First pulled pork on UDS.. questions

[scottjess]

Hi guys and gals.

My sons 2 year birthday is on sunday and I was wanting to do some pulled pork on the UDS, it will be my first time doing a pulled pork and so I have some questions.

- Do I buy the shoulder butt roast bone in? is this the right cut?

- I am going to be starting the cook the day before so I don't have to lose any sleep, once it is cooked do I pull the meat then chill or chill then pull?

- is injecting the meat necessary?

thanks guys.

[Plaid Palace]

You can buy the entire shoulder, just the boston butt or the just the picnic. I read most people here prefer the boston butt for pulled pork.

After it is finish let it rest for at least 2 hours before pulling. Double wrap in foil tightly.

I don't think injecting is necessary.

[bo_b_q]

I'm sure other with more experience will chime in but my answers would be:

Yes a butt is what you want. I don't believe it has to be bone-in, but the ones I have done have had a bone. I like the butt more than the picnic but I've done both and the results have both been good.

Are you starting it with the idea you will have it done and finished well before the party starts...or have it timed so it will be fresh off the drum?


If it will be done cooking within 4-6 hours of eating then rest then pull. It will stay warm in the cooler for quite a while . Obviously if it's going to be longer than that before people show up to eat then I would rest, pull, refrigerate and reheat. If I have to do the later I usually put the meat in the crock pot on "keep warm" with a little apple juice or something. Not as good as fresh but still has a good taste.

I inject mine either with apple juice and some various spices or with a Dr. Pepper mixture and I like the results...others may have a different opinion.

[Outnumbered]

Yes, you will want the butt. Plan on losing about 1/2 the weight in cooking (won't be that bad, but you'll lose lots), and plan on 1/4# post-cook meat per person. You'll have left overs, but that's not bad.

I inject my butts at home with apple juice, as bo_b_q already mentioned. I pull the meat, put it in a food saver (freezer bag if you don't have a food saver), then warm it up the following day. Best way to do that is to put the bag in hot water and let it heat up that way.

UDS is a great way to go. Go for 275 to 300 cooking temp. It will go fast and be really, really good.

[scottjess]

Originally Posted by bo_b_q

I'm sure other with more experience will chime in but my answers would be:

Yes a butt is what you want. I don't believe it has to be bone-in, but the ones I have done have had a bone. I like the butt more than the picnic but I've done both and the results have both been good.

Are you starting it with the idea you will have it done and finished well before the party starts...or have it timed so it will be fresh off the drum?


If it will be done cooking within 4-6 hours of eating then rest then pull. It will stay warm in the cooler for quite a while . Obviously if it's going to be longer than that before people show up to eat then I would rest, pull, refrigerate and reheat. If I have to do the later I usually put the meat in the crock pot on "keep warm" with a little apple juice or something. Not as good as fresh but still has a good taste.

I inject mine either with apple juice and some various spices or with a Dr. Pepper mixture and I like the results...others may have a different opinion.

I think I will start cooking around lunch time today (sat) party is on sunday lunch.

How many hours per pound cooking? thanks.

[bo_b_q]

Not real big on time per pound, but as a reference I did an 8 pounder on the UDS last weekend. Kept it between 300-350 and was done in around 6 hours, let it rest for another hour (I was pressed for time). I foiled it at 160-165 to help speed it up even more. The key, which I'm sure you've read before, is to wait till it probes like butter, or the bone pulls out easily. Obviously it happens at different times, but sometimes a rough example can be helpful. I prefer low and slow because I like the relaxing nature of the process...but hot and fast yielded equally good results.

Have another one on right now, going low and slow on this one though, hence the early morning start. Should probably head back to bed but the smokes got me wide awake.

Never thought of using a freezer bag before I always assumed you need to use the Food Saver type bags. Good to know!

[MaximumJEFF]

I've got four butts on my UDS right now. Each one weighed about 8lbs. At that weight, they usually take about 12 hours at 225-250. I'll probably foil them for the last couple of hours. Then I'll let them rest for 2-3 hours in my hobo-cambro(old cooler).
I didn't inject any of them. Just covered them lightly with mustard. And, gave them a good coating of my rub.
I always pull them apart with my hands. I don't like to use forks or claws. Doing it by hand will let you feel the texture of the meat, and find the little chunks of grissel you don't wanna serve.
If I'm not serving until the next day I put the pulled meat in gallon sized ziplock freezer bags and refrigerate. To heat it back up I put all the meat in my counter top roaster and bring the heat up slowly. That's when I add sauce if I'm going to.
I've never tried a boneless butt. Dont think I would either. The bone helps you know when you're done.

Hope this helps

[olewarthog]

I generally cook butts at 275-285. As a rule of thumb 1:15-1:30 hour per pound, but each butt will be different. You are shooting for an internal temp of 200-205. If you probe test for tenderness, be sure to check several different part of the butt. The biggest key is the rest after cooking. Foil it tight & put in a dry cooler then pack the rest of the cooler with old towels or newspaper & let it rest for at least 1 hour. Go longer if you can. It will still be too hot to handle after 5-6 hours if wrapped & packed properly. Bone in is the way to go. Pull as soon as you can handle the meat after resting. I use a cheap pair of cotton work gloves covered with nitrile gloves to pull hot pork. Save those juices in the foil. You can separate the fat & use the rest when reheating.

[scottjess]

I got a 7.2lb butt this morning; its been in the smoker for 4 hours, been cooking between 260-285 but its been sitting at 259 the last hour or so constant.
165 internal at the moment; do I need to foil OR just stick it out till I get 200?

thanks.

[Pole D]

Really you could do either but I'd go ahead and foil it.

[scottjess]

So foiling just keeps more moisture in? or just makes it hotter internally faster.
If foiling just makes it go faster then I will just skip that since I am in no hurry to have it cooked.
thanks.

[1911Ron]

Originally Posted by scottjess

So foiling just keeps more moisture in? or just makes it hotter internally faster.
If foiling just makes it go faster then I will just skip that since I am in no hurry to have it cooked.
thanks.

The foil will help it power thru the stall, since you are in no hurry you don't need to foil.

[scottjess]

Originally Posted by 1911Ron

The foil will help it power thru the stall, since you are in no hurry you don't need to foil.

All right then, no foil till it's done.

Internal temp is now 183 6 hours in; so far this is the longest smoke I have done, cant wait to taste.

[scottjess]

Question: Does it matter if the resting is not done in a chiller? I do not have a chiller handy I can use.

[jrn]

Foil and let it rest on the counter. Cover it with a couple of towels.