Timing Question on Boston Butt


 
L

Les Stubby

TVWBB Fan
Was planning on having pulled pork for guests on Saturday with my wife making homemade buns.
Unfortunately, we're expecting rain off and on Friday and Saturday and I don't have a covered spot for my wsm. A couple of questions;
If I can find a window of dry weather and smoke the butt for a couple of hours, how high a temp can I finish it off using an oven. 2nd question; Could I smoke it for a couple of hours on Friday and refridgerate it Friday nght and cook it in the oven on Saturday? The butt is around 6 pounds so I'm guessing 9-12 hours at 225-250 would be about the normal cook time.
Would appreciate any advise you all might have.

Les Stubby
 
I don't know how practical this is for you, but what I've done in similar circumstances is to fashion some sort of a temporary cover for the WSM. Even a cheapie beach umbrella has done the trick for me in the past. If you have to finish in the oven I can't be of much help to you as I haven't done that. I would just do every thing in my power to try and do the whole cook on the WSM, to me there's no substitute! Whichever way you end up going, good luck, and enjoy it!
 
I would cook close to 300 on the smoker to cut down on the cook time. If you can rig an unbrella over the cooker that helps. You can always foil and finish in the oven if you need to anywhere from 275-350 depending on how fast you want it to cook.
 
In the middle of my last smoke the skies ripped open and there was nothing I could do about it so I just continued to smoke away and even had to baste in the middle of down pour all for the love of smoke. Don`t let the weather stop you unless its dangerous...obviously. And yes, I have used the beach umbrella many a time but the last time I used it, we had some high winds and it broke so...
 
Have thought about the beach umbrella idea, but am more interested in opinions on smoking for a stretch tomorrow, refrigerating overnight, and finishing the butt off in the oven. It's more of a food science question. Ideas?

Les
 
Sorta Long, (Les Stubby) sorry I crack me up.

I have done something similar and what i did was cook the butts the day before.
The day of feasting I heated it back up, then pulled it. The butt was still moist which I was worried about.
I used the WSM to reheat at about 200 degrees but you can use anything you want cause your not going to get any more smoke flavor.

Just don't over cook it, which I think is hard to do.

Its not a food science answer but you can do an overnight cook, wrap it put it in a cooler and then cook the ribs.

Happy Smoki'n
 
You can also smoke, set, and pull the butt, and then refrigerate the pulled meat for a day or two. Then you can re-heat whenever you want, and it will taste like it was just pulled. You can add a little apple cider vinegar if it seems too dry.
 
I guess I'm not making myself clear (which my wife says is my nomral operating procedure), but what I need to know is if i can smoke for two hours tomorrow, refridgerate tomorrow night, and finish in the oven on Ssturday. It's supposed to rain some tomorrow and tomorrow night and maybe Saturday (plus a funeral Saturday morning). Can a smoke be interupted, put on hold, and started again?

Les
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Les Stubby:
but what I need to know is if i can smoke for two hours tomorrow, refridgerate tomorrow night, and finish in the oven on Saturday. It's supposed to rain some tomorrow and tomorrow night and maybe Saturday (plus a funeral Saturday morning). Can a smoke be interupted, put on hold, and started again?

Les </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Les, here's the problem with the 2 hrs then stop and cool. The 2 hrs is not enough time to bring the internal temp up past 140. If you can cook it long enough to get it past 140 I'd shoot for 160 then yes at that point you could stop the cooking, cool down as fast as possible and fridge. Then finish the cook the next day in the oven or WSM.
Cook that butt at high heat and lay the smoke on it. High heat as in 325-350. HTH
 
Agreed. Get the internal up. I'd cook at at least 300-325 to speed that up. Rest 20 min--uncovered--to get rid of heat, rest and cool on a cake cooling rack atop a sheetpan (or on a turkey rack in a roasting pan). If you have a large 2- or 2.5-gal Zip-loc then after the rest, put the butt in the bag. Fill a tall stock or soup pot with water and ice to 1/2 full the put the bag in the water to help it cool more quickly. Leave the bag open but make sure the opening stays above the water surface to keep water out. When cooled, fridge the butt.

If you don't have a bag then rest and cool on a cake cooling rack atop a sheetpan (or on a turkey rack in a roasting pan) for 90 min. Move the whole set-up to the fridge but drape lightly with Saran or tent with foil (to keep any spils from above off). When cold wrap tightly.
 
Kevin and Bryan

Not to detract from the other's replies, but your's answered my questions. Now I'd better fire up the smoker and get the butt on before it starts to rain. I csn't get over what a great resource the board is-thanks everyone.

Less Stubby
 
Les, I just checked the Ohio valley radar and it looks like you should have enough time to cook it before the rain comes if your in south central or south eastern Ohio. South western Ohio might be iffy. Good luck with your cook.
 
It's noon now-butt's at 153 after being on around 3.5 hours. Should I pull it off and cool and refridgerate at 160 or take the temp up as high as I can before the rain and then cool down?

Les
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">It's noon now-butt's at 153 after being on around 3.5 hours. Should I pull it off and cool and refridgerate at 160 or take the temp up as high as I can before the rain and then cool down? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Les, If the rain is going to hold off for you, might as well finish it. Then all you have to do is the reheat tomorrow.
 
Bryan

Any feelings about keeping the temp up, it's currently running about 300. I'm assuming i pull it about 195, let it rest, and then pull apart. Haven't done a lot of these-hard to barbecue much when your wife is into healthy eating.

Les
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Any feelings about keeping the temp up, it's currently running about 300. I'm assuming i pull it about 195, let it rest, and then pull apart. Haven't done a lot of these-hard to barbecue much when your wife is into healthy eating. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yep, keep it up there. Let it rest after taking it off for about 1 hr then pull and cool per K Kruger. Place meat in a zip bag and put it in a pot or bucket that has ice and a little water in it. Just deep enough to cover the meat and leave the bag open at the top. Hold meat under ice water till cold (won't take long), being careful not to get any water in the bag. Once cold, close up and place in the fridge.
 
I can't edit on this computer at work. If you have a foodsaver do the same as the zip bag and seal it up once cold.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I'm assuming i pull it about 195 </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Pull it when it is tender--when the bone is loose or loose-ish and the probe goes into the meat with no resistance.
 
You guys are too much-I should have just asked you to come cook for me. Thanks again. Will let you know how the meal turns out. Our guest is a real food conouseur (sp?). Last time he was here he and his lady friend were swishing their wine around in their mouths-I almost offered them my Listerine. So much for sophistication. I'll take pics and maybe learn how to post.

Les
 
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