Pulled Pork

MasterEgg

Any tips or tricks about cooking some pulled pork on the egg? Rub? temp? I plan on trying to tackle this on Thursday for a friends birthday celebration

ryantt

Your going to get lots of opinions on this but I'll give you my rundown.   I inject with apple juice rub and apple vinegar.   I then rub down with my own mix, but lots of good options for you at the store.  I let the egg settle in at my target temp and hold for 35-40 min.   I use a mix of fruit woods for smoke.  Fill up to the bottom of you plate setter with lump and mix the wood in ( don't just put on top).  I ran my last cook 50lbs of pork (4 butts) at 325-350 and it was about 45min per lb.  make sure to cook to feel, when it probes without resistance its good to go. You can wrap it in 2 layers of AF and a towel and hold in a dry cooler for hours.   Good luck and have fun.   

SoCalTim

Great game plan by @ryantt .. your probably gonna hit some sort of stall where the butt temp stops going up and in fact the temp might decrease. Don't panic, your options are to ride it out or bust right thru it by cranking the temp to a max of 350. By the way, if time is not an issue, a great temp to start your butt at is in the 275 range.

jtcBoynton

Pork butt can be cooked lots of ways with great results. So relax and don't overthink or obsess over details.  Cook to tenderness, not temp. Use temp as a guide to when to check for tenderness (usually 195-205º, but it does vary).  

As for cooking time, there is a good amount of variability between individual pieces so take all times as rough.  These assume a 7-10 pound butt. Look at your schedule and pick a temp that best fits, aiming to get it done early (butt can be held for quite a while if need be). 

225º:  2 hours a pound

250º: 1.5 hours a pound

280º:  1 hour per pound

350º:  45 mins per pound

jtcBoynton

As for the rub.  There are lots of great rubs out there - everyone has the favorites.  If you don't already have a pre-made rub on hand you can make one yourself.  The following makes a good basic rub for pork butt and uses ingredients you probably have in your pantry. Vary the cayenne depending on your taste preference.  Don't forget to salt the butt as well.

½ cup turbinado sugar

½ cup black pepper

½ cup paprika

1-2 teaspoons cayenne

4 teaspoons dry mustard

Raideregg

Okay eggers, question re: the butts cooking time.  May sound stupid, however got to be sure on this.  If I have two butts each weighs 10 lbs and I cook at saw 300 degrees, do I factor in the total weight or the individual weight of each butt for my cooking time, which I calculate on an individual basis of approximately 50--52 min per pound or about 4.2 hours.  Would this be a proper assumption?  And not the 50-52 min based on the total weight of 10 lbs?  Of course I would use a thermal coupler and shoot for 195 degrees for internal temp.  Please send some input.  Thanks

Jaime

My recent butt was 9.37 lb    I cooked at a stable 275 ( cyberQ pit probe clip on dome thermo )  it reached 200F internal at almost 10 hrs exactly.  butt was around 39F internal when I first put meat probes in.   I am a newbie boston butt cooker but I read if the 2 butts have some separation - no touching, then after the initial cold meat shock dissipates and you get 275 back I think in my environ anyway they'd finish only  SLIGHTLY longer than my single did...  That's my noob opinion.  The others will no doubt confirm or correct me.  

jtcBoynton

Each butt cooks independently. Cooking time for two 10 pound butts is the same as for one 10 pound butt. This assumes the two butts are not touching so air can circulate around each. 

You need to check your math again. More like 8 hours.  Also 195° is a good temp to start checking for tenderness, but most likely the butts will need to be over 200° before they are ready.  

PASmoke

I agree with @MasterEgg on everything (especially the fruit woods) up to the point of temperature. But, I do prefer a cook in the 225* to 250* range as opposed to a turbo style cook that typically sets the BGE in the 300+ range. But keep in mind that there is no "right" answer. I would suggest doing one 'Low and Slow' then trying another 'Turbo' and seeing what you like. 

MasterEgg

MasterEgg

I just had a spike in the heat. Trying to bring it down slowly with out snuffing it. Any suggestions?

piney

How much spike?

Hook_emHornsfan_74

Man that is a clean egg. 

MasterEgg

got the egg dirty tonight   thank you all for the advice! what a fun day and can't wait to use it again.

Here are my details.....I was able to handle the spike in heat and brought it back down to 275 where it stayed for most of the day. I can not believe how well the egg keeps its temp. Amazing!! I put the pork (7 lbs) on at 10 am and took it off about 7.  The temp was about 185 but it was tender so I didnt want to keep it on much longer.  I pulled it at about nine! It is now in the crockpot and we are going to enjoy it tomorrow at a friends birthday party but of course i had to try it :-)

Thanks again for your help! Here are a couple pics. My dog thinks I am a hero!! He may have had a taste tonight too! 

piney

Next time pull @195-200 FTC for at least an hour then pull. I have found this to be wonderful. Looks great congrats!

scottn83

MasterEgg said:

got the egg dirty tonight   thank you all for the advice! what a fun day and can't wait to use it again.

Here are my details.....I was able to handle the spike in heat and brought it back down to 275 where it stayed for most of the day. I can not believe how well the egg keeps its temp. Amazing!! I put the pork (7 lbs) on at 10 am and took it off about 7.  The temp was about 185 but it was tender so I didnt want to keep it on much longer.  I pulled it at about nine! It is now in the crockpot and we are going to enjoy it tomorrow at a friends birthday party but of course i had to try it :-)

Thanks again for your help! Here are a couple pics. My dog thinks I am a hero!! He may have had a taste tonight too! 

Caption for your dog pic " this damn big ass chicken egg he forgot i was mans best friend"