First Smoke Attempt...9.6lb butt...Is my plan good?

[jpowell]

Finally ready to give the new 3D it's maiden voyage.
9.6lb bone in butt
Used mustard and rub...wrapped meat in plastic and it's sitting in the fridge overnight.
Reading through this forum here's what I've gathered:
Run box temp between 225-245.  Split the diff and just run at 235?
At 195 IT, wrap in foil and let it rest in a cooler for an hour or 2.
5-6oz wood chunks (I have the hickory that came with the 3D)
Figure could be 10-12+ hrs before it hits 195 IT.

Looking for confirmation or suggestions.  Thanks!

 

[nvw-ssv]

Probably from my limited experience of 20 or so butts, and from what I've read on here .....you may want to budget around 15 hours for this smoke.  1.5-2.0 hrs per pound is generally accepted, with some lower and higher results due to the nature of "each hunk of meat is different."  I think 190 IT will be a great temperature to pull and wrap, with just the perfect amount of moisture and taste for your final product.

There are a LOT of threads on this in the pork section, and if you search in the Pork and then search in the Brine section, you will see that many have success with a 12-15 hour brine for our butts, as well.  Not mandatory by any means, but can add moisture, flavor, and generally speed up the hours/lb. process.  I've done butts both ways, and while I prefer brined (Divot Maker brine) butts, there is ZERO wrong with smoking without brining first. 

235 cook temp sounds good, double wrap in foil, then a towel wrap/cooler  after 190 IT, and if serving 6pm on Sunday, start at 11pm or midnight the night before and foil/cooler if it gets finished early...... <--- all suggestions from what I've learned on this forum. 

My .02  - - -  you are about to be overwhelmed with your purchase.  And popular at cookouts, gatherings... "Hey, why don't you make us a butt again, Jason?"  or  "Jason's turn to cook"

get ready for it.


http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=1012.0

 

[drains]

a 10 pound butt in my #3 takes 18 hours. Two 10 pound butts same 18 hours. I start them before bedtime and sleep through most of it.  The stall is what will make you think something is wrong and start to get nervous but dont because it is normal around the 160 to 170 degree mark. The temp will stay there for hours and maybe even go lower! Then when all the collagen has melted the temp will start a steady climb to your finished temp. For pulled pork I go to 195 and if slicing to 185. Your plan seems solid just remember to not get antsy at the stall and get tempted to open the door and peek because it will only add time to an already long smoke. Rest easy because butts are virtually impossible to mess up. Your guests will be impressed with your skills as the resident pitt master.

 

[jpowell]

Thanks for the feedback! Planning to fire things up this evening!

 

[jpowell]

It worked!
6.0oz of hickory ... cut up one chunk into smaller pieces ... and put foil on the them poking holes in the bottoms.
So it went 14hrs and 9mins to hit 190F IT running at 235F
Then double foiled it and it went into a cooler for 3hrs.
Very yummy!  The meat furthest from the bone was super tender .. the stuff closest to the bone was more firm.

Can wait to take some to work tomorrow and share at the office.

 

[jcboxlot]

Well done!  I might be corrected, but I find the meat toward the bone the best tasting and what I think competition people use for making their plate for judging.

 

[DivotMaker]

Looks great, Jason!

Now, let's talk about finishing technique....  With bone-in butts, put that knife away!  After the rest, grab that bone and give it a little wiggle....it will slide right out, clean!  Then, get yourself a couple of big forks (or better yet, order some bear claws), and go to town pulling that pork!  Should just take a few minutes, and you'll get a great "Southern" pulled pork presentation!  (See pic)

You definitely have the first - and most important step - down:  Smoking a perfect butt!!

 

[jpowell]

Looks great, Jason!

Now, let's talk about finishing technique....  With bone-in butts, put that knife away!  After the rest, grab that bone and give it a little wiggle....it will slide right out, clean!  Then, get yourself a couple of big forks (or better yet, order some bear claws), and go to town pulling that pork!  Should just take a few minutes, and you'll get a great "Southern" pulled pork presentation!  (See pic)

You definitely have the first - and most important step - down:  Smoking a perfect butt!!

