Pork Butt Noobie (need tips and pointers)

[kyle corn]

he empties the water BEFORE putting anything in it. he uses the hot water to pre-warm the warmer... to me it's unnecessary unless that cooler is REALLY cold...

BTW, that "blanket" is going to get seriously nasty with grease. I use old (clean) t-shirts and usually end up throwing them away when done.

I use two large beach towels for this purpose and have never had any issues with grease. I wrap tightly in foil and then wrap with the towels, you shouldn't need to throw away your blankets (or shirts or towels) when you're done. Maybe use more foil?

 

[Cack]

I use two large beach towels for this purpose and have never had any issues with grease. I wrap tightly in foil and then wrap with the towels, you shouldn't need to throw away your blankets (or shirts or towels) when you're done. Maybe use more foil?

I think he was saying he doesn't use the foil.

Question. Someone mentioned opening the foil to let that heat get out. Do you change the foil or just reclose it and wrap in a blanket?

 

[Lake Dogs]

I think he was saying he doesn't use the foil.

Question. Someone mentioned opening the foil to let that heat get out. Do you change the foil or just reclose it and wrap in a blanket?

I do (use foil). I foil right at 4.25 to 4.5 hours into the cook. Double wrapped HD foil. BUT, the juices are tremendous. I'll take them straight from the smoker into the cooler (aka. warmer). I've lined the bottom of the cooler with news paper. Then I pack shirts/towels around the butts/shoulders. Usually I'm making 4 to 10 butts... If just doing one, I'd wrap the towel around it. Either way, the way we do the butts, there's a LOT of juice (rendered fat) still in the foil. LOTS.

In competitions and when cooking for others I (we; the team) always get high marks on how moist and tender (but not mushy) our pork is. One of the keys to this, IMHO, is how and when we foil. The first 4.25-4.5 hours the butts/shoulders are cooked on top of cookie sheets/pans. When we foil I pour about 1/2 of the juices in the pan over the butt/shoulder and then wrap the butt/shoulder up TIGHT. At that time we just put them back on the rack normal... We end up with VERY moist and juicy meat, but man it makes a helluva mess with the rendered fat if you're not careful. As a result I ruin many old cotton shirts/towels...

 

[Cack]

How long should I let the butt sit in the fridge to dethaw?

 

[Pyle's BBQ]

How long should I let the butt sit in the fridge to dethaw?

Until they are thawed.

 

[Cack]

Until they are thawed.

Haha ok probably not the best way to ask that.

I have a 9.6lb butt in the freezer. How long would it take to thaw out?

 

[DVBBQ]

are you thawing in air? or with a water drip... With water things can be sped up... but for a 9 lb butt id say a good 9-10 hrs to thaw fully.

 

[Cack]

So the butt is in the smoker and sitting at 161 currently. I just foiled it (a hair before the 165 target previously posted). I was sure I saw it before, but can't seem to find it skimming through. The desired temp is around 200 right? What's the range? I want to think I remember it being maybe around 185-200.

 

[Militant83]

So the butt is in the smoker and sitting at 161 currently. I just foiled it (a hair before the 165 target previously posted). I was sure I saw it before, but can't seem to find it skimming through. The desired temp is around 200 right? What's the range? I want to think I remember it being maybe around 185-200.

I pull in between 198-208

 

[Ron_L]

The correct temp is the one when the butt probes like butter. That can be anywhere from 180 - 210.

 

[kyle corn]

If you have a bone in butt try tugging on the bone, if it pulls right out then you're good. A butt can be done anywhere from 180 and up but most will be closer to 200.