10.4lb butt w/bone overnighter + 4 racks ribs ... SUCCESS *pics*


 
M

Matt Simmons

TVWBB Member
I just got back from the store with a 10lb Boston Butt Blade Roast and I noticed the bone is still in. Is it hard to remove? Do I remove it? Should I be expecting a 19-20hr cook time for this bad boy?

It looks like the fat is pretty well trimmed but I may be trimming off a bit more.

Comments/suggestions welcome and appreciated


p.s. The plan is to try to get it done by 11am tomorrow in order to sit for 2-3 hours prior to pulling and then toss on ribs (4 racks of spare ribs St Louise cut ~3.5lb each) around 11am in order to be done around 3-4
 
Leave the bone in. It will fall off at the end of the cook with no problem and helps keep the butt together while cooking.

If you want the butt to come off at 11 a.m., I would put it in the smoker at 5 p.m. at the latest. Cook it at 240-270 and it will be fine. Cover in foil and finish in the oven around 300 if you feel like you are running out of time tomorrow morning.
 
I don't think I've ever cooked one quite that big, but the last time I cooked, it was two butts that together weighed over 19 lbs, so that's close. I would not remove the bone (I have never bought or cooked a boneless butt). Depending on how this butt cooks (no two ever act exactly alike in my limited experience) you may be looking at 16 hours or more if you cook it around 250 degrees. If it isn't ready by 11:00 a.m., I think you could just move it to the lower rack and let it continue to cook along with the ribs.
 
Definitely leave the bone in and get it on the cooker now. It really only needs to rest for about an hour before you pull it. Think about using a rib rack so you can keep the butt on the cooker with the ribs.

Good Luck
 
Great thanks for the tips.
I do have a rib rack so if the temps are not where I want them by the time I start the ribs I will place the butt on the bottom and the racks all on the top.
Should I expect longer than 4.5hrs on the ribs? I did 2 racks each about 3.5-4 last week and 4.5 was perfect....will 4 take longer if temps are still kept about 225?

I think I am going with the mustard/rub from the main site... is that pretty tasty or should I shoot for something else?

As for wood... I think I am going to use a mix of mesquite for the butt and apple for the ribs
 
Originally posted by Matt Simmons:
I just got back from the store with a 10lb Boston Butt Blade Roast QUOTE]

FWIW, I did a butt about 9 lbs the other day in good weather, at 240-260* lid that took 13 hours
Click to expand...
 
Butt is on but the temp is climbing VERY slow. Started with a full ring of coal with some hickory and cherry mixed in. Topped it off with 25 lit coals, filled the water pan with boiling water, and put the meat on. It is kind of windy outsdie today with a temp of about 80 (will drop to around 60 tonight). All vents are open for now. 30min in and temps about 180 but climbing slowly.

Pics below during/after prep

Also, I started it now after reading a lot of stories about the butt not being done in time. If mine finished early (4-6 hours or even more), will it be less quality when served? What should I do to make sure it is top notch at serving time?

IMAG0101.jpg


IMAG0103.jpg


*UPDATE*
almost 2 hours in now and the temps seam to be holding right about 220 on the lid. I am about to head out for the night (gone for about 5 hours) in 20 min or so.... I hope to god this thing is stable and I don't come back to way high/low temps...
 
At 220 lid, you are probably in for quite a long session. Were you able to get the heat up a bit before you left? Hope it works out for you.
 
Heat was about 220 when I left and when I returned (12am) it was down to about 210. I readjusted the vents to about 50% and the temps are climbing back up to the mid 225-240 range. will give it about 30 min to hopefully stabilize and then off to bed for a couple hours.

I started it at 5pm tonight so as long as it is finished sometime between 10 and 12 I will be happy
 
Matt:

If your going by lid temp, I'd crank her up closer to ~275 to 280. At ~230 to 250 lid temp, I'd be worried about finishing a few hours too late.
 
Thanks for the tip. I am trying to bring up the temps now. I started with a layer of used coals on the bottom from an old cook and think that is why my temps started dipping 7 hours in. I just took off the middle section in order to sift the coals around and shake off the ash. Then, I moved all of the hot coals towards the center and put a fresh ring of unlit coal around the edge. Good or bad idea? Oh well, If i can get the temp up to 250ish in the next 30 min I am going to head to bed for 4 hours before checking it again.