The knife was just so I could cut a few slices and see the layering. I pulled it all apart by hand removing fat as I went along. Seems like maybe I removed too much of the fat (according to my facebook comments), but it tasted great!
Had some friends over yesterday for lunch.  Had warmed it up in a crockpot and people went back for 2nd's so I took that as a good sign
I did get bear claws with my maverick 733, but didn't use them.  I'll try 'em next round.

 

[DivotMaker]

No worries, Jason!  It's all about the taste, and sounds like you sure had that nailed!  Sometimes, I just feel like I'm not fulfilling my Southern gentleman responsibility if I don't help educate my Yankee Northern brothers and sisters in the proper etiquette of pulled pork!  ;D ;D

p.s. - you'll find tearing into one of those bad boys with the bear claws is highly enjoyable, and stress-relieving! 8)

 

[jpowell]

Thanks Tony.  Yeah, I got the same ribbing from people on facebook when they saw the knife.
So, how much fat are you removing during the shredding process?  I had a couple people say to not remove any, but I pulled out a LOT extra fat when I shredded by hand.

 

[NDKoze]

I remove no fat. I just pull it apart so there are not big chunks of fat.

 

[SuperDave]

I peel the fat cap off and any unrendered fat clumps.  Thin layers on internal fat tend to disappear in the pulled meat.  Jason, for what it's worth, I prefer the hand pulled chunks to thin shredded pork. 

 

[NDKoze]

I peel the fat cap off and any unrendered fat clumps.  Thin layers on internal fat tend to disappear in the pulled meat.  Jason, for what it's worth, I prefer the hand pulled chunks to thin shredded pork. 

Dave, isn't the fat cap where all your bark is? You throw that bark away?

Most of the fat in my fat cap has rendered away and I am left with a little bit of fat and a lot of primo bark which I covet.

+1 on using the bear paws. I prefer the shredded fine pork. But this is obviously a subjective preference.

 

[jpowell]

I had another guy tell me he runs to 205IT so more of the internal fat clumps are gone.  <shrug>

 

[DivotMaker]

Jason, if you have a lot of external fat, on a butt, that isn't rendered-down, you probably aren't trimming the raw butt enough.  I buy my butts at Sam's, and they're generally pretty well-trimmed.  But, they still need a little touch-up.  Boston butts have enough internal fat that you don't need a thick fat cap to keep them moist, like a brisket.  I trim almost all of the external fat, as well as the connective tissue between the two muscles (that flap on one side of the butt).  I don't trim them naked, but definitely anything more than 1/4" or less.  The result is no big unrendered fat chunks in the pulled meat.  The internal fat will easily melt into the pulled meat, and isn't noticeable.  Plus, without all the external fat, you get better brine penetration (if you brine), and better rub coverage on the meat for killer bark! 

Just the way I do it, and it works for me!

 

[NDKoze]

Tony made a great point about trimming the fat. My Sam's Club butts are pretty much good to go out of the package, so I sometimes forget that others have butts with thicker fat caps on.

Trim the cap to 1/4" and use a mustard binder before adding your rub and you will not want to trim any of what is left (chewy bark) when you remove your butt from the smoker.

 

[jpowell]

I didn't have a lot of external fat ... it was more internal that I was removing when pulling by hand.

I did trim the other side down to 1/4" or so...you can get a glimpse of it in the smoker...

I'll post up a pick of the next one BEFORE smoking to get input on whether I've cut enough external.
Thanks for the feedback everyone!  Much appreciated!

 

[jpowell]

also - just started another thread here on ideas for feeding 100ish people ... your feedback on that appreciated too
http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=4966.0

 

[Pork Belly]

Trim if it makes you happy but I never do. I suggest getting untrimmed butts either in cryovac or from the butcher if you don't want to buy the pair.

1. Brine is optional
2. Score the fat cap nearly all the way through with a series of lines making 1 inch squares
3. Rub and smoke as you always do
4. The majority of the fat will render and you will have little crispy squares of bark.

 

[DivotMaker]

That butt certainly doesn't look too fat, Jason!  Try the bear claws, when you pull the next one...they'll blend that internal fat into the meat and make it scrumpdidlicious! 8)