OT: Boston butt on an egg

[BonzoGoesToCollege]

Been awhile since I smoked one, but I was hoping I could get some advise from those here that have. I've read different cook times from different sources, but I put my on this early this morning and plan on about 10-11 hours at 225F. Also, is it best to wrap it in foil after I pull it off and keep it that way until I serve? Or does it need to be warmed before serving?

Thanks

 

[Digging dog]

I cook just about everything on a Komodo style grill (I have a visions) EXCEPT a pork butt.
Just can't beat the old smoker for this. Put mine on last night and reloaded the charcoal and hickory chips and went to bed. Perfect this morning. Low and slow.
Btw cooked ribs on the ceramic grill.

 

[Dawgbite]

I assume you are using a plate setter for indirect heat? I generally wrap mine about half way, by that time it has absorbed all the smoke flavor it can. Add some brown sugar, butter, Golden Eagle Syrup, and pull it at 195 degrees. Put it in a cooler for about an hour to rest. Pull or chop.
Those old Brinkman smokers are just about idiot proof. Can't guess how many butts and chickens I have cooked on one.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

How big? Plan on 1.5-2 hours per pound. You can smoke it anywhere between 225-350 and it will taste great, it's real hard to mess up, I smoke around 230. I have stopped using the Texas crutch, it does speed up and get past the stall, but i think the bark is better if you don't wrap with foil, and you may get some delicious burnt ends, if it stalls for too long I just kick up the the temp a tad. Cook til 195, then wrap in foil and some towels, put in a cooler for a couple hours. You have four hours to safely serve after it gets below 140, so you should be able to keep it warm plenty long enough. I also have stopped injecting, it makes it take longer and a shoulder has plenty of fat to keep moist. My $0.02, I've got an 8lb Boston butt on right now smoking with Apple wood. Also have some jerky on there.

 

[DerHntr]

I wrap in foil after about 4 to 5 hours. That is plenty of smoke. This will get you thru the stall faster. Remove at 195 and put in a small ice chest until ready to pull it. If you don't have a small ice chest, put the butt in and fill the rest of the chest with some old towels.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

if you're going to foil do it about 160 internal temp. When I do wrap I usually unwrap and smoke again the last hour or two to harden the bark back up.

 

[drt7891]

aTotat360 has a fantastic recipe.

 

[aTotal360]

Dale's for 24 hrs, cook it thoroughly, plate with A1.

You're welcome.

 

[BonzoGoesToCollege]

Thanks for the advice.

I cooked a 10 pounder for about 13 hours at 225 and it turned out great. Could have gone a little longer, but even the kids came back for seconds.

 

[johnson86-1]

Been awhile since I smoked one, but I was hoping I could get some advise from those here that have. I've read different cook times from different sources, but I put my on this early this morning and plan on about 10-11 hours at 225F. Also, is it best to wrap it in foil after I pull it off and keep it that way until I serve? Or does it need to be warmed before serving?

Thanks

I have gone 14 hours with a 7.5 lb but at 225. If you foil it when it gets to the plateau, it will cut that down considerably. I usually let my schedule dictate my cooking. If I have all the time in the world, I leave it unwrapped to get the best bark. If I don't, I'll wrap it before the plateau. You can also bump up the temp when it gets to the plateau if you wrap it. It's not as good that way but it doesn't make it tough or anything.

Sometimes I'll even wrap it and then put it in the oven to open up the egg for ribs.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

I didn't wrap or baste or inject this time, and got my best shoulder ever

The bark was so thick when I pulled it the meat looks like it has sauce on it, it's delicious. I did up the heat from 225 to 245 after it stalled a while, and I rubbed it the night before and added a second layer in the morning. Fantastic.

 

[johnson86-1]

The bark was so thick when I pulled it the meat looks like it has sauce on it, it's delicious. I did up the heat from 225 to 245 after it stalled a while, and I rubbed it the night before and added a second layer in the morning. Fantastic.

I definitely think not wrapping is better, but I think the bark is the best part (same as you I'm guessing). I don't baste both because I don't want to open the egg and I don't want to soften the bark.

I'm undecided on the injecting. I think the interior of the butt can use some more flavor than what it gets from a rub and smoke, but that may be because I don't like eating them with sauce. I want them to stand on their own, which is easy for the bark, but a little harder for the interior. My best butts have definitely been injected, but I occasionally end up with a butt that tastes 'hammy' if that's a word. If I had a sauce I was happy with, I'd probably go without injecting and eat the bark without sauce and eat the interior with sauce. But I don't have a sauce I like. I feel like sweet sauces overpower the butt more than complement it. Might as well just throw a butt in the oven and slather it with sauce after you get it out. I have had more vinegary sauces that I feel do better, but I can't replicate them.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

I think the double application of rub really helped the bark. Having some dry that wasn't soaked as it went in the smoker seems to work. I just served the leftovers at work and it was gone in 10 minutes, the average comment was that sauce is not needed at all. The meat is dark brown now that the bark is mixed in, and it's just fantastic. A NC type vinegar sauce would probably complement it best.

I've been reading all these tests and studies, and it seems injecting does make it take longer to cook, and if it's not all eaten can make it more mushy the next day or so. The one I just made needs zero extra flavor. I think it's pretty cool how people are scientifically studying all the old methods and legends. Now we know the stall is simply due to evaporation, and also basting or spritzing cools the meat down, causing it to lock up a little bit each time.

My next project is to try to make my own sauce, I haven't done that yet.

 

[mstateglfr]

You sound like Meathead from amazingribs.com

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

I don't know if that's a joke, an insult or a compliment.... I have been reading way too much about this stuff lately though. I smoke something every weekend now, and am getting better at it.

 

[mstateglfr]

Just an observation

That site is the bees knees and hits on everything you have been talking about- the science behind grilling and bbq.
From reverse searing, to the chemistry of how the stall works, to constantly flipping a burger vs letting it sit- the site has info on everything and science to back it up.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

I've probably read some of his stuff. I also like smokingmeatforums.com, but I don't really read any one site, I usually google stuff and see where it leads. The science stuff fascinates me, and it's interesting to see how many "secret tricks" are actually counterproductive.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

That site is the bees knees and hits on everything you have been talking about- the science behind grilling and bbq.
From reverse searing, to the chemistry of how the stall works, to constantly flipping a burger vs letting it sit- the site has info on everything and science to back it up.

Let it sit.

Scalding hot grill.
Put burgers on.
Close top
Ignore the fire
5 mins open and stand back till the smoke clears
Fiip
Top Back on
5 more minutes of fire and smoke
Open and stand back till the smoke clears.
Put them all in a big bowl and let them rest for at least 10 minutes under tin foil.

 

[mstateglfr]

And science, at least what is provided as such thru testing, shows if one were to constantly flip a burger, it would cook more evenly and be juicer as searing the outside to start with doesn't lock anything in.

Not saying your way is wrong, just that actual tests show the opposite to be 'best'.

But that's whats great about grilling and BBQ- there is so much art and preference that differing methods work.