First Butt!


 
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Tom P

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I'll be doing my first pork butts this weekend.I bought the cryovac ones at Costco. The pkg wght is 10 lbs and they told me there were 2 butts per pkg.
My questions are as follows:
1) At 5 lbs ea do I plan on cooking them for 2 hrs per lb based on the total of 10 lb or the individual wght of 5 lbs ea?

2) I've read on this site that I can expect to have approx 50% shrinkage. At some point will I be able to put both butts on the top rack and throw a chicken on the lower rack?

Thanks for your help. This will be my 2nd smoke. The first were ribs that were awsome! This site is what lead me to be a proud owner of a WSM!

Tom
 
You'll want the masters chime in, but I think that 2 hours per pound is more than reasonable (it might take a bit less, but it's better not to count on it). As for the shrinkage, I've never noticed a dramatic size difference in the before and after product (maybe I'm just drooling too much over the thing to pay attention) but yeah, maybe you will be able to fit 'em on the same grate eventually (if not right from the beginning!).

Have fun!
 
Welcome Tom.

Everyone here will certainly help you through your BBQ adventure. The prevailing message you'll get is:

Butts are done when they're done.

My butt times have been between 14 and 16 hours for the most part, that's two 7 pounders, bone in. That's cooking time. Usually about 30 mins or so of cooker preptime. 20 hours seems a bit long, but not totally out of the question. 10 hours seems too short, but you never know.

Have only used the Minion method, works great. Butts were my first smoke and I was scared to do an overnighter the first time (didn't have a remote thermo, still don't), but that's the only way I do butts now. Tons of great advice buried here. Do a search on My Butt Journey. That string really helped me my first time.

I shoot for a butt temp of 195 - 200. My first time I had to foil to get that temp AND serve dinner at a reasonable hour.

Good luck!
 
If you didn't want to cook anything else, I'd just cook both butts on the top rack, shouldn't take more than 10 hours. That would save you having to clean the bottom grate, unless you wanted to throw something on that as well.

Note, that the butts at Costco don't have bones, so you'll have to check for internal temp rather than the "loose bone test" (they are ready for pulling at 195-200 degrees). Two five pounders should feed about 16-20 people after pulled. I'm still eating/sharing the 4 I smoked last weekend.

Good luck, pork butt rules!
 
If it were me, I'd prepare for a longer than 10 hour cook time. Like Joe said, they're done when they're done. I once needed over nine hours for a single 3lb butt. If you allow yourself, say, 14-15 hours, you have a nice safe cushion and you don't have to worry about it not being ready when you want it. It's no problem at all being done early, because holding it at temperature (even for several hours) is so easy.
 
Tom,

If it were me, I would just go ahead and start with both Butts on top. There will be enough room and it will be a lot less hassle.

About 1/2 way through the smoke, rotate the Butts. Meaning, the part of the Butt that was facing the outside should be turned 180 so it is located in the middle of the grate. Do this with both of them

I have never done Butts boneless, but I reckon if you keep the grate temp about 225 it will take longer then 1 1/2 hrs. 2 hrs would seem more like it. Good thing about the bone in, is it gives you anothr indicator of "when it's done."

I hope that you will be using the MM. Don't sweat it. It's gonna turn out good. Keep in mind what you did this time eg how many lit coals you used, what were the weather conditions, and adjust with your next smoke to try and make it more good.

To me, that is the fun of cuein. Always searching on how to make it more gooder.

Mike
 
Thanks everyone!
We're going out Sat nite so if I have everything ready to go, I think I can have the butts on the smoker about 2 O-clock. I'll plan on them being ready between 2 & 6 pm Sunday.
Another question: how long do you folks wait to pull ? Also whats your favorite sauces and coleslaw to go with the pulled pork.

Man, Sunday is just too far-away!

Tom
 
Tom P -
You can pull the pork anywhere from immediately
to many hours later, as long as you wrap them in foil and throw them in a cooler.
Just don't store them in the fridge and then
try to pull later, it becomes very difficult.

R.D.
 
These two recipes are what I like with my pulled pork. I've taken to adding just a bit of ketchup to the NC sauce recipe (about a Tbsp) recently, don't know why, it just seemed like the thing to do. Have fun this weekend!

NC Eastern style sauce
1 Cup white vinegar
1 Cup cider vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
Makes 2 Cups

North Carolina Coleslaw
This coleslaw is for topping North Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwiches
3/4 Head Green cabbage, shredded
1/4 Head Purple cabbage, shredded
3-1/2 Carrots, grated
1-1/2 Cup Heavy mayonnaise
Cup White vinegar
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 Tbsp. Celery seeds
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the cabbage and carrots together. Whisk together all other ingredients. Stir the dressing into the cabbage and mix well.
Refrigerate before serving.
 
Recently found a great South Carolina Mustard sauce that's great with pulled pork. I saw a similar one running around here a little while ago Miss Piggy's Mustard or something like that.

As for cole slaw, I make a really simple vinegar based slaw.

1 package of prepare slaw (I'm lazy and don't have food proccessor)
dressing:
~1/4 cup cider vinegar
a little less than 1/4 cup of salad oil
~1/4 sugar (I go to taste)
teaspoon salt
pepper to taste.

Helps if you mix the sugar in the vinegar befor adding the oil. Combine until well mixed. Pour over top of slaw.

I also like the dressing as dip with the pork, but I'm kinda wierd.
 
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