Pork Butts - upcoming event


 
F

Frank D (Wenatchee)

TVWBB Member
Hi

I have a pair of pork shoulders weighing 9.5lbs and a 7.75lbs. It is my intent to do my first pork butts as an overnight smoke and hopefully cook them at 250 measure at the vent.

1) My assumption is that it will take 12 - 15 hours to cook.

2) Should I put both butts on at the same time and then take the smallest one out when it is done or should I add it a few hours after I've started the big one. I am assuming that it makes more sense to put them both on at the same time to better regulate the temperature in the WSM

3) I am doing these one day in advance and will pull them and refrigerate them. I will just take the meat to my Sunday function and reheat it in the microwave. Do you see any problems doing it this way?

4) I will rub them the night before and then add more just before smoking. I've also read that some just rub and go. Is there a preference?

I am a wee bit nervous since this will be my first attempt at pulled pork on the WSM but you have to start sometimes.

Thank
 
Reheating in the microwave should be fine, but could always dry out a little bit, unless you plan on saucing the pulled meat yourself.

I'd put the butts on at the same time if you're going to pull and refrigerate them anyway.

edit: Don't be nervous, they'll turn out just fine!
 
The time it takes will be when the meat is probe tender. When the probe enters several places on the butt with almost no resistance then it's ready to remove. Remember to let them rest in HD foil for at least an hour.

I have done the rub and go method and both work. I prefer to rub mine 24 hours before I put it/them on the cooker and I do add more rub just before I put the butt/s on the WSM.

I put mine on at the same time and pull them off as they are ready. When doing 2 I put both on the top cooking grate. KISS theory.

I prefer reheating pulled pork in the oven in a covered pan or in a slow cooker. I put apple juice in both containers. If what you have is a microwave then go for it.

I've only been doing this for 18 months but Pork Butts have been the easiest food for me to consistently get right. They have let me get away with temp excursions as high as 380 and gave us great pulled pork. 250 at the vent will work great. Approach this cook as you would an old friend. Relax and enjoy their company. You'll do better than fine.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Frank D (Wenatchee):
Hi

I have a pair of pork shoulders weighing 9.5lbs and a 7.75lbs. It is my intent to do my first pork butts as an overnight smoke and hopefully cook them at 250 measure at the vent.

1) My assumption is that it will take 12 - 15 hours to cook.

2) Should I put both butts on at the same time and then take the smallest one out when it is done or should I add it a few hours after I've started the big one. I am assuming that it makes more sense to put them both on at the same time to better regulate the temperature in the WSM

3) I am doing these one day in advance and will pull them and refrigerate them. I will just take the meat to my Sunday function and reheat it in the microwave. Do you see any problems doing it this way?

4) I will rub them the night before and then add more just before smoking. I've also read that some just rub and go. Is there a preference?

I am a wee bit nervous since this will be my first attempt at pulled pork on the WSM but you have to start sometimes.

Thank </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Lew is right, you want to probe the butts and check for tender but 12 and 15 hours is about right. I do my butts around 250 as well and that is what I find on average.

I would start them at the same time, you don't want to have to add smoke wood and waste it when you can cover the smoke part all at once and splitting the time between pulls makes it easier.

I have done a few smokes with big amounts (30 lbs +) and always reheated in an oven, 300- 350, meat in shallow pans with a bit of apple juice foiled tightly, after 20-25 minutes I use a spatula and flip the meat and rewrap and check after a bit. Important to chill as quickly as possible after you pull it, I put the meat in a ziplock, pack it thin and put it in an ice bath.

I usually rub when I am setting up and it works for me. HTH

Eric
 
Thanks for the replies! I will use the oven to reheat the pork instead of the microwave. I like the idea of adding apple juice as part of the reheating process. How much should I add?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">but 12 and 15 hours is about right. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Not in my experience. I would plan substantially more time.
 
At a 250 vent temp. I'd be looking at 18+ hours. JMO
Of course you could always do 12 hours +/- on the smoker and finish in the oven.
 
I have ample time to get it done and I will leave it on the smoker until it is ready to be pulled. I hope it is not the 18 hours but I will be prepared just in case. Thanks for the feedback.
 
It very well could be 18 hours for the 9.5'er...I usually count on 2 hours per pound if cooking at 250. If you cook at 275-300 and foil them at 160 degrees then start checking for probe tenderness around 180-190 degrees that will speed up the process a bit...good luck!
 
I usually smoke butts at 250-275. I would allow 2 hours per pound on the heaviest one (cooking both at the same time). So would allow 18 hours at least. You could get done sooner but allow for 18. Test for done though.

AFA prepping ahead I do that almost always. I hold and or freeze after pulling/cooling in vac sealed bags.

To warm up I heat up a large pot or roasting pan/dutch oven to where the water is 140-180 degrees and warm right in the bag until I figure it's heated through.

This brings up the meat slowly and reduces the opportunity to dry out and over cook it. It also holds the juices/moisture well without adding any. I'll pull out of the bag and add any additional finishing sauce or rub/flavoring. I do the same for brisket.

Microwaving is tricky and can quickly dry out and over cook it. I've done it successfully but I only use that if I'm heating up enough for a single sandwich or two. You have to know your equipment, and I never use full power. Usually 20% ofr 30%. My MW is true in terms of power levels in that it doesn't just cycle full power at different rates.
 
I saw on another post you were a few hours in, good luck with the cook. Like the others said you should always allow for more time, especially if your are chilling right away and not meeting a deadline but in that range I never had one go 2 hours a pound. Wait, my first one I did took that long but it was on my kettle, never got above 14 degrees that day and I did the " Mr. Brown recipe ", lifting the lid and mopping, don't do that anymore.

Hope it goes well,
Eric
 
Now a done event

small one cooked in 12.5 hrs and the bigger one took 14 but it could have cooked just a bit more. One chunk of meat was pull-able but definitely needed more time. This one will go in some chili. Both bones came out cleanly with no effort. Cooking Temps were consistently between 240 and 260 measured at the grate

ran out of water in the pan which caused the temps to spike a wee bit .. and also made a big mess to clean up

Thanks for all the comments regarding the best way to reheat the pork.
 
As others have probably already said, 250* at the vent is cooking SLOW...no where close to avg. actual cooking temps. Nothing wrong with measuring temp there, but cooks tend to just take a long time, as in almost 2 hours per pound for a typical 7-8 lb. butt. The Weber gauge is closer to actual cooking temps and I notice mine reading 25 or 30* less than the vent.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Frank D (Wenatchee):
Thanks .. I am debating between the oven and apple juice or the vac seal and hot water. But, the wife said oven...so now I know how much juice to add. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The apple juice addition to me "qualifies" as adding finishing sauce right before serving. I do often add an apple juice mix (with butter, other stock) right after the pull on the initial cook. So often the vac seal has already been treated.

After the vac seal reheat you simply taste and add more as you like.

That said - use any finishing sauce you like after the reheat. You really don't need to reheat in the apple juice you can add it in after you pull it out of the bags. Along with any other treatment.

AFA apple juice I often like to use frozen concentrate (undiluted) mixed with along with some cider and then butter mount, sometimes some stock or juices saved from the cook.

Search on finishing sauce here and you will find candidates and reference to what I'm talking about. Kevin K has posted some good ones, along with others.

Important note: finishing sauce is NOT to be confused with BBQ sauce.
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But I often like to use Carolina style BBQ sauce added in to the pulled pork.
 
Just for reference; many times if I'm trying to time a cook and working with butts differing in weight (by 1.5lbs+), I'll throw the smaller one(s) on the bottom grate to help even out the cooking time.
 
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