First smoke with WSM - two butts and a couple of fattys

[Guest]

Hi guys,

I'm a newbie here, but not new to smoking. Been smoking animal parts for just over 25 years now.

I recently decided I needed a new smoker and bought a WSM.

The R2D2 look made me wonder a little, but after a very good history with Weber kettles, and lots of reading here, I took the plunge.

I picked up two butts, about 8 lbs each from the local meat market. Both were 'natural' and the fat was pretty even throughout.

I started the WSM with a full ring of unlit Royal Oak lump and about ½ dozen baseball sized chunks of hickory and oak (mixed).

I fired off with 20 lit briquets and assembled the cooker quickly. I filled the water pan (from a Brinkmann) almost to the rim. I closed the bottom vents and left the top vent open.

I took the butts and rinsed them good, then applied a generous amount of home made rub and put them on.

The temp at the lid was about 350 before I added the meat. It dropped to about 240 when I added both butts and the two rub covered fatties.

I took the fatties off after about 2½ hours at an internal temp of 195, I thought I had over cooked them, but they were absolutely fantastic for lunch. I had intended to take them off at about 165 or so, but think I will cook them to 195 from now on. MUCH better texture than when I pull them at 165.

It stayed stable for just over 4½ hours then dropped just about 210. I opened the bottom vents about 25% and the temp returned to about 235-240 for the next 7 hours.

After the 11½ hours, the water pan needed checking (I thought), but all was OK. The butts were at 171 on the lower rack and 176 on top. I noticed the coals and chunks were doing fine, but I could see I needed to add some more to make the rest of the trip.

I added about a third of a ring and closed her up tight.

Two hours later, the therms were at 195 for the top butt, 189 for the one one the bottom rack.

I pulled both and put them in a big roaster pan with a lid on the kitchen counter to rest for a couple of hours. After two hours of resting, the internal temp was at about 155.

I pulled the bones (lifted out easily) and pulled what little fat was in the butts, then pulled the bigger pieces into roughly bite sized chunks.

I've been eating pork butt morning noon and night since dinner Saturday night and still can't get enough of this stuff.

Pork and grits with sawmill gravy and biscuits for breakfast, sammies (three - which is embarassing) for lunch and potato salad and coleslaw for dinner.

I've been smoking pork butts for years, but this is the best I have ever done, heard about or eaten in my life.

Thanks to all of you for the info posted and to the site owners for bringing me into the 21st century where damned good que is concerned.

I would've posted a few pics but every time I pull out the pork to take a few pics I end up eatin again.

I better bag this stuff and shrink it before I gain 20 lbs

Any suggestions for brisket or turkey ? I have one of both in the freezer and can't decide which to do first.

 

[Bill Spearman]

Go with the turkey. So easy and so good on the WSM.

 

[Kirk Boorman]

Welcome aboard Rusty. If you feel that you have a good handle on the fire control in the WSM, neither should be a problem. Take it easy on the smoke for the turkey though, I oversmoked the first poultry I did and it was almost inedible.

 

[Dennis D]

Rusty, congrats on your successful cook and welcome to the board! I was interested in your comment about bringing fatties up to 195 instead of 165--that's a lot of difference. Now I've never smoked a fatty before so forgive my ignorance. Can you be more specific about what you mean by better texture in the 195 version? What temp do other board members smoke their fatties to?

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the great suggestions and the warm welcome

The fatties were great. I got preoccupied with chores and forgot to check on them. I usually pull them at about 165, hoping to keep them in the suggested 'safe' temp range without drying them out.

I yanked them at 195 and let them rest for about an hour. The texture was very much like a good meat loaf (if there is such a thing) or very good home made italian meat balls.

When I have pulled them at 165, they are pretty much the same texture as when pan cooked in slices, without as much of the outside being browned of course.

For using in other dishes (spaghetti, lasagna etc.. ) the texture at 195 is perfect (IMO)

For sandwiches, I also liked a slightly more dense, completely greaseless result. The rub on it was just an added bonus.

Next time I am going to do Italian style fatties with a rub with oregano, red pepper and garlic powder, with just a touch of paprika and turbinado.

If those turn out well, I will put the meat on a couple of pizzas or in marinara.

HTH,

RS

 

[Dennis D]

Thanks Rusty for the helpful description of the differences between the two temps for fatties. Makes me want to experiment and try both. Can fatties be frozen for later use?

 

[Paul H]

Rusty, will have to try cooking fatties to 195. When I cooked them to 165-170 they were awful dry. Yes, you can freeze them. Do it all the time.