Pork butt on pellet cook report - first time making pulled pork

[Johnny in L.A.]

Hey Farkers! This was dinner tonight (and will be sammies tomorrow).

7 lb shoulder (don't know which half) from Costco. Overnight in the fridge with salt, then rubbed with Memphis dust and put on the pellet grill at 245 for 16 hours using Cookin' Pellets Perfect Mix. Spritzed with water two times in the middle of the cook. Rested for 30 minutes then pulled. My thoughts:

This was a very easy cook and I'm glad I tried it this way. Flavor was good - good enough to make a dinner that satisfied all - but I want a heavier smoke profile. I know it's pellets, but I've gotten excellent smoke on ribs so I think I can do better. I ordered 40 lb of Lumberjack Hickory, and I'm going to cook the next one on lower temp overnight to make more smoke. This one was a daytime cook because I didn't want risk smoking out my neighbors - we have A/C and they don't - but they have a yappy dog so I think it's only fair for me to have a smoker. :thumb:

Thank you to Grant and Robb for the great suggestions!

On the smoker:

Off at 12:30 am this morning. Lots of nice bark!

I pulled it at 1 am and put it in the fridge. Bear claws made pulling it super easy! I discovered 7 lbs of pork butt makes a lot of food. I mixed in a bit of homemade KC sauce so it wouldn't dry out. This is cold from the fridge so you can't see the glistening pork fat:

As served (there were seconds on the pork):

 

[rwalters]

Beautiful cook buddy!! As far as additional smoke, I have an A-Maze-N smoke tube that I bought about 5 years ago. Used it maybe 2-3 times and found that I am totally satisfied w/ the smoke profile the MAK lays down. If ya want it I’ll send it to you... just let me know

 

[blazinfire]

I think its just cuz its a larger cut of meat your not getting as much smoke compared to ribs.. As Rwalters says.. use the pellet tubes or tray.. I'm new to the pellet grill scene with my silverbac.. But I've noticed the 100% flavor's are the best for smoke flavor.. Hickory most of all. 100% cherry was nice.

I personally have no reason to try a tube.. I'm gonna buy a tube to cold smoke cheese. But I am perfectly happy with the smoke I get from my cooker. I'm sure its different for each cooker and persons taste.

 

[rwalters]

I think its just cuz its a larger cut of meat your not getting as much smoke compared to ribs.. As Rwalters says.. use the pellet tubes or tray.. I'm new to the pellet grill scene with my silverbac.. But I've noticed the 100% flavor's are the best for smoke flavor.. Hickory most of all. 100% cherry was nice.

I personally have no reason to try a tube.. I'm gonna buy a tube to cold smoke cheese. But I am perfectly happy with the smoke I get from my cooker. I'm sure its different for each cooker and persons taste.

That’s exactly the reason. Doesn’t matter the type of smoker (wood, charcoal or pellet), you’ll never get smoke flavor in every bite of a pork butt as it’s just not gonna penetrate that far into a big hunk of meat like that. The bark should be super flavorful though and when mixed throughout the pulled meat adds lots of yummy flavor bombs when eating

 

[onefatjustin]

It looks great! So, I smoke a lot on my Pit Boss vertical (about to buy a stick burner), and I always use a smoke tube for extra smoke. It helps so much with the start and the bark formation.

I use a tube often for smoked cheeses, and it works so well. Just make sure the cheese is far enough away, because even though it's "cold smoke" the pellets still smolder and can melt the cheese that's close.

 

[Johnny in L.A.]

Thank you all for the great replies. Robb, you are too kind. I understand now about smoke and meat this size. It's about the outside.

My favorite BBQ restaurant in L.A. is Bludso's. Their brisket has great smoke - very clean from perfectly tended hardwood logs - but their pulled pork doesn't. It's more about how juicy and flavorful it is.

I've had memorable kalua pig in Hawaii, especially at Keneke's in Waimanalo, but what I remembered as smoke I think was a different flavor (although really good).

I will try to lay down more smoke and get an even better bark in future cooks, but I've adjusted my expectations.

 

[rwalters]

Thank you all for the great replies. Robb, you are too kind. I understand now about smoke and meat this size. It's about the outside.

My favorite BBQ restaurant in L.A. is Bludso's. Their brisket has great smoke - very clean from perfectly tended hardwood logs - but their pulled pork doesn't. It's more about how juicy and flavorful it is.

I've had memorable kalua pig in Hawaii, especially at Keneke's in Waimanalo, but what I remembered as smoke I think was a different flavor (although really good).

I will try to lay down more smoke and get an even better bark in future cooks, but I've adjusted my expectations.

By no means do you have to do this to have flavorful and moist pulled pork, but personally I always add a vinegar based finishing sauce to the pulled meat. It consists of...

Enough for 2 pork butts:
3 cups apple cider vinegar
1.5 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp pepper
Squirt of your favorite hot sauce to taste (optional)

Combine ingredients and simmer for a few mins to throughly incorporate.

To me, this just takes the pork to the next level. I also much prefer pulled pork to be extremely moist, and this finishing sauce makes that a definite

 

[kiva822]

I haven't done a shoulder on the camp chef yet, but i'm finding the low temp high smoke setting for x# of hours to be an effective way of getting the smoke on the meat. Then raise temp for the cook.

one thing i've done with shoulders is cut the butt in half and cook two of them. Takes less time (easy daytime cook) and more yummy bark. I find I have to wrap, however, or they dry out.

Yours looks yummy.

YMMV.

 

[Stingerhook]

Nice plate Johnny.

 

[mike243]

Looks good to me, low temp for several hours at the start helps give more flavor imo. I bought a 5 prong roto rooter to shred pork, man it makes it so easy wish I had done that years ago, fits in a drill and in just a couple minutes you can chew down several butts.

 

[Clasko2]

Sure looks awesome and like you nailed it. The only thing I'd offer up is that with butts, I find the longer the rest the better. Like hours. I've held wrapped in foil, then towels in a cooler for up to 8 hours and they're still to hot to handle when it comes time to pull.

 

[Johnny in L.A.]

By no means do you have to do this to have flavorful and moist pulled pork, but personally I always add a vinegar based finishing sauce to the pulled meat. It consists of...

Enough for 2 pork butts:
3 cups apple cider vinegar
1.5 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp pepper
Squirt of your favorite hot sauce to taste (optional)

Combine ingredients and simmer for a few mins to throughly incorporate.

To me, this just takes the pork to the next level. I also much prefer pulled pork to be extremely moist, and this finishing sauce makes that a definite

This sounds great, thanks! I will make this!

 

[Johnny in L.A.]

Sure looks awesome and like you nailed it. The only thing I'd offer up is that with butts, I find the longer the rest the better. Like hours. I've held wrapped in foil, then towels in a cooler for up to 8 hours and they're still to hot to handle when it comes time to pull.

Thanks, Clasko, I will do this next time!

 

[ssv3]

Looking great Johnny!

 

[chingador]

Looks really good. I have found that it is better for large cuts to cook at 225 for the first half of the cook. It takes longer but the meat will pick up more smoke.

 

[Titch]

Looks very good from down here

 

[KevinJ]

Nice cook Johnny.

 

[Mike Twangzer]

Johnny .... wanna go nutz ???? Finishing sauces http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=212642 have fun.

 

[LordRiffenstein]

THAT BARK!!! Great cook!