Pork Butt - Crutch or no crutch?

[Xandera_7]

Hiya gang!
I am doing a 9lb pork butt tomorrow on my Traeger. I have done a few of them and they always turn out good, but I have never achieved a good bark on em. I have always wrapped, but I am thinking of not wrapping tomorrow to get that nice dark bark.

What are your thoughts? Should I wrap or just let it go until it hits the right internal temp? What has worked for you?

I look forward to your responses!

[snowswamp]

I don’t wrap but it takes a lot more time. I like the thick bark that forms.

[snowswamp]

I’ve only done a few so I’m no pro. For me, I get a 14 lbs butt from Costco that is two 7 lbs boneless butts vac packed together. I tie them separately, dry brine, season and smoke per the AR recipie. It has taken about 12 hours if I remember right. I can speed it up a little by cooking at higher temp, about 275F instead of 225F.

[snowswamp]

Halifax? I spent a summer in grad school doing field work in Antigonish. One of the best experiences I’ve had in my life.

[Xandera_7]

Thats awesome! Antigonish is a really nice area. Don't get to stop there much. Just pass through on the way to visit my folks.

[Jerod Broussard]

If ya not smoking for bark, why you smoking? My motto. Use at your own discretion.

[Xandera_7]

I suppose you have a point there... I always get a great smoke ring and beautiful flavor. Just never the color I want.

[customtrim]

You did not say how big, if you go all the way I would allow between 14 to 16 hours

[Xandera_7]

Its about 9lbs. Biggest one I have done yet

[LA Pork Butt]

My favorite way to cook them is unwrapped and when finished wrap them and hold them for at least two hours in a faux cambro.

[JGo37]

I do the same as above. I don't wrap. And I used to use a big Styrofoam cooler, but now I use a Nesco 4818-14 table top roaster on 'warm' for faux cambro. Warm towels from the dryer - one on the bottom and one over the meat. The plus here is I've used it on my truck's invertor a few times and it didn't trip the circuit or seem to drain the battery when I finally got to where I was going and parked for ~ 30 mins.

[jfmorris]

I rarely have wrapped butts. My understanding is that you have less smoke on a pellet smoker anyway, so wrapping will reduce the bark even further.

[jfmorris]

I will amend my advice to say I would only crutch a butts or ribs if I have a timetable to meet, as wrapping in foil will get you through the stall and done quicker.

[Mr. Bones]

I've never wrapped a one of them, but I am not usin the same cooker...

If I were in yer shoes, I'd go ahead on, an try one nekkid, see how yer bark goes, an tweak/ tune/twiddle from there!
I wish ya th best of luck, Smoke On, brother!

[gcdmd]

Nice pics, Bones.

[Thom Emery]

https://mailchi.mp/howtobbqright/pork-belly-burnt-ends-843185?e=d0044d496a

you may find this link interesting

when we are vending we wrap so the pork will shred easy

when cooking for the family we use a5 hour hot and fast cook Yep we wrap on those cooks

[gcdmd]

Malcolm is great, the Paul Prudhomme of BBQ.

[Thom Emery]

wrap once we hit this color

[SmokeyGator]

Last few I did weren’t wrapped. Mainly because they were left overnight to cook, so time wasn’t an issue. The next one will be for a VIP event at a neighbors house on the 4th (a bunch of us kick in for fireworks that we totally promise will only be used for agriculture purposes to scare away birds or something - but in reality we plead the 5th). I’m not going to bother with wrapping because once again the cook will be low and slow overnight.

[EdF]

I'm a simple man. I've never wrapped anything. And I've never been disappointed. But I could be a cretin!

[fracmeister]

I don't wrap till they go in the FC.