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Attempting First Pork Butt

I have had my egg for a couple months, love it and am attempting my first Pork Butt tonight.  8.75 lb bone in butt.   I just purchased the DigiQ so will use that for the first time as well.  Meat is rubbed and in the fridge, want it done by 3pm tomorrow.   I plan to put it on around 10 or so tonight.   My plan is a drip pan with a bottle of beer, indirect plate setter, put it on the grate fat side down ... 250 degrees until it reaches 200 internal temp.   I have had trouble getting  a good bark on my cooks .... am I missing something?  Any advice is appreciated.  

Comments

  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    9 lbs I'd give it 18 hours. Some will go that long. You can always ftc for 5 hours if needed.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • calracefan
    calracefan Posts: 606
    Liquid is not necessary in the drip pan,just have an air gap between platesetter and drip pan (foil balls work great !) As Henapple has said plan for 2 hrs per pound.
    Ova B.
    Fulton MO
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    edited May 2014
    It's your call, but I'm in the camp that believes my butt develops a better bark if I coat the butt with plain old yellow French's mustard...and I'd skip the beer in the pan - drink it instead!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942
    edited May 2014
    I don't think I've ever had a pork butt go over 12 hours at that size (8-9 lbs.) so you'd be getting done at 9:00-10:00 in the morning if you were using my egg.   I cook at 250 degrees but measure it at grate level (not dome temp) so I'm cooking hotter than you would if you were going by dome temp.

    Anyway, your plan sounds fine but know that there is many ways to cook one of those.  I don't put anything in the drip pan as I don't believe it does anything to the finished product.  I'd also start checking the meat at 190.  Mine usually are perfect at 193-195 internal.  Much higher than that and they turn out mushy.

    Good luck and enjoy your cook!
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    Skip the liquid in the pan. Make sure it is raised a bit off the PS so you have an air gap and the dripping don't scorch. I personally would put the butt on about 7 in the morning and smoke it at 350* all the way through. It should be done in about 6 1/2 hrs and you will have the most crunchy bark you ever put in your pie hole.

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Mustard is for hot dogs. 

    What are you using for a rub? What smoke wood? both will have an effect on bark. I use a homebrew rub and hickory (usually) for smoke.

    Rub...

    1 Tbls         salt

    1 Tbls         sugar

    1 Tbls         brown sugar

    1 Tbls         ground cumin

    1 Tbls         chili powder

    1 Tbls         cracked black pepper

    1 Tbls         paprika

    1 tsp          cayenne pepper


    image

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942
    edited May 2014
     I personally would put the butt on about 7 in the morning and smoke it at 350* all the way through. It should be done in about 6 1/2 hrs and you will have the most crunchy bark you ever put in your pie hole.
    This works great too if you don't want to screw around over night.  It's almost impossible to ruin a pork butt, many ways to cook these.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457

    Mustard is for hot dogs. 


    What are you using for a rub? What smoke wood? both will have an effect on bark. I use a homebrew rub and hickory (usually) for smoke.

    Rub...













    1 Tbls         salt

    1 Tbls         sugar

    1 Tbls         brown
    sugar

    1 Tbls         ground
    cumin

    1 Tbls         chili
    powder

    1 Tbls         cracked
    black pepper

    1 Tbls         paprika

    1 tsp          cayenne
    pepper


    image
    What kind of heat do you get in this rub?? I use BBBR or a homemade rub that has a good bite to it.

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • tnbarbq
    tnbarbq Posts: 248
    2nd that on drink the beer and coat with mustard.  Helps hold the rub and you'll never taste the mustard.  I have quit using hickory and now use apple. I found it too easy to have too much smoke with hickory and too much = bitter.  Also, keep the egg closed.  If you're lookin', it aint cookin'.
    Scooter 
    Mid TN. Hangin' in the 'Boro. MIM Judge
  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    I should have added that I prefer apple and cherry for smoke on butts

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    edited May 2014
    Mattman, it's not hot. That original rub recipe (from Weber) had no cayenne. I added some, but it's still not real spicy.

    tnbarbq, that's what I never understood about mustard. The rub sticks like glue WITHOUT it. So if you don't taste the mustard, what's the point?! See my bark above.

    The good Q joints in NC (Mecca for pork butts) use either oak or hickory or both. I KNOW they don't use apple... or cherry. :)

    Lotsa different flavors to shoot for though. Pretty hard to cook a bad butt.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • CTMike
    CTMike Posts: 3,247
    Keep in mind if you do put beer in the drip pan, your temp will rise after all the beer is evaporated as there is no more liquid to absorb heat.
    MMBGE / Large BGE / XL BGE (Craigslist Find) / SF30x80 cabinet trailer - "Ol' Mortimer" / Outdoor kitchen in progress.  

    RECOVERING BUBBLEHEAD
    Southeastern CT. 
  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    I am of the opinion that liquid in the pan causes a cold spot directly under the meat. You said you were thinkin 250* for a smoke temp. Think about it this way - liquid boils at 212* and if the ambient temp in the egg is 250* then you have a cooler damp spot on the bottom of the meat. It will steam until it evaporates or boils off thus causing the bark to be softer on the areas exposed to the steam. I could be way off on this but I just don't think liquids are needed on the majority of cooks on the egg

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • stlmike
    stlmike Posts: 7

    Thanks for all of the tips!  Doing the overnight low and slow, will see how it turns out. 

    I did not use liquid in the pan