WSM advice needed - pork butt & ribs

[tasterner]

Hey all, it's the bbq rookie again, :icon_blush:. After my initial success last weekend with chicken on my new wsm, I've decided to give pulled pork and some ribs a shot this weekend. This is only my second attempt at smoking, so any and all advice you have to offer is greatly appreciated. Now from what I've read on here, it sounds like it will take about 1 1/2 hrs per pound of the butt. I guess my first question is, I bought about 10 lbs of it at my local butcher shop, but he had cut it into 3 smaller pieces. Is that going to be a problem? And do I figure the cook time based on the total weight, or individual weight?

Sorry if these seem like stupid questions, but I'm trying to learn! Again, any and everything you have to offer would be greatly appreciated!

[Smoothsmoke]

Individual weight. You want to pull it about 190F or so. When your probe slides in like butter, she is done.

[tasterner]

Individual weight. You want to pull it about 190F or so. When your probe slides in like butter, she is done.
Ok, thanks. So it should take approx 5-6 hours then right?

[zydecopaws]

I would figure on 6 hours at 225°F plus at least 30 minutes of resting time (wrap in foil and stick in a cooler) before you pull it. Having said that, rely on the combination of internal temperature (at least 190°F) and the probe test. As Smoothsmoke said, the probe should slide in and out like butter.

[Mitch]

I plan on 2 hours per pound for bone-in butt, and 1 1/2 hr's for boneless butt. But It's Done When It's Done. Sometimes shorter and sometimes longer. Allow more time. Butt holds a long time in a cooler.

[Smokesman]

I guess my first question is, I bought about 10 lbs of it at my local butcher shop, but he had cut it into 3 smaller pieces. Is that going to be a problem?

Why did your butcher do that to you?

First, if you want to master the WSM in no time then run don't walk to your nearest bookstore (they do still exist don't they?) and buy Gary Wiviott's book "Low & Slow". It is written for WSM owners and takes you through steps to help build your skills. Great resource!

Second, since you already have said 3 part pork butt you might as well go ahead and have at it. I would freeze the ribs until you get to the rib section in GW's book. As a first timer KISS it! Fire up a chimney starter of charcoal (I rec Royal Oak lump) and fill your ring just below the top with unlit. When fully engaged dump it on, spread it out, and immediately add 3 fist size chunks of your favorite hardwood (dry, no chips!) - leave the base open for a few minutes to burn-in until the heavy white smoke subsides. I'm a water guy so fill the pan about 1/2 way and assemble cooker. ALL vents should be fully open! I align the handle on the door with one of the legs of the base which places the door equally between two of the bottom vents.

For the butt, fresh out of the fridge slather it and rub it generously with your favorite mustard and rub. Go ahead and throw it on the WSM when finished. Leave about an inch between each piece but center all three in the middle of the top grate. Close it up and walk away for a couple hours. Keep an eye on the dome temp which should be around 275 by now (yes 275) which will give a grate temp in the 250 to 265 range. About a half hour in you should be able to close the bottom vents about 1/2 way to maintain 275. Heat , humidity and wind affect the internal temp so I keep and eye on it for the first hour and make adjustments as needed until it is dialed in. Leave top vent open full always. Don't worry about minor temp fluctuations (+/- 10*).

At this temp with smaller pieces your probably only talking and hour a pound so assuming the 3 pieces are roughly the same weight probably 4 hours max on cook time. I would start checking int. temp at the 2.5 hour mark every 1/2 hour. 195 is a good average for pork butt as it is very forgiving and will pull nicely anywhere from 190 to 205. Foiling is optional here. If you don't like jet black bark then foil when it reaches your desired color - beware foiling will speed up the cook. ***When probing for the internal temp note the resistance of the meat - it is done when meat offers little or no resistance "like butta". This however is less important on butt than on brisket IMHO. With experience you'll learn to forget about int temp and go by feel.

[Smokesman]

Ahh yes - almost forgot. Put those bad boys side by side and wrap tightly in plastic wrap several times and place in a cooler (with foil and a towel for insulation) for an hour or longer until ready to pull or slice and serve.

