Butt Questions


 
J

j. pavone

TVWBB Super Fan
I have not smoked any butts low and slow in a long time-about a year now. I have 2 8 pound butts to cook for a party on saturday and need them delivered and unpulled by 4pm. Does trimming the fat cap off help speed up the cook compared to not trimming? I have never trimmed any butt and always came out better than i expected. Does 1 1/2 hours per pound cooked at 235-250 degrees sound right which would make it 12 hours cooking time? I would like to give myself about 2 hours of down time when i am done. Would putting them on at 11pm friday be good enough or should i put them on earlier?
 
I think if you put them on at 11pm you should be fine. 12 hours ahead puts you at 11am (my awesome math). that leaves plenty of wiggle room if your butts get stuck for longer than expected.
 
I just did 2 bone-in butts (14 lbs total), following the Chris Lilly recipe ( here ). I let them go for 16 hours, with the WSM running between 210 - 230. I made sure that I measured 190 degrees F in the thickest parts of the meat. They are fantastic. I didn't trim them at all - I just threw the fat out as I pulled them.

HTH.
 
I just did almost the same cook as you but I had 4 butts but the biggest was 8 lbs and it had to be ready for dinner at 3:00 pm. I prepped the smoker before dark, even loaded the chimney. I have a big tub that I prep my butts in. I brought the tub and butts out at about 11:30 pm Friday night. I lit the chimney starter. Then I rubbed the butts, no trimming, I like the fat cap down I think it helps keep the flesh side from getting to crispy. I used a full ring of K, 3 fist sized pieces of peach wood, with about 20 pieces of lit poured on top. I hooked up the Maverick and the smoker settled at about 245 at 50% vents. Stayed right there all night. I checked for tender starting at about 185 in the largest butt. I pulled all the butts as soon as they were tender and wrapped in foil and placed in on of those hot/cold bags. The smaller butts were tender right at 195 but the larger 2 werent tender until over 200. The last one came off at 1:30 and they all rested in the hot bag wrapped until about 3:00 when we pulled them. Everybody said it was some of the best they had ever had.
 
I usually trim my pork butts...I don't think it will speed up cooking, but there is plenty of internal fat, and you end up throwing it away when pulling anyway. Plus, you lose the bark that formed on the fat. If I'm cooking a frozen one, I don't trim them...just throw them on.
 
j, I'd figure more on 14 hrs than 12hrs for the butts. I always do butts in the 8-9lb range and they take 14-15 hrs. Cooking grate temp is right at 235º. HTH
I never ever trim butts, and here's why. Copied and pasted from one of my many posts on this subject.
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"I feel I must post about this because I read about so people doing this too many times. If you know this sorry, but for those who don't I'm posting because the best part of the butt is lost in doing this, cutting off the false fat cap. If you buy untrimmed butts please don't cut the false fat cap off. See there are 2 fat caps on a butt the one you see is a false cap and the true fat cap. There's a very thin piece of meat that lies under the false cap and on top of the true fat cap. Now let me tell you that when your butt is done cooking and after the rest and you got to pull it here is where you will be rewarded for your efforts. I consider this the cooks reward and I hardly ever share it. Gently push the false fat cap aside with your thumb to expose that very thin layer of meat that is sitting on top of the true fat cap and quickly eat it while no one is looking. Trust me you will be eating Pork Butt Nirvana."
 
Bryan, do you ever trim just the top layer or the top fat cap? That way you could get some rub on that PB Nirvana. Just wondering what your take on that is. Oh, and by the way, 'love those pretzles! Thanks.
 
Originally posted by B. Kaylor:
Bryan, do you ever trim just the top layer or the top fat cap? That way you could get some rub on that PB Nirvana. Just wondering what your take on that is. Oh, and by the way, 'love those pretzles! Thanks.
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No because what makes that thin layer of meat so melt in your mouth good is the false cap and true cap sandwich the meat is in. I'm telling you try it just once, and see what you would rather have, some more bark or that little layer of Nirvana.
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I never trim so you know what my choice is.
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Really the false cap is so thin after 12-16 hrs. in the WSM you can just eat what's left of the cap and that thin layer of smoked meat goodness. I'm wanting it right now typing this.
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Glad to hear you like the pretzles.
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Originally posted by B. Kaylor:
Bryan, in the next month, I'll be doing at least 2 - 4 or 6 butt cooks, so yes, I'm gonna give it a try.
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On the one you are going to try it on, don't put that butt fat cap down. You run the risk of that meat layer sticking to the grate when you remove the butt.
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Fat cap up on the Nirvana butt.
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Thank you for clearing this up for me. I feel kinda stupid for even posting this even though i have been doing butts for 3 years now on my WSM. Funny how you sometimes forget things. The guy i am cooking this for most likely has been telling his guests about this awesome smoked pork butt they are going to eat this weekend so i better get this right. I will take some pics at home and post and will try to get some after it is pulled at the party.
 
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