First Pork Butt

BGEDawg · October 2014

Good Morning -

I couldn't be more excited about this upcoming Saturday, as I will be smoking a Pork Butt for the first time on my new BGE!

I would love to solicit advice for the following:

What's a good size butt for my first smoke?
Best advice on preparing the but prior to smoke? Rubs, sauces, etc?
Best temp to maintain - i've read 220 - 250.
What's the ideal temp to remove from BGE, keeping in mind i plan on wrapping it in tin foil and placing it in a cooler for 30-45 minutes once i remove.

Thanks for your help!

BGE DAWG

SGH · October 2014

First let me say welcome aboard and congratulations on the egg. Give me just a few minutes and I will address your questions my friend if no one else does. Again welcome aboard.

johnkitchens · October 2014

Welcome to the forum!

I like a 7 or 8 pound bone in butt. I rub mine with mustard and Bad Byrons Butt Rub. The mustard acts as a bonding agent. You won't taste it in the meat. Some people here use mustard and some don't. I use it because I don't want my rub falling off.

If you have a lot of time you can do a low and slow at around 225 or so. It will take approximately 1.25 to 1.50 hours per pound to cook at that temp. I pull my butt off of the grill when it gets to 203 or so internal temp. The real test is when the bone is about to fall out of the butt.

If you want to finish faster you can do a Turbo cook which is done at around 350 degrees or so. You will be finished in around 5 hours this way.

I hope this helps!

jcaspary · October 2014

Welcome aboard and enjoy the experience. Good choice for breaking in the new Egg. I don't normally use mustard but as stated earlier some do and some don't. I'm going to try it next time and see what happens. I've used various rubs and saw someone using coffee rub. Going to give that a shot next time also. Most people shoot for the 200-205 range but when you can probe the meat with a thermometer and it slides right in its time to pull. Remember pics or it didn't happen.

SWVABeanCounter · October 2014

Welcome to the jungle. +1 on mustard and BBBR. If time permits, do the low and slow. It's just a fun thing to do, plus gives you ample time to enjoy a beverage or two while doing the hard work of watching your egg. As far as sauce, I usually don't serve mine with sauce, but have a few different types (tomato based, mustard based and vinegar based)on the side so people can choose what they like. When your thermometer slides in like going into butter, you're done. I've seen that at 195 up to 205. Have fun and remember, pics or it didn't happen.

logchief · October 2014

Hey Dawg welcome from another nube. Don't have a lot of advice except I'm lovin this BGE for the first week.

lousubcap · October 2014

First up-welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.

A couple of comments: Calibrate your dome thermo so you know what is happening with the cook. Most BGE's have a natural low&slow "sweet-spot" somewhere in the 240-260*F range. I would initially run at around 260*F or so on the dome. And even at that temp I am likely to see closer to around 1 3/4 hrs/lb cook temp. Don't chase temp, +/- 10-15*F on the dome is close enough if stable. You can easily dial up the cook temp if you get pushed for time.

Also, within reason you cannot load too much lump. Don't know your BGE size but regardless, load up into the fire ring. And catch your cook temp on the way up. Enjoy the cook!

Ragtop99 · October 2014

I find a 6 - 8lb butt is good size. I put it on in the morning and have it for dinner that night. I aim for 195* minimum on my thermopen. I test the butt in several places and don't pull until each spot tested is 195* or higher. Probe should go through it like warm butter.

No mustard here, I find the rub sticks just fine.

No foil at the end for me, I like my bark dry and crisp. IMO, there's nothing gained by letting a butt rest after the cook, other than it's easier to handle if it cools down. I like pulling it when its hot and eating it on the spot. Foil and wrap in towels is for keeping the butt warm if the cooks ends too far in advance of your serving time.

I agree with Lou's tips. I aim for around 250* and don't care if it goes up to 275*. The egg will often move around temp wise during the cook by +/- 10*. Ignore that change. The temp will fall when you put your meat on. Don't react to that. Walk away and check again in 30 minutes. It probably has recovered, or is recovering.

Mix your smoke wood throughout lump. I use chunks, but chips are ok. No need to soak them. I like apple wood for pork.

Use a drip pan or cover the platesetter in foil to avoid a greasy mess in the egg. I raise my drip pan just a tiny bit off the platesetter to allow air underneath it. 3 small nuts or even a couple nickles stacked together will do the trick.

jtcBoynton · October 2014

Welcome. My primary recommendation would be to keep things basic for your first cook. Save the more complicated enhancements for later.

What's a good size butt for my first smoke? ---- 7-8 pounds are good, but don't worry about the size because they all taste good.

Best advice on preparing the but prior to smoke? Rubs, sauces, etc? ---- Keep it simple for your first smoke. Salt is important. Most eggers will also use a rub to enhance flavor. Ask 10 eggers for their favorite rub and you will get 15 answers. Sauce is optional, have some available at the table if you want but don't worry about trying to sauce during cooking. Some people will use mustard or oil to help the rub adhere to the butt. Use either if you want, but don't worry if you don't.

Best temp to maintain - i've read 220 - 250. ---- There are advocates of the long and slow cook (225º) and the turbo cook (350º+). Both will get you good results. Also any temp between the two will do just fine. A low temp can sometimes be tricky to maintain. A 240-250º temp is easier to maintain and will get you great results.

What's the ideal temp to remove from BGE, keeping in mind i plan on wrapping it in tin foil and placing it in a cooler for 30-45 minutes once i remove. ---- There is no ideal temperature. Use temp as an indicator to prompt you to check for doneness (usually between 195-205º). Use feel to determine when the butt is done. The FTC (foil-towel-cooler) is only necessary if you need to keep a butt warm for a long time (1+ hours). It is not necessary for only a 30-45 minute period. In fact many will advocate letting the butt cool for that time before pulling.

First Pork Butt

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