Gearing up for a butt next weekend...

Leviticus

So, I've fired the new egg up twice this weekend and been pleased. I fried the probe for my Taylor probe thermometer a year ago while brewing, so I just placed my order for a Maverick ET732, as well as 8oz of Dizzy Pig Coarse.  My main concern is stabilizing the dome at 250, but I feel like I'll get it done.

With doing a butt, and trying to keep the temp down, should I be concerned about what the coals look like? I presume that not all will be lit by the time I've hit temp and am ready to put the butt on. Just with all the reading on 'letting the VOCs burn off, etc.' I'm curious if the same concepts apply.

Just gotta find some pecan chunks now. Anyone know what the selection is like at the mothership? I'm guessing I'll go by there some time this week. Just don't want to hang myself out to dry if all they have is chips. Where do you guys get your smoking woods?

six_egg

Make sure you start off with enough lump. If not you can add it is just a pain. I light the middle of the pile. Wait for the temp to come up and put meat on. I don't worry about what the coals look like myself. I get my chips from my egg dealer or Wally World or if someone needs a tree cut up I use it. The mothership will have whatever you need or want.

Solson005

I would shoot for 250° but 240-260° isn't going to effect your cook like a pork butt, I use a digiQ Dx2 for low and slows but have played with my egg plenty. My small likes 275° and 400° anything else I can be chasing temps to try and keep it stable, some eggs just like a certain degree over other eggs. Just let your egg get to your desired temp and let it sit there for 15-20 mins that way you know its stable and that will help get rid of the bad smoke. Most Ace hardware stores carry a good selection of wood chunks if not I'm sure the mothership could easily point you in the right direction if they don't have what you need, chips will work too just spread them throughout the lump. Here is my post from the last butt I did if you want to take a look at my methods. Pulled Pork one day / Carnitas the next 

Good luck and ask questions if you have some pop up. 

gdenby

Fill the Egg to about half way up the fire ring. Use wood chips or chunks or chips of whatever species you like. Some woods, such as walnut, can impart a bitter flavor. Light woods like poplar tend to produce less desirable flavors.  Make a  pile in the top center for just a few hours of smoke, or mixed thru the lump for more continuous smoke.

Don't fuss too much about the dome temperature. As above, anything withing 10 degrees of your target doesn't make much difference. I expect the dome temp to rise very slowly thru the cook as the meat dries and shrinks. All that does is speed up the cooking a little. Even if the temp gets out of control, and goes to 350 for awhile, the meat will still turn out good. Do watch the fire if the dome goes below 225F. There is always the chance that the fire will burn straight down the center, and go out w. 75% of the lump left unburnt. Keep a long stick on hand to stir the lump if that happens.

Come to temperature, and wait till the smoke gets wispy before putting the meat on the grill. Expect the dome temp to drop some for maybe 1/2 an hour. If it stays down, just tap the bottom vent open the tiniest bit.

As far as I know, the problem w. the early heavy smoke stems from the lump making process. Most lump is about 80 - 85% carbon. The rest is mostly partially broken down wood chemical components. This is what is driven off as smoke early on. Also, there is quite a bit of water even in well seasoned wood, and that needs to evaporate so the wood will turn into the pleasant tasting compounds that make up the good smoke. The steam will condense around soot, and its better to drive as much of that away as possible before putting the meat in the Egg. Once the carbon is burning, the limited amount of oxygen available goes to keeping it burning, instead of kindling the wood. The wood's cellulose, hemi-cellulose, and lignin just break down in the heat, and those vapors are what flavors the food. There are some nasty flavors still produced, such as those from formaldehyde, but the worst of it is gone.

SkinnyV

On the mini I'll let it burn at temp for 30-45 just to burn off as much as I can then cook for low and slow.

HogHeaven

Go to the nakkid whiz and read the finest article about cooking butts on ceramic smoker's ever written! The article was written by a Gentleman named Elder Ward. If this is your first pork butt you will really appreciate this man's wisdom. How to fill your fire box for a long low and slow cook is vital to have a good cook. Go nakkid whiz... Click on the recipe category... Click on pork... The first thing that you see is this article. Good luck on your cook...

RLeeper

Leviticus said:

So, I've fired the new egg up twice this weekend and been pleased. I fried the probe for my Taylor probe thermometer a year ago while brewing, so I just placed my order for a Maverick ET732, as well as 8oz of Dizzy Pig Coarse.  My main concern is stabilizing the dome at 250, but I feel like I'll get it done.

With doing a butt, and trying to keep the temp down, should I be concerned about what the coals look like? I presume that not all will be lit by the time I've hit temp and am ready to put the butt on. Just with all the reading on 'letting the VOCs burn off, etc.' I'm curious if the same concepts apply.

Just gotta find some pecan chunks now. Anyone know what the selection is like at the mothership? I'm guessing I'll go by there some time this week. Just don't want to hang myself out to dry if all they have is chips. Where do you guys get your smoking woods?

I live around the corner from the Mothership and they have every chip possible. If you are doing a butt you may want to try mixing chunks in with the lump. Kroger sells the same brand for a little less. I like hickory chunks for my butts. Good luck. Where are you in Tucker?

SmokinDAWG82

Yeah Publix has chunks in hickory, mesquite and apple in Marietta

Eggcelsior

Leviticus said:

So, I've fired the new egg up twice this weekend and been pleased. I fried the probe for my Taylor probe thermometer a year ago while brewing, so I just placed my order for a Maverick ET732, as well as 8oz of Dizzy Pig Coarse.  My main concern is stabilizing the dome at 250, but I feel like I'll get it done.

With doing a butt, and trying to keep the temp down, should I be concerned about what the coals look like? I presume that not all will be lit by the time I've hit temp and am ready to put the butt on. Just with all the reading on 'letting the VOCs burn off, etc.' I'm curious if the same concepts apply.

Just gotta find some pecan chunks now. Anyone know what the selection is like at the mothership? I'm guessing I'll go by there some time this week. Just don't want to hang myself out to dry if all they have is chips. Where do you guys get your smoking woods?

Check some sites online like Fruita wood chunks if you can't find chunks locally.