My first Boston Butt smoke, NEED ADVICE

[leftaslide]

I've been reading a few threads here to get some tips, but I thought I'd let you guys know what I've got to do here. First, I'm cooking for my dad's birthday party. We got a great deal on a boston butt, .99 a pound. This butt weighs in at 13 pounds. I have a lot of people to feed. (Doing some chicken as well.) I could do the all night smoke, but don't prefer to. I did find this recipe:

http://www.kickassbbq.com/Quick_Cook_Boston_Butt.htm

It seems good, but I need some reassurance, fellas. I might have brought too much on myself by cooking such a large peice of meat for my first time smoking a butt. I just need some tips on how to try and get this thing right. I'll be using my little charbroil american gourmet. I hope the butt fits....Anyways, thoughts, suggestions, help? I could give thing 8-10 hrs. Is it possible??

Thanks!

 

[KC_Bobby]

13 lbs? I'd say you'll be over the 10 hour mark if you keep the smoker around 235. A rule of thumb is an hour per pound, but that depends on the smoker and I'm not accustom to yours, but I do believe it's a small offset. I'd recommend putting it near the far end (further away from the firebox) and turning it side to side every 3-4 hours or so.

Inject a little apple juice, rub with your favorite rub, spritz with apple juice when you need to open to rotate (don't open otherwise). Foil it around 170 and add a shot of apple juice in the foil to keep it good and moist. When it hits 195 pull it off the smoker and put it in a dry cooler to hold it for an hour or so to allow the meat to suck back in the juices. At this point, start pulling and be ready to serve.

Better it being ready early then later. You can always hold it in the dry cooler for a few hours without losing much heat. I commonly leave them in there for 4 hours and the butts are still very hot when it's time to pull. Just throw a few old towels around the meat in the cooler.

 

[KC_Bobby]

Oh, I see those directions call for cooking at 350. I've never tried that, I'd guess it's less forgiving -especially for one's first butt.

 

[jgh1204]

kabbq is a brethren and I am sure he will chime in soon.

 

[Puppyboy]

Several brothers here have tried Kickass' methods with great sucess.

 

[big brother smoke]

Cook it for a few hours in smoke and wrap and put in the oven overnight on 210 or so, get up take temp, not finished return to smoker unwrapped, when it hits 190+, remove re wrap and cooler it until serving time.

Just another way of cheating:biggrin:

 

[Pipin' Pig]

Cook it for a few hours in smoke and wrap and put in the oven overnight on 210 or so, get up take temp, not finished return to smoker unwrapped, when it hits 190+, remove re wrap and cooler it until serving time.

Just another way of cheating:biggrin:

Agreed. I do this quite a bit on long smokes where I am at home and must get some sleep. I will go a minimum of 5 hours into the wee hours of the morning on the smoker and then wrap and put in the oven at 225 and then get up after 4-6 hours of sleep and back it goes on the smoker.

The nice thing about a butt is that it is quite forgiving. As long as you do not cook it too hot for too long, there is enough fat in the meat to give you quite a "safe range" to work with. Put some 50/50 apple juice/cider vinegar in the foil when you wrap and make some good and tart apple cider vinegar sauce to add to it when you pull it and it will help with moisture. You can also melt just a bit of butter and add it with the sauce if it dries out on you.

 

[Bill-Chicago]

Always go by meat temps, especially in that 13# range.

I've had much smaller ones get "stuck" at 150-155 internal for 2 or more hours.

Thermometer (probe type, inject and leave in rather than continually probing) is your friend!

 

[Brauma]

Leftaslide, you may want to consider doing 2 smaller butts rather than 1 great big one. It should go faster.

 

[The_Kapn]

Butts and Brisket cook just fine at 300+ degrees.

Been there, done that!

Do not fear temps in the upper 200's or low 300's to get the butt done in a reasonable time!

TIM

 

[keale]

We have 2 squirels drinking beer now! LOL!

 

[LMAJ]

Hack that bad boy in half! There are 2 reasons - 1) your cook time will be decreased and 2) more surface area for your rub.
Good luck and let us know how you make out.

 

[Azinine]

Leftaslide, you may want to consider doing 2 smaller butts rather than 1 great big one. It should go faster.

Agreed. I would cut that sucker in half.

 

[leftaslide]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brauma
Leftaslide, you may want to consider doing 2 smaller butts rather than 1 great big one. It should go faster.


No harm in doing this? Because I thought about doing it that way, but wasn't sure it would be ok....

 

[Harbormaster]

No harm in doing this? Because I thought about doing it that way, but wasn't sure it would be ok....

It's OK to do it that way.
Just be sure you are all alone and not being watched when you cut it in half... Know what I mean?

Having it in two smaller pieces allows for more smoke and rub. On a big ol' butt like that the insides will be good and tender, but won't have much Q flavor deep inside.

 

[leftaslide]

i think i'll try cutting it in half and smoking that way. at about 6 1/2 pounds each i figure i'm lookin at about 9 hours for a low temp cook. my last question: this butt has the bone in, any special way i need to cut this monster? and thanks for all of the help, fellas. i really appreciate it.

 

[Smokin J]

You can carefully cut the bone out, then cut it in half. You will probably have to tie each half up w/ butcher string to hold it together nice & tight.