[Smokesman]

I plan on 2 hours per pound for bone-in butt, and 1 1/2 hr's for boneless butt. But It's Done When It's Done. Sometimes shorter and sometimes longer. Allow more time. Butt holds a long time in a cooler.

2 hrs per pound at what temp?

[mikeTRON]

Why did your butcher do that to you?

First, if you want to master the WSM in no time then run don't walk to your nearest bookstore (they do still exist don't they?) and buy Gary Wiviott's book "Low & Slow". It is written for WSM owners and takes you through steps to help build your skills. Great resource!

I COMPLETELY AGREE! I just went through all of the lessons and literally had ZERO experience before the book and EVERYTHING I smoked was amazing!

[Desert Dweller]

Another good resource book is Whatcha Need to Know to BARBEQUE Like a Pro by Ron Lutz. Ron uses a WSM for his own cooking, and most of what he writes about in that book targets WSM users.

[PCDoctor_1979]

All this advice is great and the books are excellent resources as well. When I started with my WSM in 2001, I took very detailed notes to document what I had done each time I used it. Things like outdoor temp, wind direction and speed, vent settings, I even went so far as go graph the meat temp (with a remote thermo, don't open the lid that often) and grate temp every hour. That way I understood what was going on and if something went haywire, I could diagnose the problem. I don't go to all that work anymore since diagnosing and correcting problems became pretty automatic. Good luck!

[tasterner]

Why did your butcher do that to you?

First, if you want to master the WSM in no time then run don't walk to your nearest bookstore (they do still exist don't they?) and buy Gary Wiviott's book "Low & Slow". It is written for WSM owners and takes you through steps to help build your skills. Great resource!

Second, since you already have said 3 part pork butt you might as well go ahead and have at it. I would freeze the ribs until you get to the rib section in GW's book. As a first timer KISS it! Fire up a chimney starter of charcoal (I rec Royal Oak lump) and fill your ring just below the top with unlit. When fully engaged dump it on, spread it out, and immediately add 3 fist size chunks of your favorite hardwood (dry, no chips!) - leave the base open for a few minutes to burn-in until the heavy white smoke subsides. I'm a water guy so fill the pan about 1/2 way and assemble cooker. ALL vents should be fully open! I align the handle on the door with one of the legs of the base which places the door equally between two of the bottom vents.

For the butt, fresh out of the fridge slather it and rub it generously with your favorite mustard and rub. Go ahead and throw it on the WSM when finished. Leave about an inch between each piece but center all three in the middle of the top grate. Close it up and walk away for a couple hours. Keep an eye on the dome temp which should be around 275 by now (yes 275) which will give a grate temp in the 250 to 265 range. About a half hour in you should be able to close the bottom vents about 1/2 way to maintain 275. Heat , humidity and wind affect the internal temp so I keep and eye on it for the first hour and make adjustments as needed until it is dialed in. Leave top vent open full always. Don't worry about minor temp fluctuations (+/- 10*).

At this temp with smaller pieces your probably only talking and hour a pound so assuming the 3 pieces are roughly the same weight probably 4 hours max on cook time. I would start checking int. temp at the 2.5 hour mark every 1/2 hour. 195 is a good average for pork butt as it is very forgiving and will pull nicely anywhere from 190 to 205. Foiling is optional here. If you don't like jet black bark then foil when it reaches your desired color - beware foiling will speed up the cook. ***When probing for the internal temp note the resistance of the meat - it is done when meat offers little or no resistance "like butta". This however is less important on butt than on brisket IMHO. With experience you'll learn to forget about int temp and go by feel.
Sorry it took so long to get back, been really busy. Anyway, I did both this weekend, turned out pretty good, coulda been better.

Funny that you mentioned the Low and Slow book, I was at Borders checking it out last week. The reason I didn't get it was because right at the beginning, the author mentions that you must use lump charcoal, but the manual for my wsm says that is not recommended. I'm assuming now that it is okay to use. Is that what most of you guys use?

Thanks again for everyone's input, I really appreciate it!