I will try to keep her 250-275 for the remainder of the cook. I guess to start I was worried about having it too hot and ended up a bit shallow on temps

on another side note.... I filled the water pan to start with hot water (~1.5gal) and it was empty when I got back 7 hours in to the cook. I just added another 2 gal of hot water.
 
6am and the temps when I woke up were sitting still at 225.. "Bummer, too low still" I thought. It was the 12 hour mark so I flipped the butt and basted it again. When I flipped it the butt kinda just fell in half with a tear parallel the bone. It didnt tear completely in half because I was using a very large spatula along with my hand, but it was close.

So, is my butt done? I checked the temp and it seemed to be about 189. I tried to wiggle the bone itself and it didn't feel like it would pull out like I believe people said it should when done. It is only 12 hours in on a ~9lb (after trim) Butt that has only been cooking around 225....

what is the deal?
 
Feel the meat. Stick a probe in it, or a fork. The meat will be very soft and tender when the butt is done. The bone wil be loose.

Ignore any notion about what the internal temp 'should' be or how many hours per pound the meat 'should' take. Feel the meat.

My guess is that its got some more time to cook.
 
8am and I just woke up to find the temp of the cooker at 200. I think the sprinklers in our apt complex were turned on for the season yesterday...
icon_frown.gif

Anyways, the meat temp is 175 now (dropped 10 deg??) I wrapped it in foil and have a full web chimney of coals getting ready right now. Also, the meat where the butt split in half looks dried out which I am not too enthusiastic about..... I hope this isn't a failure haha.


*UPDATE* took the butt off about 830 or 9, wrapped it in foil and put it in a warmed up cooler (from tips off the website I warmed it up with hot water and wrapped the butt in HD foil 2X and towels) Therm is reading 186 for the butt and plan to pull it in about 3 hours.

The ribs were all cut to make 8 halves to fit them all in the rib rack. I moved all of the burning coals to the center of the ring and lined the outside with fresh unlit coals. Placed 4 large chunks of apple wood in and am now letting the ribs ride.... wish me luck on part II
 
you don't have a failure! sometimes it takes a bit to make the push from 175 to 195. and like kevin said, you got to feel the meat!
 
it felt unbelievably tender when i put the probe through. Somehow, I don't know how, i resisted the temptation to taste it and placed it straight in the cooler.

Ribs are on now (about 30 min in) a lot more smoke coming out than usual, hopefully the ribs will taste like the wood smoke and not smoke from the fresh coals.
 
1230pm and I just finished pulling the Butt. It was about half and half as far as moistness. half of the meat was very moist and tender and half seemed a little dry. I sprinkled a little of the unused rub on the meat and wrapped it back up in foil for latter. I put the oven on "warm" and placed the meat in there but think I will periodically turn the oven off so the heat stays very low in hopes it doesn't further cook it.

Ribs: I smoked for the first 2 hours, then foiled for 1 hour. They are now on without foil and I am hoping the bark firms up because it wasn't forming very well even before I foiled for the hour. Temps are steady about 250. I also just bought some ingredients to throw three fatties since I should have enough fuel for them.

pics to follow....


*UPDATE*
so everyone is over and so far everyone loves the BBQ. I did the Carolina sauce for the pulled pork but added more ketchup, sugar and Worcestershire sauce to tone down the vinegar taste). The ribs were topped with Sweet Baby Rays honey sauce.

Overall I think the pulled prok could have been a bit more tender and same with the ribs. However, last time I did the ribs they were TOO tender for my taste so I am still trying to find a sweet spot. Either way, the meat came off the bone easily and everyone loved the food. But then again, has anyone ever had someone tell them their honest opinion on food if they didn't like it that much? haha

I will post pics once the party dies down... if I haven't been drinking too much by then
 
As stated in above posts...

Butt: half somewhat dry and the other half pretty moist.... too much or too little time on the smoker? (~9lbs after trim cooked for ~17hrs)

Ribs: tender but would have liked it a bit more tender.... rub and sauce was great. 4 racks ~14lbs smoked about 4.5hrs (1 hr foiled in the middle)

IMAG0104.jpg


IMAG0105.jpg


IMAG0106.jpg


IMAG0107.jpg


IMAG0108.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top