Hi guys.... i need a little help on a pork butt i am smoking in my 55 this saturday, the butt is 7 1/4 lbs. my plan was a little mustard then some dry rub and let it sit overnight. Put it in for about 2 hours per pound? at 225? does this sound right? i want to pull it for sandwhiches, also should i use about 3 oz of hickery? does anyone have an opinion on using brown sugar as a rub on this butt. we like sweet type sauces, also how long do i keep it in foil after i take it out, and before i pull it. any extra hints would help.thanx sfent

When do you actually want to eat it? If you want it for dinner tomorrow, I find you can be certain that you won't have to wait for it if you start it before you go to bed tonight. Then do the cooler trick when done tomorrow afternoon. It will still be hot and ready to pull when you want to eat it.
Richard

HI... I WANT TO EAT IT SUNDAY AFTERNOON, I THOUGHT I WOULD SMOKE IT OVERNIGHT STARTING ON SATURDAY. WHAT DO YOU THINK? SFENT

I agree with RPM

The brown sugar helps build the bark.

225� is good to render out the fat and not cook away the moisture or burn the sugar.


I'm not a big mustard fan,but it won't hurt anything.

Gives moisture to hold on the rub,but I've never needed the extra moisture.

You could just put the rub on a little before you put it in the pit.

If you put it on about 11 tonight,it should finish a little while after lunch.

Like RPM says,lots of insulation in a dry cooler and you are probably good for around four hours.

You don't have to hold it in the foil at all,it makes timing convenient.

tom hi... i will put it in saturday night, we want to eat it sunday afternoon, when should i pull it, after the 3 or 4 hours in the cooler? sfent

tom hi... i will put it in saturday night, we want to eat it sunday afternoon, when should i pull it, after the 3 or 4 hours in the cooler? sfent

Yep,I wait to pull until a few mins before I need it.[when I'm just doing one or two butts]

It will start drying soon after you pull it.

I add a little vinegar sauce or apple juice as I am pulling it.

Once it is pulled, I adjust the taste with a little rub and mix lightly.

hey tom what do you think of chopping vs pulling the meat after the foiling? sfent

Probably most southern q joints have served chopped shoulder sandwiches,through history.

Meat could be grabbed by the handful, when ordered, and chopped without drying out the rest of the shoulder.

As long as they clean all the fat out,I enjoy the texture of chunkier pork.

They could also cook to around 170�when chopping,so the yield is greater and takes less time and fuel.

Cooking up to 195�-200� allows virtually all the fat to render and the collagen to all break down,so it can be pulled cleanly and effortlessly.

We did a large cook last weekend and could only get the last dozen butts up to the low 180�s,so we had to chop them to meet the serving schedule.

The diners didn't seem to notice.

tom... thanx for all your help, i will start at 225 with 3 oz of hickory with butt on the middle rack, does this sound right to you? sfent

tom... thanx for all your help, i will start at 225 with 3 oz of hickory with butt on the middle rack, does this sound right to you? sfent

tom... thanx for all your help, i will start at 225 with 3 oz of hickory with butt on the middle rack, does this sound right to you? sfent

Works for me.

I like a little heavier smoke with shoulders ,or large butts,so I tend to increase the wood.

You could also add a little extra in the morning,if you like.

By the time you blend in the bark with all that mass,it is hard to oversmokeIMO.