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First pork butt

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    First pork butt

    Smoked my first pork butt this weekend. Used my kettle and slow n sear. I was able to keep it between 220 and 250 for the most part, though once the temps spiked and I had to resort to dousing the coals with water after several failed attempts at sprinkling the coals. It was a 9 lb butt and I cut it in half so I estimated 7.5 hours or so for a 4.5 pound butt. It had a KILLER stall though (90 minutes per pound my butt). Dinner was a couple hours late. After about 8 or so hours I decided to try wrapping them to get them to heat up. I got it to 201 and unwrapped it, then it dropped down to 199 and I pulled them off the grill. Gave them 10 minutes and pulled the pork. The bark was delicious and the pork was good too, though a bit dry. The pork wasn't too dry but a bit on the dry side. Served on homemade sourdough brioche buns. Think I'm going to crutch it next time. Has anyone tried crutching a butt and then unwrapping it and heating the grill to re-crisp the bark? How does that turn out? How high do you push the grill and how long do you cook it to crisp up the bark? I'd like to get the pork juicier but I'd like to keep that nice bark. Of course it is also possible that I over cooked it a bit. I didn't check it at 190 or 195.
    Last edited by tugboat; June 19, 2016, 10:59 PM.

    #2
    Next time plan to have the meat to an internal temp of 200 at least 2 hours before serving. Double wrap it foil, put some towels in an ice chest, fill the empty space with old towels and then serve when ready. That's called putting it in a faux cambro.

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      #3
      Originally posted by LA Pork Butt View Post
      Next time plan to have the meat to an internal temp of 200 at least 2 hours before serving. Double wrap it foil, put some towels in an ice chest, fill the empty space with old towels and then serve when ready. That's called putting it in a faux cambro.
      That was the intent but it stalled forever. According to Meathead's guidelines in party planning it's 90 minutes per pound for pork butts. This one should've taken 7 hours or so by that measure but took 11

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        #4
        ^ +1 to what LA Pork Butt said. My butts are typically around 4" thick and take about 14 hours to get probe tender + 2 hours faux cambro = I plan on 16 hours without a crutch. Thickness is the dimension that affects cook time. I have never crutched a butt. The faux cambro will soften the bark some but it is still mighty tasty.

        Comment


          #5
          tugboat + 1 @fuzzy daddy on thickness. Unless you cut the butt into two 2" pieces two 4" thick pieces will take the same amount of time to cook as one. Cooking on a kettle should allow you to rapidly drop
          temp by closing vents.

          Comment


            #6
            I'll probably crutch it next time, if only out of time savings. The kettle and slow n sear was pretty low maintenance but I certainly wouldn't trust it overnight. I also don't want to get up that early to start a butt. I get up at 3am on weekdays. The weekend is my opportunity to sleep in (sleep in meaning 6 or 7 am).

            Does letting it rest in a faux Cambro improve the "juiciness"

            Comment


            • Danjohnston949
              Danjohnston949 commented
              Editing a comment
              tugboat, I won,t Claim to be an expert but I feel the faux cambro improves the Moisture in the Meat! Just by accident I also Smoked an +8# Butt yesterday! 11 Hrs to 201* F! Weber S 'n S and DidgiQ-2! Faux Cambro 1 Hr, 2-3 Hrs Better! Pics @ Pit Boss's Post: Show Us What You are Cooking! Dan

            #7
            tugboat yes to juiciness and it helps you seperate out excess connective fat.

            Comment


              #8
              Super Fun! Like LA Pork Butt and fuzzydaddy said, slicing a butt in half only shortens the cook time a little, say an hour, in my experience.

              My bet is that after you use the Slow N Sear a few more times, you will be confident enough in your learning to leave her run overnight! I don't fret anymore leaving my WSM's to purr overnight - but only after practicing that cook and coal layout previously.

              Love the Pulled Pork and Pics!!!

              Comment


                #9
                tugboat, PaulstheRibList, Like Paul said Over Night Cooks are the Best and I have done Them but I end up awake all night fidgeting over Wether or Not everything is OK? All the Whistles and Bells Alarms don't Provide Me the Needed Security? As it Happens I did a +8lb Butt Yesterday! Post with Pics @Pit Boss's Stickey, Show us what you are cooking IV!!!
                Eat Well and Prosper! From a Backyard Cremator in Fargo ND, Dan
                Last edited by Danjohnston949; June 20, 2016, 06:35 AM.

                Comment


                  #10
                  Originally posted by Danjohnston949 View Post
                  tugboat, PaulstheRibList, Like Paul said Over Night Cooks are the Best and I have done Them but I end up awake all night fidgeting over Wether or Not everything is OK? All the Whistles and Bells Alarms don't Provide Me the Needed Security? As it Happens I did a +8lb Butt Yesterday! Post with Pics @Pit Boss's Stickey, Show us what you are cooking IV!!!
                  Eat Well and Prosper! From a Backyard Cremator in Fargo ND, Dan

                  I'm so with you on the nervous nellies on the overnights! I've tossed and turned a bunch worrying if my cooker was doing this or that, but just not wanting to get my tired body out of that cozy bed.

                  However, I must have crossed a threshold in the last year, both in skill and experience on the WSM, and being ok with the temp creeping one way or the other, (and part of that is from knowing more what to do if the temp does creep).

                  Now, if I'm doing a cook on my WSM that i've done before*, and I kept notes** so I know what to expect, I'm like Captain Confident and go to sleep with #NoWorries #PerfectFireFun

                  Keep cooking!

                  *Meaning, 1.) I've arranged the coals this way, which for me is the Fuse, 2.) put in this much fuel, which for me usually means level with the ring, 3.) put in this much meat, which usually means about 60% of totally full or more, and 4.) this kind of weather, meaning you do make some adjustments from a 78 degree night to a 35 degree night.

                  ** I use Evernote. And I love it! It's an App for your phone, so it's everywhere you are. And has a great Web interface, which makes is great for faster data entry at the house, and a nice big screen when I'm cooking and reviewing my prior cooks.

                  Comment


                  • martybartram
                    martybartram commented
                    Editing a comment
                    +1 on evernote, I am fixing to try airtable for some organization stuff. Its free so its worth checking out

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