter weight grate over the water pan? Seems it would take a pretty heavy water pan to withstand an 8-10 lb butt. Jim

[David Parrish]

Jim I don't think Dan was talking about cooking in a PBC. I think he uses a kettle with Slow 'N Sear. The PBC doesn't benefit from a water pan.

[Danjohnston949]

Jim Burgin & David Parrish, Sorry for the confusion, Boss you are right as usual! In addition to the two Webers I also have a modified COS and I do use water in pans or in the S 'n S when I smoke a Butt! Dan

[cgseymour]

Hello Jim ,
I have done both ways -- the hooks hang the meat in the "sweet spot" just where the grate is. If I will be around have time to babysit I will hang my butt, if I am doing a million other things (usually the case) I will put it on the grate and let 'er rip.
Both ways produce excellent Pulled pork. One advantage to hanging the butt is you can also throw on chicken or ribs as well.

I have done this and cooked lunch (Chicken with Alabama White Sauce ) and dinner (pulled pork ) at same time.

YMMV.

Cheers.

Chris

[Jim Burgin]

Thanks cgseymour, Jim