First pork butt *live updates*

Chubbs · 10-26-2013, 01:31 PM

Well it's Labour Day on Monday here in New Zealand, so what better way to spend a Sunday than to have a BBQ! Friends are coming round from 4pm with potluck. Once the butt is off the rest of the BBQ will be grilling steaks and sausages.

I will keep this thread updated as the day goes on.. Though most of you will be sleeping!

Yes this is my first time doing a pork butt... it can be hard to come by down here. Most of the time when I see pork shoulder in the shop it will be a picnic or a boned and rolled roast. Finally found a whole fridge full of nice bone-in butts at our local chain supermarket.

Trimmed the fat, oiled it down a bit and gave it a generous rub of Meathead's Memphis Dust.

I got it on at 6:45am at 250*. I would prefer 225 but I'm finding this hardwood lump hard to keep low with no Guru

. Hopefully 2 water pans will keep things steady.

Oh and I'm using 50/50 Hickory and Cherry wood chips for smoke. Will smoke for the first 2 hours. 16 ounces total, 4 ounces at a time every 30 mins.

Enjoy!!! (I sure hope I do in 10 hours time)

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · 10-26-2013, 01:38 PM

Looks like you have that baby under control.

Chubbs · 10-26-2013, 01:43 PM

I set up the charcoal minion method which created a nice steady climb to 225*. Then once I added my wood chips it sparked the fire a bit and got some of the unlit lump firing a bit early. This created a quick climb to 270* but it came back a bit and has been humming at 250* which I'm happy with.

grillinguy247 · 10-26-2013, 02:01 PM

Nice butt! Don't worry about temp to much anything between 225 and 275 is fine. But looking great.

Thespanishgrill · 10-26-2013, 02:04 PM

Setup looks great, can't wait to see the finished product

scp · 10-26-2013, 02:08 PM

Nuttin wrong wit 250....I prefer that to 225 any day. Actually I start mine at 250 and when I get tired of waiting....I bump it up to 300

Chubbs · 10-26-2013, 05:31 PM

4 HOURS DOWN!

Got a nice looking bark happening. I've had a few rain showers so temp been a little up and down with the wind. but I have managed to pull the kettle under shelter to miss the rain.

Sitting around 230*. I am using the dregs of my only box of charcoal at hand. Lots of little pieces burning out quickly so I've had to throw on a few hand fulls unlit lump (more like crumb) at 2 hours and now at 4 hours. along with topping up the top water pan.

I have also decided I'd try make some pork crackling. I kept the skin from the butt and nailed it in rock salt and a touch of the memphis dust. Dunno what it will turn out like. Hopefully crunchy and delicious!

Also under that top water pan I have laid out all the trimmings from the butt straight over the hot fire... present a burnt offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD!

grillinguy247 · 10-26-2013, 05:46 PM

Looks awesome brother

JbTech · 10-26-2013, 05:51 PM

Looks fantastic!

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · 10-26-2013, 05:57 PM

Don't be afraid of the oven if your fighting the charcoal.

Chubbs · 10-26-2013, 07:06 PM

good point about the oven. I do plan to rest it in there. However I have no run out of charcoal which means I need to go to the shop and buy more for the grilling action later. I've been looking forward to getting rid of this lump/crumb. I will be moving to briquettes simply because the quality of lump here sucks.... its all dust

Chubbs · 10-26-2013, 07:58 PM

7 hours down - the wind has really picked up and slamming directly at the kettle.. Might have to watch this to the 11-12 hour cook time

So, after 3 hours of sitting anywhere around 205* to 220* I've finally got some more efficient fuel on with some good lookin briqs. Because its been running too cool I'll try push it to 250*-270* for the rest of the cook. The butt is still lookin juicy and the bark is really starting to sing.

As for my burnt offering.... it worked really well. Maybe a little too well as one tiny piece was black as tar and oozy like lava, and with it.... a horrible stink of carbon charburnt! It was one of those things, 2 minutes earlier and i would have removed it. I tasted a bit of the bark on the butt and some pieces might have been tained with the char rather than porky goodness... in saying that I nibbled on another corner and it it tasting great! I hope it doesn't completely taint my bark!

Chubbs · 10-27-2013, 04:08 AM

Well, after 12 hours of battling with the wind, rain, lump/dust charcoal I finally pulled my pork barely making temp. It all tasted great with a great bark and about an inch thick smoke ring. But, it was a bit dry and didn't fall apart when 'pulling' - it was a bit more like chunk and shred.
Served with a vinegar based dipping sauce.

As for the cracklings... well it was all looking good until I got held up greeting guests and boom I had a full on grease fire going down.

I didn't manage to catch a finished photo before pulling, but here is a pic of the left overs I get to enjoy for lunch tomorrow!

