First boston butt


 
E Brunner

E Brunner

TVWBB Member
I will be attempting my first boston butt tomorrow. After trimming it is down to a little under 8lbs. looking for a 4am start time. My only question is should I put water in the pan or go with the clay saucer? Don't know if anyone lives in upstate ny, just went to the local home depot and they had kingsford original 2-13.9lb. bags for $6.88 so i got 100lb.
 
I just finished my first BB on the WSM 18.5.
I cooked it for 13 Hrs at 225 Deg F and ramped it up to 250 the last few hrs.
It came out real good. Lots of tender moist meat with a good smoke ring.
I had the fire going and the butt in the smoker at 530Am.
I'm pooped. Time for bed
 
I pretty much use water all of the time. I guess someday I should try the clay saucer, but I figure if it ain't broke, don't fix it. :D

What time is dinner?
 
That's good to hear Van, hope mine turns out ok. Seeing that the dogs just got me up to go outside (2:30am) here may as well get things rolling. I have yet to cook with water, purchased a clay saucer when I picked up my WSM so like you said Vern if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 
I'm new to this kind of cooking and I'm learning too. I don't know anything about the clay saucer. How did it go?
E Brunner said:
That's good to hear Van, hope mine turns out ok. Seeing that the dogs just got me up to go outside (2:30am) here may as well get things rolling. I have yet to cook with water, purchased a clay saucer when I picked up my WSM so like you said Vern if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
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It turned out very well. I used a combination of hickory and apple chunks, it ended up taking around 11hrs to cook to get the bone to wiggle at 192 degrees. I will definitely be cooking multiple butts on my next cook. I picked up my clay saucer at the local green house/landscape store. Biggest one I could find was a 16", foiled it and put it in the foiled water pan. I've cooked 5 times so far on my 22" and have never had a problem holding temps with the saucer in.
 
You don't have to use a clay saucer. You can just simply not put water in the existing pan and then put a piece or two of aluminum foil over the top to catch drippings. Referred to as dry pan.

Can't remember the last time I put a drop of water in that pan. I just change the foil out every so often when it gets really ugly.

Russ
 
What time did you pull it off the smoker? I just did my first one today and threw it on at 5:30am as well. Will post more shortly, it's time to eat.
 
E Brunner said:
My only question is should I put water in the pan or go with the clay saucer?
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I say either way, you'll be fine. The water works as advertised...just be prepared to refill is required. The clay saucer also works well. I've used both but think I am about to go back to water in the pan. I dunno why - just the way the WSM was designed I guess.
 
E Brunner said:
Steve, I believe that I pulled mine off around 4:30 in the afternoon. Hope yours turned out well.
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Pretty close on times. I pulled mine at 3:45 at 200 degrees. We didn't have any plastic wrap so I put the butt into a large ziplock bag (2 gallon) and rolled it up to get any air out. Wrapped it in a towel and put it in a small cooler until about 6:15. Checked the temp when I pulled it out and it was still at 170. Pulled apart like a dream. The bark and the flavor was amazing. Couldn't be much happier.
 
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