First try at a pork butt. Very happy with the results. Forgot to take the first photo after lifting the lid. Lesson I took away from this one is that I'll wrap it at the stall next time rather than wait it out. This one stalled at 170 for 2+ hours. It was my first try so I just thought I'd skip the wrap this time just to see how it goes. Results were fine but it would have been nice to get done a couple hours earlier.
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Should have read the guidelines first before posting :/. Here's some more details.
Used the Memphis dust rub
Cooked on a Weber 22 Kettle with SnS stuffed with KBB. Started with 8 lit. I did empty out the bag adding around 20 more unlit coals around 1500. Still had about a 1/2 dozen unlit coals when I finished along with enough fuel that made me think it could have gone another 2 hours.
Monitored with a Maverick 732. First time using the meat probe. Worked great.
Not much to say in the way of what I did. I trimmed off all the bulky fat I could and put the rub on 13 hours before the cook.
Very happy with the resulting taste.
A couple of mistakes.
1. I didn't let the grill come up to temp before throwing on the meat. It was an hour before I was at 225.
2. I didn't wrap at the stall. I mentioned I just wanted to let it go so it was worth it just to see what happens but man won't do that again if I can eat 2 hours earlier!
I'm a data/information geek so here's the temperature plot of my cook.
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Beautiful!Comment
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Congrats on your first butt.Comment
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phoccer that's a good looking butt! As far as wrapping goes, give it a shot on your next cook and see what you think. Then make up your mind about wrapping. I personally don't wrap pork butts, I just start 2 hours earlier than if I was going to wrap ;-) .... then again, I'm an odd duck and like to be up at 4 AM getting my WSM set up, firing up the pit, finalizing the meat, getting it all going.
One question for you .... did you dry brine at all? Or just went with the MMD ahead of time?Comment
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That's a good looking cook. Here are my observations when it comes to wrapping. Wrapping a butt has it's benefits but it is a little different than with a brisket. With a brisket, it can help get past a stall. With a pork butt, it can keep some of the moisture in. I use a Lodge cast iron dutch oven instead of wrapping. I put some onions, peppers, pepper and a little oil in the bottom. I don't find that it shortens the butt cook that much. Others have reported different results. Yours looks mighty moist so I think you were fine not wrapping.Last edited by tbob4; February 19, 2017, 10:24 AM.Comment
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tbob4 I like your idea. I usually cook 10# butts. How large of a dutch oven would that take in your estimation? -
LA Pork Butt - I actually have two Lodge dutch ovens. For butts that are too big I cut them and put them into both of them. It's generally 6 hours in that I do that.
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That's a very nice looking cook. Thanks for the data and pictures.
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Thanks for all the ideas. I forgot to mention I did fill up the water reservoir in the SnS at the start. I didn't refill so I'm not sure when it ran out. I was actually patient enough to not peek until the cook was done. Only time I moved the lid was to sneak a look at how much fuel I had and restock once. I took the butt off when my Maverick reported 190. I used my Thermoworks once I got inside and it reported a temp of 198 so my Maverick may be a little on the low side.Comment
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Super cool!
One more note: If you have a clean fire, it's not a mistake to put the meat on before the pit is to temp. Often with a fuse burn, if you put in big hunk of Fridge Cold meat, the few coals you have to start take a little while to heat things back up. As the fuse grows, you have a larger # of burning coals, and your temp rises as the # of lit coals grows and as the meat warms.
Reading your post, I'm just recalling that I have never wrapped a pork butt yet. I just hate moving food on the pit unless I have to - I don't want that bark to fall off, ever!
I guess I need to try it wrapped and see!Comment
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PaulstheRibList ... the only meat I ever wrap ... and that is situation dependent ... is brisket. I'm with you. I love the bark. I want it to set. I want the meat to live in its natural environment of heat, smoke and humidity.Comment
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Very nice, first, pork butt. Congrats.Comment
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Looks like a great butt, Neighbor!!!
I couldn't smell th' smoke from here, but prob'ly only due t' prevailin' winds!!!
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The reason I was thinking about wrapping was to get through the stall and get done hours sooner. This was a smallish, IMO, butt at 5.5 lbs. It took 10 hours from the time I put it on the grill to completion. That's longer than I anticipated. Based on Meathead's writeup, I was anticipating 90 min/lb on the top side. If I had hit that mark I would have been done 90 minutes to 2 hours earlier. If I decided to do a larger butt next time, 8+ lbs, it seems like it would take me forever. Just trying to figure out the best way to get done a little quicker. Seems like there are always trade-offs.
1. I loved the bark on this so wrapping might impact that
2. I could cook at temps closer to 275-300 range(this one stayed nicely in the 250 range the entire time). I'm guessing that might dry out the bark too much unless I refill the water reservoir in the SnS.
3. Since I started with water in the SnS maybe I added moisture to the outside that resulted in the longer cook. Guess I could try no water at all with the next cook and see what happens.
As you can tell, I tend to over analyze things a bit. The ultimate answer is to just try various methods and figure out what works best for me and my setup. I could try a different setup like using a snake but I love the SnS with DnG setup as it makes setup, adding coals, and cleanup quite easy. Guess the family will have to suffer through smoked pork butt experiments this year.
Thanks for all the comments and ideas. Guess I've found a new hobby!Comment
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Looks great. I don't wrap my butts either. About the time concern, I'll start my cooks several hours early then back the temp down to 225 at the end. I have held butts on the grill (Webber 22, smokenator, and party Q) for 3 hours without any issues. Furthermore I think the extra time helps the bark. But like most things everyone has to find what works best for them.Comment
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Great job on your first pork butt! My first one was not nearly that good. They are yummy and I too love the bark. The determining factor in cook time is the thickness of the meat and not the weight so an 8 lbs butt may/may not take longer. I don't wrap (crutch) and my 8 lbs butts usually take 12-14 hours on my kettle + SnS running 230-250 to be probe tender, so I plan on 15 hours and put in a faux cambro for 1-3 hours which means I can have it ready to serve at meal time by adjusting the cambro time. If I were to wrap during the cook I would do so after the bark is how I like it. I also dry brine for at least 24 hours before the cook. I always fill the SnS's water reservoir with hot water at the start and never refill it as by the time it runs out the butt is in the stall and sweating moisture so no more water is needed IMO. You'll figure out what works for you! Have fun and eat well!Comment
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