First Boston Butt this weekend

T

teleskier

New member
I would like to do a butt this weekend. It will be the first. I am curious about what you all suggest as far as preparation of one.  Trimming, brineing, rub?

If you brine, please suggest a recipe etc.  I am not sure what brining does and why its necessary but I want to learn.

Thanks in advance.
 
Once you brine you will never go back :)

With my #2 my butt took around 1.5-2 hours per lb., smoke at 225 degrees. Use a water pan filled with water or whatever you would like, for the smoke 5-6 oz. of wood. If you are planning on pulled pork once the Butt hit 195-200 degrees pull from smoker, double wrap in foil and place in a cooler. Cover with some towels, close lid and let sit 1-2 hours before pulling.

Here is my brine recipes, I would suggest to brine 8-12 hours. If you don't use sea salt, I would use 1 cup of kosher salt.

Brining Solution:
Makes 1 gallons of brine
Ingredients:
96 oz. water
3/4 cup fine sea salt
½ cup brown sugar
8 cups ice
Directions
1. In a sauce pan over medium heat stir together 32 oz. of water, salt, and sugar until dissolved.
2. Take your brining bucket and add 64 oz. of cold water along with 8 cups of ice, add items from the sauce pan and mix.
Brine temp should be 45 degrees or lower, add your chicken, pork or item to be brined and place in refrigerator.
Option instead of using ice, add 96 oz. of water instead of 64 oz. add the mix from the sauce pan and place in the refrigerator until cold.

• Note never reuse brine!

Greg
 
Thanks Greg.  Do you and others use some type of binder and rub after you brine? If so, what flavor profile works well?  I assume the brine process just adds moisture to the meat for such a long smoke and some flavor as well? 
 
teleskier said:
Thanks Greg.  Do you and others use some type of binder and rub after you brine? If so, what flavor profile works well?  I assume the brine process just adds moisture to the meat for such a long smoke and some flavor as well?
Click to expand...

Hey Mike,

The following has worked great for me, I would suggest at least a 8-9 lb butt. 

Smoked Pulled Pork (Really Good)
Ingredients
1 Whole Boston butt, bone in (around 7-10) – 3.5 oz. Cherry/2 oz. Hickory wood
Brine Ingredients:
96 oz. water
3/4 cup fine sea salt
½ cup brown sugar
8 cups ice
1 t. #1 pink cure
Dry Rub

My special dry rub (you can use any low salt rub)

Here is a link to my rub:
http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=3133.0

Directions

Place Boston butt in brining bucket with brine and place in refrigerator for 8-12 hours.
Remove Boston Butt from the refrigerator, drain the brine solution and pat the butt dry with paper towels. Apply yellow mustard and then the rub.

Place on the second shelf of the smoker and set smoker to 225 degrees. Remove from smoker when butt hits 200 degrees. Double cover butt in foil and place in a cooler covered with towels for 1-2 hours.

*Note you can reheat in the oven at 250 degrees for 30 minutes, use apple juice and some water in the pan.

*If Butt is cooking to fast, once it reaches 190 degrees, set smoker to 140 degrees, remove butt and tripled wrap in foil, leave the door open briefly to drop the temperature. You should be able to hold in the smoker for 4-5 hours. Remove from smoker, cover with foil and then place in cooler with towels for 1-2 hours.

Greg

 
Greg,

In one recipe you use #1 pink curing salt and the other you don't. What does it do?  Also, second rack from bottom or top?
 
teleskier said:
Greg,

In one recipe you use #1 pink curing salt and the other you don't. What does it do?  Also, second rack from bottom or top?
Click to expand...

Mike,

You ask a lot of questions : )

Dam this is fun!

For the smoke I place the meat second rack from the top.

#1 pink curing salt this will give you a smoke ring, looks great, but will not change the taste!.

Greg
 
Mike,

Here's how I do it.  A few folks have tried this, and think it works.  Give it a try, and let me know!:

Brined Butt for Pulled Pork

Like Greg said - once you brine, you'll never go back!

I use yellow mustard for a binder, and various rubs.  For an "off the shelf" rub that's pretty good, try Famous Dave's Rib Rub.  Good blend of sweet and heat, and some really nice spices.
 
Thanks. I just ordered some famous Daves as well as some Bad Byrons butt rub. And yes...I do ask a lot of questions...that is how your learn.
 
All good advice and right on point.  I would add to allow 2 hours/lb in your calculation of how much time the butt will need to reach at IT of 195-200F.  You can set the smoker at 225 and you should be fine.  Be ready for the "stall"...a long period of time where the IT of the butt will not move, usually with the butt is in the 170IT range.  The butt may stall for hours, so don't be alarmed and just let it go.  When the butt reaches 195-200IT, you can remove it and double foil wrap as Greg mentioned, and let the butt rest for at least an hour (preferably more) until you are ready to pull the meat...this rest period is critical to allow the juices in the meat to redistribute.    Good luck!
 
Just purchased a 10lb butt with a nice fat cap. 

1. Should I leave the whole cap in tacked or trim it down some?

2. Should I figure less total meat weight cause of the fat cap or base my cooking time estimate based on the whole thing?

3. I assume I don't want the meat probe anywhere near the bone. Any pics out there of how to properly place the probe in a bone in butt?
 
teleskier said:
Just purchased a 10lb butt with a nice fat cap. 

1. Should I leave the whole cap in tacked or trim it down some?

2. Should I figure less total meat weight cause of the fat cap or base my cooking time estimate based on the whole thing?

3. I assume I don't want the meat probe anywhere near the bone. Any pics out there of how to properly place the probe in a bone in butt?
Click to expand...

I would leave the fat cap and place it facing up. Insert the probe into about the middle, but don't touch the bone and don't go out the other side :)
On time, it will be done when done, smoke by temp on this baby and you will be fine.

Greg
 
teleskier said:
Wish me luck. I am going to improvise a brine bucket since the one I ordered won't be here until next week.
Click to expand...

Mike,

You can always use zip-lock bags, just make sure to double zip and place in another container just in case it leaks!

Greg
 
teleskier said:
Thats what I am going to do. The wife says she can find zip locks larger than a gallon so I will trust her on that one.
Click to expand...

For sure you can buy 2 gallon at the grocery store, sometimes you can find larger. In fact, you could buy a large turkey bag at the grocery store!

Greg
 
Mike, as far as the fat cap goes:  Personally, I trim almost all the external cap off of Boston butts.  Two reasons:  First, there's enough internal fat inside a pork butt to keep the meat moist and juicy (plus, brining really helps in that department).  Secondly, I don't like all the extra fat in the pulled pork.  If the cap is very thick, it won't all render down, and you'll have fat in the pulled pork (more than you should).  Plus, the fat cap inhibits brining, and rub affecting the meat itself.
 
Mike, butts are the only cuts I trim almost all the external fat off of.  On briskets, I leave about 1/4", and then score it in about 1" squares to let the brine and/or rub in.
 
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