Two Butt Day seems like a common theme

[NDKoze]

With so many people doing double pork butts, I figured I would get in on the action.

I don't have anything special going on. I just wanted to have a nice pulled pork meal and restock my freezer for some future meals. It is usually just me and my two boys. So, I split each butt into thirds and vacuum pack and freeze. I typically pull the pork, then vacuum pack just to save time when I reheat. But, I know some vacuum pack the whole butt and pull later. Either way works. I just like the convenience of pulling a pack out and after a quick reheat and I am good to go.

We love the pulled pork spaghetti and have done this several times:
http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=2732

I have a recipe for Pulled Pork Enchiladas that I will be trying soo too. Maybe this weekend and I'll put the recipe up if it turns out OK.

There is so many things that you can do with leftover pulled pork!

I put two Sam's Club Butts (a little over 16lbs) in Divot's brine last night before going to bed. Will rinse, pat dry, and massage with Mustard and apply rub around 9:00pm. Then place in the fridge for 2 hours for the rub/mustard to get happy. Finally into the smoker with 3oz Hickory and 3oz Cherry and will start smoking tonight around 11:00pm.

I'll be using my go to and favorite pork/poultry rub Smokehouse BBQ Seasoning from Excalibur on one butt and a new favorite called Cherry Hickory Romano Rub on the second. The Cherry/Hickory/Romano rub give a really distinct Cherry flavor.

 

[SuperDave]

Glad to see you getting smoky Gregg.  Good to know that all these pigs didn't give their life up in vain. 

 

[NDKoze]

9:00pm last night I pulled the butts from the brine, rinsed, patted dry, applied mustard and Cherry/Hickory/Romano rub on one butt and Smokehouse BBQ rub on the other.

It was only about 35 degrees out last night, so rather than resting in the fridge for a couple of hours, I just placed them in the pre-prepped smoker and let the rub/mustard get happy. You can see that the rub was still a little dry in a couple of spots. It was all melded together by the time that I started smoking.

Started at 140 for 45 minutes, then up to 225 and hit the hay for the night.

By 10:00 the next morning the temp was at 170, and I bumped the heat to 235 which is pretty common especially for two butts.

They hit 194 at 5:00 which was perfect. I pulled them, double-wrapped in foil and into the cooler for 3 hours.

My son did the pulling. The first butt we split into 3 portions about 1.7lbs a piece and vacuum sealed. The second one we split into 3 portions and vacuum sealed two of them and ate the other third for our evening meal. It is nice to have my freezer stocked with 5 more easy pulled pork meals.

We baked some French fries in the oven and started with a bed of fries on each plate, added some cheese, a mound of pulled pork and some BBQ sauce. Looking back on it, some sour cream may have been good on there too, but I didn't think of it until just now.

I could really taste the sweet cherry flavor in the rub. This is rapidly becoming one of my new favorites. I used up the rest of the bottle for this butt and will be ordering a larger quantity the next time I order spices.

Notice that we used our fine dining this evening. It was getting late and neither me or the boys wanted to do dishes.

 

[swthorpe]

Great looking pulled pork, Gregg!  Well done, and I bet you enjoyed it.

 

[gregbooras]

Love the bear claws!

Really nice.

Greg

 

[elkins20]

Hey Greg nice and moist pulled pork. I agree with you is better to pull and then vac seal before going into the freezer. As makes it really easy to re-heat for a quick meal.

 

[smokeasaurus]

lookin real good 8)

 

[DivotMaker]

Those look fantastic, Gregg!  Gonna have to get me one of those brining containers.  That shot shows the size a lot better than the stock photo of it empty.

 

[NDKoze]

Those look fantastic, Gregg!  Gonna have to get me one of those brining containers.  That shot shows the size a lot better than the stock photo of it empty.

Yeah, they are about the same price as "The Briner", but being square and a little shorter allows it to fit into my fridge with less shelf moving verses the large Briner bucket. I got mine at a local restaurant supply store. To push the meat down, I just fill a gallon Zip Lock with water and place it on top.

 

[SuperDave]

Gregg, how was the fries plate?  That looks way good!

 

[NDKoze]

It was very good. We'll be doing it again. Actually it was my son's idea. We're always trying to find new ways of using our pulled pork.

I think a little sour cream would have been good. But, I didn't think of that until after we had finished eating.

 

[SuperDave]

The food network version of that plate finishes with a gravy. 

 

[NDKoze]

That sounds good too. May have to try that next time.

 

[Donmac]

Looks real good Gregg! Good eats.

 

[elkins20]

Those look fantastic, Gregg!  Gonna have to get me one of those brining containers.  That shot shows the size a lot better than the stock photo of it empty.

Yeah, they are about the same price as "The Briner", but being square and a little shorter allows it to fit into my fridge with less shelf moving verses the large Briner bucket. I got mine at a local restaurant supply store. To push the meat down, I just fill a gallon Zip Lock with water and place it on top.

Hey Greg have you ever brined a brisket in that container. I wonder if the restaurant depot would have them? As close as they are might just take a trip down there.

 

[NDKoze]

I would be surprised if the Restaurant Depot would not have these.

The 18Qt container is 12.5" high. So, flats work really well. But, you would have to find a relatively small full packer to fit in there even considering it will bend a little.

The 22Qt model would probably work better. It is 15.8", which might put you more in the ballpark.

Or even better this one for briskets:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VAPUBS/ref=psdc_13880481_t3_B0001MRURI

I still like the vertical height of the 18qt for most everything other than briskets though because more of the meat is submerged and not making contact with anything other than the solution while not touching the water-filled Ziploc bag that you use to submerge the meat.

Depending on how often you smoke briskets (admittedly I don't smoke that many because of the cost), you can also use a cooler with icy brine for briskets.

 

[elkins20]

Hey Greg, I did find these at restaurant depot on the computer. I think they have several sizes. As for the full packers, I normally stay under 14# and found some 10# ones last time was at the RD. They normally go for 4.79 per lb. or in that neighborhood. My next project is to get a top sirloin roast and cut it into steaks.