All in all I really enjoyed my day. But things I would change/improve would be creating a better shelter from the weather and not relying on crappy crumbs and dust that filled my box of 'lump'.

Titch · 10-27-2013, 04:42 AM

Not too shabby for a Kiwi mate, looks better than most I believe

Desert Hawg · 10-27-2013, 07:52 AM

Looks good here. Wouldn't mind having that.

10-26-2013, 01:38 PM	#2
HeSmellsLikeSmoke somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-02-07 Location: Warren, Vermont	Looks like you have that baby under control. __________________ Jim - Another transplanted Texan Former KCBS CBJ Large and Medium Big Green Eggs , Black 18.5" WSM, Blue Weber Performer - Stainless, Green Weber OTG Kettle , Brinkmann SnP Pro, and a Stainless UDS. One retired Portable Kitchen grill. Red Thermapen, Maverick ET-732, EdgePro Apex Sharpener. Avatar is the original 1951 Weber Kettle

10-26-2013, 02:08 PM	#6
scp is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-29-11 Location: Shawnee Ks Name/Nickname : Barry	Nuttin wrong wit 250....I prefer that to 225 any day. Actually I start mine at 250 and when I get tired of waiting....I bump it up to 300 __________________ WSW 22..Weber Performer..IQ110..Maverick ET732

10-26-2013, 05:57 PM	#10
HeSmellsLikeSmoke somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-02-07 Location: Warren, Vermont	Don't be afraid of the oven if your fighting the charcoal. __________________ Jim - Another transplanted Texan Former KCBS CBJ Large and Medium Big Green Eggs , Black 18.5" WSM, Blue Weber Performer - Stainless, Green Weber OTG Kettle , Brinkmann SnP Pro, and a Stainless UDS. One retired Portable Kitchen grill. Red Thermapen, Maverick ET-732, EdgePro Apex Sharpener. Avatar is the original 1951 Weber Kettle

10-27-2013, 04:42 AM	#14
Titch somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 11-17-12 Location: South East Victoria Australia Name/Nickname : Titch :-)	Not too shabby for a Kiwi mate, looks better than most I believe __________________ Some people are like a Slinky-not really good for anything, but still , you can't help smiling when you shove them down the stairs.:becky:

10-27-2013, 07:52 AM	#15
Desert Hawg Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 05-17-12 Location: Buckeye, AZ	Looks good here. Wouldn't mind having that. __________________ :tumbleweed:

10-26-2013, 01:43 PM	#3
Chubbs Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 08-28-13 Location: Hamilton, New Zealand	I set up the charcoal minion method which created a nice steady climb to 225. Then once I added my wood chips it sparked the fire a bit and got some of the unlit lump firing a bit early. This created a quick climb to 270 but it came back a bit and has been humming at 250* which I'm happy with.

10-26-2013, 02:01 PM	#4
grillinguy247 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 09-17-13 Location: Murrieta California Name/Nickname : Chad	Nice butt! Don't worry about temp to much anything between 225 and 275 is fine. But looking great.

10-26-2013, 02:04 PM	#5
Thespanishgrill On the road to being a farker Join Date: 09-28-13 Location: Los angeles	Setup looks great, can't wait to see the finished product

10-26-2013, 05:46 PM	#8
grillinguy247 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 09-17-13 Location: Murrieta California Name/Nickname : Chad	Looks awesome brother

10-26-2013, 05:51 PM	#9
JbTech Take a breath! Join Date: 09-10-13 Location: Blue Rock, Ohio Name/Nickname : Jeff	Looks fantastic!

10-26-2013, 07:06 PM	#11
Chubbs Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 08-28-13 Location: Hamilton, New Zealand	good point about the oven. I do plan to rest it in there. However I have no run out of charcoal which means I need to go to the shop and buy more for the grilling action later. I've been looking forward to getting rid of this lump/crumb. I will be moving to briquettes simply because the quality of lump here sucks.... its all dust

10-26-2013, 07:58 PM	#12
Chubbs Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 08-28-13 Location: Hamilton, New Zealand	7 hours down - the wind has really picked up and slamming directly at the kettle.. Might have to watch this to the 11-12 hour cook time So, after 3 hours of sitting anywhere around 205* to 220* I've finally got some more efficient fuel on with some good lookin briqs. Because its been running too cool I'll try push it to 250-270 for the rest of the cook. The butt is still lookin juicy and the bark is really starting to sing. As for my burnt offering.... it worked really well. Maybe a little too well as one tiny piece was black as tar and oozy like lava, and with it.... a horrible stink of carbon charburnt! It was one of those things, 2 minutes earlier and i would have removed it. I tasted a bit of the bark on the butt and some pieces might have been tained with the char rather than porky goodness... in saying that I nibbled on another corner and it it tasting great! I hope it doesn't completely taint my bark!