Randy Stevens of Michigan
New member
when is the best time to wrap butts? time in smoker or internal temp.
*If you're pushed for time, I agree with Mark & crutch it at 150f/160f, until you get to +/- 195f. Unwrap to set the bark till you reach 203f.
Stephen.Hi Tony,
it is actually Fathers Day here tomorrow and I am trying to work out if for a 3pm lunch for pulled pork what start time I need to get up and start the cook. Wife has offered to keep the bed warm for me.Thanks. I like to cook at 225 F so I figure 8hrs mininum, 1hr to rest in the esky, so that has me lighting up at 9 hours back from 3pm, being 6 am. That would be a perfect cook. Do I get up at 4.00am? do I wrap? So many questions.......
Hi Tony,
it is actually Fathers Day here tomorrow and I am trying to work out if for a 3pm lunch for pulled pork what start time I need to get up and start the cook. Wife has offered to keep the bed warm for me.Thanks. I like to cook at 225 F so I figure 8hrs mininum, 1hr to rest in the esky, so that has me lighting up at 9 hours back from 3pm, being 6 am. That would be a perfect cook. Do I get up at 4.00am? do I wrap? So many questions.......
Hi Tony,
it is actually Fathers Day here tomorrow and I am trying to work out if for a 3pm lunch for pulled pork what start time I need to get up and start the cook. Wife has offered to keep the bed warm for me.Thanks. I like to cook at 225 F so I figure 8hrs mininum, 1hr to rest in the esky, so that has me lighting up at 9 hours back from 3pm, being 6 am. That would be a perfect cook. Do I get up at 4.00am? do I wrap? So many questions.......
Tip: If you're getting up at 4:00am, get the smoker all prepped before you go to bed. Then all you have to do is fire up the few coals & assemble the smoker.
I did my first couple of butts that way as well, but....well - these things can have minds of their own for how long to cook, and dinner time came and went and the butts still weren't done letting them ride unwrapped.
If you are planning for a fixed time to start serving, I'd budget more time. And I would monitor the internal temp while watching the clock and go to wrapping if you hit the stall and the clock starts getting loud.
As for time to start, I normally assemble the smoker and start the fuel at 10:00PM so the smoker is up to temp about 11:00PM and put meat on at about 11:00PM. Cook at 225* so butts are normally done about 10 or 11 AM and then into the cooler until serving at 4PM or later. This way I can get other things ready and get a shower and some rest so I can enjoy the friends and family.
Hi Rich- I like the idea of cooking the day before, but how do you store, reheat/shred?Stephen, like Tony said it depends on the size of the butt. I just did a 10lb butt at 225-250. It stalled at 160 and I wrapped it, unfoiled at 195, probe tender at 205. Total time 12 1/2 hours. Not including cool down time which is about an hour.
That's why I always do pork butts the day before I want to use them. Never plan to use them on the same day, so if it takes a lot longer than I figured no problem.
Good luck with your cook.
Thanks Bob- do you use a ATC on your smoker, or just trust it to stay steady? With 4+ hours in the cooler do you have to reheat before or after you shred?
Never*.
Open another beer & let it ride.
In my experience, wrapping makes the bark mushy & I love crunchy bark in amongst the moist meat.
*If you're pushed for time, I agree with Mark & crutch it at 150f/160f, until you get to +/- 195f. Unwrap to set the bark till you reach 203f.